The warning comes from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the private rented sector on the reform measures as part of the report stage. The Renters Reform Bill, which has been introduced in parliamentary sessions in 2022-2023 an 2023-2024, includes measures such as the development of a new decent homes standard for the private rented sector, a new property portal for rental housing and the end of Section 21 eviction notices.
A common theme for the publication was that more steps were needed to address the actions of rogue and criminal landlords.
Key industry figures offering evidence to the APPG for the Renters Reform Bill said that there needed to be help for local authorities to crack down on criminal behaviour, while others warned the government should prioritise enforcement of regulations to stamp out illegal activity and invest in enforcement capacity.
The cross-party group of MPs said that they were seriously concerned that local authorities would struggle to enforce planned changes without a boost in their resources.
Figures from the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health reveal that for every 10,000 private rented homes, there were less than three environmental health officers.
The APPG also expressed concerns that renters and landlords would struggle to defend their rights in the courts when Section 21 eviction notices are scrapped.
It is also worried about how long the justice system will take to process legitimate possession claims under the new system, and the ability for tenants to uphold their rights.
Evidence provided by the Law Society said that nearly half of people in England and Wales have no access to a legal aid provider in their area equipped with expertise in housing law.
Renters reform should offer tenant security and confidence to responsible landlords
Andrew Lewer MBE MP, the chair of the APPG for the private rented sector, said: “It is vital that the bill provides security to tenants, gives confidence to responsible landlords and roots out rogue and criminal landlords providing sub-standard housing.
“However, none of this will be possible without robust enforcement of the powers being proposed.”
He continued: “The government needs to provide substantial multi-year funding to ensure councils have the resources they need to enforce the planned decent homes standard and ensure all rented homes are safe and secure.
“Likewise, tenants and landlords need to be confident that they will be able to enforce their rights in court in a timely and effective way when Section 21 ends. It is simply unacceptable that ministers have provided scant detail about what improvements to the justice system will look like and when they will happen.”
