Background
On 22 May, Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak MP, announced that a general election (GE) will take place on 4 July.
Parliament ended before the Renters (Reform) Bill could complete its passage, meaning it will not become law. It will now be up to the next Government to decide what shape reform of the private rented sector will take.
As political parties publish their manifestos and set out their vision for the private rented sector (PRS), we will regularly update this hub to keep you informed. We will also publish the NRLA’s own key asks for the PRS - a bold vision to boost rental supply, retain landlord confidence, and ensure accessible justice for both landlords and tenants.
About the Campaign
The NRLA is campaigning to ensure the Government’s plans to reform the private rented sector are fair and workable for both landlords and tenants.
We have identified several areas of concern within the Government’s proposals for rental reform that need to be addressed to ensure landlords have the confidence to remain in the sector.
We are calling on the Government to:
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End the anti-landlord rhetoric and back the majority of landlords providing good quality homes to rent.
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Address issues that will arise in the student housing market as a result of the plans to introduce periodic tenancies.
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Establish firm principles as to how local authorities and the police will deal with anti-social tenants.
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Reform the courts before the removal of Section 21 to tackle lengthy waits for possession.
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Abolish local licensing once the new Property Portal is introduced.
Our Impact
Following extensive campaigning by the NRLA, we have successfully influenced and shaped the Government’s proposals for rental reform.
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We engaged with high level officials at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, providing evidence at Government-led roundtables and select committee sessions.
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The Housing Minister Felicity Buchan MP stated that she shares the NRLA’s view that landlords’ right to repossess must be protected – and backs our stance on anti-social behaviour and the need for exemptions for student landlords when it comes to the abolition of fixed term tenancies.
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Our concerns and proposals about rental reform have been quoted in numerous select committee hearings and Westminster debates, as well as cited in several House of Commons research briefing papers.
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Following engagement with student representative bodies and organisations from across the higher education sector, we secured wide-ranging support on the impact the Government’s proposals for reform will have on landlords operating in the student housing market.
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In 2020, we produced our own White Paper ‘A New Deal for the Private Rented Sector’, which subsequently led the Government to recognise the need for court reform to ensure landlords are able to gain possession of their properties in an efficient and timely manner.
Get Involved
Find out if your local MP supports the Government’s proposals for rental reform by writing to them.
You can write to your MP using our online tool. Once you are logged into your membership account, the tool will automatically find your MP and ensure your letter follows parliamentary protocol.
Either write your own letter or copy and paste text from our template letters into the online tool and personalise it if you wish.
You can download the template letters by clicking the ‘MP Template Letters’ document below.
MP Template Letters
Last updated: 12/12/2023 at 13:56 - 109.10 KB
Rental Reform - MP Engagement Toolkit
Last updated: 15/07/2022 at 11:36 - 99.43 KB
Research
A New Deal for the Private Rented Sector
Last updated: 23/08/2021 at 15:00 - 2.23 MB
Decent Homes and The Private Rented Sector
Last updated: 23/05/2022 at 14:03 - 962.61 KB
Latest articles
NRLA's anti-social behaviour plan shared with minister
The NRLA has written to housing minister Felicity Buchan reiterating its calls for the Government to beef up plans to clamp down on anti-social behaviour in the PRS. The letter outlines the NRLA's proposals on how the Government's rental reform plans could be developed to strengthen its stance on anti-social behaviour.
White Paper reforms: NRLA counters uncertainty
This is the first of three blog posts on the recent non-member survey from the summer of 2022. The survey reports on landlords' views on upcoming legislation that may be in the policy pipeline. The blog specifically looks at how landlords have reacted to the Renters' Reform bill white paper. Key concerns centre around (i) the loss of Section 21 without significant reform to Section 8 grounds and (ii) the removal of fixed term tenancies.
Minister Delivers First Speech at NRLA Conference
On Tuesday 15 November the Coventry Arena played host to the first national NRLA conference, attended by more than 500 delegates, speakers, and exhibitors including the latest minister for the private rented sector Felicity Buchan MP.
NRLA Concerns Quoted in LUHC Select Committee on Rental Reform
It has been another successful week for the Policy and Campaigns Team in Westminster as NRLA concerns were quoted by MPs in the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) Select Committee.
Amendment seeks to change council tax rules for HMOs
A proposed amendment may stop the Valuation Office from charging council tax by the room in HMOs. Find out how you can get involved with the campaign to end this practice here.
