Renter’s Rights Bill

The government introduced the Renters’ Rights Bill in the House of Commons.

Details announced on 11 September 2024

Here are the key measures outlined in the Bill:

  • Abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault evictions’ to eliminate the risk of arbitrary evictions, enhancing tenant security and stability.
  • Reforming possession grounds to allow landlords to reclaim their properties when necessary.
  • Strengthening tenants’ rights and protections, empowering them to challenge unfair rent increases and introducing laws to prevent rental bidding wars by landlords and agents.
  • Granting tenants the right to request a pet, which landlords must consider and cannot refuse unreasonably.
  • Implementing a Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector to ensure homes are safe, secure, and free from hazards.
  • Extending ‘Awaab’s Law’ to this sector, establishing clear legal timelines for landlords to ensure homes meet safety standards.
  • Creating a digital database for the private rented sector to centralise key information for landlords, tenants, and councils.
  • New ombudsman service to facilitate quicker, cost-effective dispute resolution for the private rented sector, offering fair and binding solutions to conflicts.
  • Prohibiting discrimination by landlords against tenants receiving benefits or with children, ensuring families are not denied housing.
  • Enhancing local councils’ enforcement powers, providing them with new investigatory tools to identify and penalise unscrupulous landlords, driving out bad practices in the sector.

You can follow the progress of the Bill here: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3764.

What does it mean for me as a Landlord?

The changes are expected to take effect by Spring 2025 or early summer. While many details still need to be finalised, it’s clear that fixed-term tenancies will be phased out. All tenancies will begin as periodic. There will also be new grounds for possession and an updated procedure for rent increases.

Are we, as agents, ready for this?

Absolutely! This situation is reminiscent of the Tenancy Fees Ban in 2019. It was a pivotal moment in the history of the Private Rental Sector, and we navigated it successfully.

The upcoming changes will undoubtedly be significant, but we’ve managed similar challenges and will do so again. We are confident that having effective processes and procedures, along with strong relationships with stakeholders—both landlords and tenants—will help us thrive.

Are you confident in your letting agent’s ability to handle the upcoming changes? Contact us today on 0203 588 5115 to discuss how we can help you.

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