The Renters Reform Bill has been amended since it was introduced to Parliament on 17 May last year, with the government confirming changes to proposals following a report by the BBC that detailed the amendments as stated in a leaked letter to MPs.
This includes preventing a tenant from ending a tenancy within the first six months, instead of the previously proposed two months, and requiring the Lord Chancellor to publish a report on the readiness of the court system before abolishing Section 21 evictions.
Earlier this week, campaigners accused the government of “betraying renters” for failing to get rid of the ‘no-fault’ evictions five years after it promised to do so.
Rules allowing landlords to evict tenants from a house in multiple occupation (HMO) property were expanded to include student accommodation were also added to the amendments, as well as a proposal preventing landlords from letting a property as a short-term or holiday accommodation for three months after using possession grounds to move into or sell a property.
An amendment to require local authorities to prevent tenants from becoming homeless after being served a Section 8 eviction notice, as well as a change to review the implementation of tenancy reforms within 18 months of the rules being applied to existing tenancies.
The government said the bill still aimed to fulfil the Conservative party’s pledge to create a fairer private rental market for both tenants and landlords.
After its third reading next week, the Renters Reform Bill will go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.
A swift process
Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), said: “Our focus has been on ensuring that when Section 21 repossessions end, the replacement system works and is fair to both tenants and responsible landlords.
“Tenants should rightly be empowered to hold rogue and criminal landlords to account to root out the minority who bring the sector into disrepute. However, it is vital that the majority of responsible landlords have confidence in the bill to provide the homes for rent the country needs.
“The amendments proposed by the government strike that balance.”
Beadle added: “It is now important to provide certainty to the market, so it can transition smoothly to the new system. We therefore call on MPs to ensure swift passage of the bill through Parliament with the government’s planned changes.
“This should be underpinned by action to improve the justice system for renters and landlords alike.”
