What’s happened since our article last month?

On 26^th April the House of Commons debated the key changes outlined below which were largely accepted.

The bill then moved back to the Lords and was heard for the second time on the 15^th May.

However, following the announcement by the Prime Minister that a General Election will take place on 4^th July 2024, the UK Parliament was discontinued on 24^th May 2024, with full dissolution taking place on 30^th May 2024.

It was likely with the short run-up to the election on the 4^th July that there would be insufficient parliamentary time for the Renters (Reform) Bill and other bills to progress on their legislative journey.

This period is known as "wash-up", where the UK Government and official opposition agree privately on which Bills will make it through to the Statute Book. This period has now expired so the Renters Reform Bill, in its current format, will cease to exist and cannot now be resurrected, including if the Conservative party were to be re-elected. It will now fall to the next government to implement its housing policy.

Party manifestos will be published over the coming weeks providing a clear indication of each one’s intentions and pledges.

The Key amendments include:

Establish an initial six-month period for tenants
Require an assessment of the county court possession system before abolishing section 21.
Undertake a review of council licensing schemes in light of the Property Portal.
Ensure the student market continues to work, in allowing students not in HMO’s (Houses in Multiple Occupation) to fall in the definition of the student market.
Protect the balance of longer and shorter-term lets in local areas.
Commit to a review within 18 months of the implementation of tenancy measures within the Bill.
Commit in legislation to publish an annual parliamentary update on the state of the private rented sector.

What is the Renters (Reform) Bill?

Promising the biggest reform to the private rented sector for decades, the Renters (Reform) Bill will deliver the government’s commitment to “bring in a better deal for renters”, including abolishing ‘no fault’ evictions and reforming landlord possession grounds. It will legislate for reforms set out in the private rented sector white paper published in June 2022.

What Are Its Key Aims?

The objective of The Renters (Reform) Bill is to ensure renters have access to a secure and decent home and that landlords retain the confidence to repossess their properties where they need to.

The Bill will:

Abolish Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions
Reform tenancy agreements, such that all tenancies become periodic (no end date)
Introduce more grounds for possession for landlords where tenants are at fault
Provide stronger protections against retaliatory evictions
Introduce a new Ombudsman, which all private landlords must join
Introduce a new Property Portal for privately rented properties in England.
Give tenants the right to request a pet

Additional measures the Government intends to legislate for include:

Applying the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector
Making it illegal for landlords or agents to apply blanket bans on renting to tenants in receipt of benefits or with children
Strengthening local council’s enforcement powers and introducing new requirements for councils to report enforcement activity

The Bill’s passage can be tracked here.

The Parliamentary Research Briefing (April 2024) can be found here.

Amendments to the Bill up to 24^th April 2024 can be found here.