-
14/7/25 8:13 pm
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
The Renters’ Rights Bill has received Royal Assent from King Charles and become law.
It is now 19 months since Michael Gove revealed his first stab at reforming the private rented sector, draft legislation which failed to get through parliament during the chaos of the late Tory years.
Labour version of the Bill, which was almost identical, has sped through the Lords and Commons by parliamentary standards, helped by Labour’s large majority in the Commons.
This afternoon the seismic legislation, which will comprehensively reframe how the private rented sector is regulated and heap more red tape on both letting agents and landlords, now only has to be officially read out in the Lords with MPs in attendance along with several other pieces of legislation.
After this piece of parliamentary pomp has been completed, civil servants both inside parliament and in Whitehall must work hard to get any secondary legislation affected by the Bill changed, along with the amendments necessary to regulations.
The housing secretary Steve Reed (pictured) said during an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning that he would ‘soon’ publish a timetable of when these changes would take place so that agents, landlords and tenants could understand when the Renters’ Rights Act would fully go live.
This includes the abolishment of Section 21, which is the most sensitive element of the Act – campaigning groups representing tenants have been calling on ‘no fault’ evictions made possible by Section 21 notices to be banned immediately, but Labour ministers have pushed back, saying property managers need time to adjust, and for the regulatory system to be altered.
It is also not clear whether many County Courts are ready for the changes and the likely large increase in workload; the Renters’ Rights Act effectively forces all evictions to go through these courts, making removing rogue tenants both a lengthier and more expensive process for landlords and letting agents.
“Our historic Act marks the biggest leap forward in renters’ rights in a generation. We are finally ending the injustice overseen by previous governments that has left millions living in fear of losing their homes," says Reed.
“For decades, the scales have been tipped against tenants. Now, we’re levelling the playing field between renters and landlords.
“We are tearing down the walls of injustice in the private rented sector and building a future where tenants are protected, respected and empowered.
“This is an historic moment for renters across the country and we’re proud to deliver it.”
Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA)
“After years of debate and uncertainty, today marks an important milestone for the private rented sector. With the Renters’ Rights Act on the statute book, the sector needs certainty about the way forward," he says.
“This is the most significant shake-up of the rental market in almost 40 years, and it is imperative that the new systems work for both tenants and responsible landlords.
"The NRLA stands ready to work with the Government to ensure the reforms are implemented in a way that is fair, proportionate and deliverable.
“The Government now needs to engage meaningfully with those providing the homes so desperately needed, to ensure implementation of the Bill is realistic and aligns with the practicalities of the market – not least the need for clarity well in advance of the next academic year for student housing.
“At a minimum, the sector needs six months’ notice before implementation to ensure a smooth and seamless transition, and the Government must provide certainty on this as soon as possible.”
“The Government must also recognise the vital importance of a thriving private rented sector not only to meet tenant demand but to the national economy. It is essential that the Government’s reforms do not worsen the supply crisis by discouraging long term investment in the homes to rent that so many rely on.
“As the changes bed in, the Government should commit to ongoing monitoring of their impact and ensure its findings are published.”
Tags:
Comments