The second reading of the Renters’ Rights Bill is due to take place in the House of Lords on 4 February, giving peers the opportunity to debate key issues.
The bill passed into the House of Lords earlier this month, with key amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill including how much rent in advance can be requested.
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook said the changes would level the playing field between landlords and renters.
Propertymark has said that some key questions remain unanswered, such as the regulation of short-term lets, how the government will manage increased demand on courts, and what additional resourcing will be put in place to deal with current backlogs.
The ability of student landlords with properties that are not houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) to offer secure tenancies through altered eviction grounds is also a concern, with Propertymark noting that the removal of fixed-term tenancies and stricter rent advance requirements could further limit student access to rental properties.
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Propertymark added that the Renters’ Rights Bill also raised questions about the “capacity and resources of local councils” to enforce new regulation, and the timeline for when it would come into force was also unclear.
Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, said it recognised the “intention is to protect renters and provide them with greater security”.
He continued: “However, there is a real concern from letting agents that overly restrictive regulations will reduce the supply of rental homes, drive up rent prices and make it even more difficult for people to find affordable housing. We are therefore calling on peers to make the Renters’ Rights Bill fit for purpose.
“A clear timetable for implementation must be set out by the UK government, including a commitment to enact the registration of short-term rental property requirements as passed in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act alongside these reforms to level the playing field for landlords and the long-term rental market.
“There is a desperate need for the UK government to confirm to the sector about what court reform looks like and take action. Additionally, the UK government must revise the provisions on restricting rent in advance to better protect vulnerable tenants and allow agents and landlords to process applications and be able to set up tenancies securely.”
