The likelihood of the Renters’ Rights Bill becoming law this summer has increased after the government tabled its third reading in the House of Lords for the day before MPs break for summer recess.
Previous media reports had suggested that it was being held up in the parliamentary process and wasn’t expected to become law until at least the autumn, but it has now been given a provisional date of 21st July.
The third reading is a chance for peers to make final adjustments to the bill’s wording and to address any outstanding issues or promises made during earlier stages. Amendments can still be proposed, but they are generally focused on refining the bill. After the third reading in the Lords, the bill will be sent back to the Commons. However, so far, peers have only managed to vote through a few amendments out of almost 300 suggested during report stage.
Head of redress at Property Redress Scheme, Sean Hooker, says it’s going down to the wire. “Evidently the pressure exerted by tenant groups means the government is desperate to get this bill over the line and avoid a backlog of legislation in the latter part of the year,” he tells LandlordZONE. “They will want to avoid headlines like ‘tenants face another winter of no-fault evictions’.
"Ping pong will have to be ping then pong and the bill passed by the Lords in less the 24 hours - but it is possible!”
However, if there is a hold-up, although Parliament returns in September, it only sits for a couple of weeks before another month-long recess for conference. This means the bill may only pass in October, says Hooker.
“This would mean that the minimum two-month implementation period promised by the government and indicated in the bill may be under threat, meaning a mad panic to get things prepared.”
Tags:
Comments