Industry disappointed in death of Renters (Reform) Bill

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The Tenants (Reform) Bill was not tabled in Parliament on Friday and is therefore unlikely to be passed.

This caused huge disappointment from the industry, which felt that a number of amendments had struck the right balance between tenant and landlord rights.

The Tenancy Reform Bill would have abolished Section 21 evictions, a manifesto promise, but only after the court system was overhauled.

Alison Thompson, national renting managing director at Leaders Romans Group, said: “We are deeply disappointed that the long-awaited Tenancies (Reform) Bill will not become law due to the general election on 4 July. This Bill has been several years in the making, designed to address key issues affecting both tenants and landlords.”

“The failure of the Bill to become law is a major setback. Many of the Bill’s provisions were contentious, such as concerns around fixed term tenancies, the repeal of Article 21 and the associated court delays, and the inclusion of a right to request pets, but we believed that with continued dialogue and amendments we could address the concerns of all stakeholders and ultimately benefit the rental market.”

“LRG has consistently advocated for a balanced approach that protects both tenants’ rights and landlords’ interests. The failure of the Rental Reform Bill to pass highlights the need for a comprehensive housing policy that provides stability and addresses the significant issues facing the sector, primarily the undersupply of good quality rental housing.”

Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “If this is the case, it is extremely disappointing that the Bill will now not become law. This news comes at a time when the Bill would have been favourable for tenants and responsible landlords.”

“The government has hesitated and delayed too much, with no clarity on how to ensure the changes will actually work. Crucially, the market now faces even deeper uncertainty about what the future of the private rented sector looks like.”

“Reform in this area will be a key priority for the next administration and we will work constructively with them to ensure reforms are fair and workable – meaning tenants have the ability to take on unscrupulous and criminal landlords, whilst ensuring responsible landlords have the confidence to remain in the market.”

Other elements of the Bill include: fixed term tenancies becoming the norm, tenants being able to challenge unfair rent increases through the courts, it becoming illegal to refuse to rent to someone because they are on welfare or have children, a new national landlord register being created, grounds for eviction if a landlord wants to sell the property or move in, and tenants being able to keep pets becoming the norm as long as they have pet insurance.

Nick Emerson, president of the Law Society of England and Wales, said: “We are increasingly frustrated by delays to the ‘no-fault’ eviction ban and are disappointed by the decision to scrap the Tenancy Reform Bill entirely in the process.”

“The ban on ‘no-fault’ evictions was an important step towards strengthening tenant rights. The repeated delays, obstruction and now complete abandonment of the Tenancy Reform Bill shows that rental market reform is not being taken seriously.”

“The rising cost of living and high interest rates have left many renters struggling to pay their rent. The next administration must make renters’ rights a priority.”

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill, which, unlike the Tenancies (Reform) Bill, would abolish tenancies on new-build homes but not on apartments, has been prioritised and could still be passed.