Renters Reform: Amendments under the microscope
This week, MPs began the meticulous process of poring over the Renters (Reform) Bill in a line by line examination of the legislation. Samuel Leeson from the public affairs team looks at the key takeaways for landlords.
Having heard from industry experts, including NRLA CEO Ben Beadle, the Renters (Reform) Bill Committee continued its scrutiny of the legislation this week.
Committee stage enables MPs to propose, as well as carefully consider, potential amendments to the Bill, and committee members faced the considerable task of navigating over 270 proposed changes.
While not all amendments could be considered, MPs had the opportunity to accept or reject nearly 90 amendments to the Bill.
Student ground for possession
In response to extensive campaigning by the NRLA highlighting potential challenges in the student housing market, the Government proposed a crucial amendment to the Bill to address these concerns.
The amendment, which would introduce a new ground for possession allowing student HMO landlords to regain control of their properties in line with the academic year, was accepted by the Committee and will now become part of the legislation.
While the amendment garnered broad support from MPs, recognising the unique and cyclical nature of the student market, Shadow Housing Minister Mathew Pennycook MP urged the Government to delve further into the amendment's implications, particularly examining whether it fully considers the nuances of the whole student market.
The NRLA is proposing that the student ground should apply wherever there is a household of full-time students occupying the property, including one or two-person student properties.
Introducing caps on in-tenancy rent rises
Alongside the Government's amendments, Labour Party MPs also proposed a series of changes the Bill.
This included a proposal by Brighton, Kemptown MP, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, who tabled an amendment aiming to introduce measures limiting in-tenancy rent increases to an inflationary measure—essentially a form of rent control.
Jacob Young MP, the Levelling Up Minister and the Government's Bill Committee spokesperson, decisively rejected the amendment, reaffirming the Government’s stance on rent control.
Increasing the length of a notice
When examining other vital aspects of the legislation, significant concerns were raised by Shadow Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook MP and Labour colleagues on notice periods.
An amendment was tabled that would extend the minimum notice periods to four months where a landlord seeks possession to move into or sell their property to provide tenants with more time to save for and secure alternative housing.
The amendment was put to a vote and ultimately rejected, with the rationale having been refuted by the Levelling Up Minster, Jacob Young MP.
In debating the issue, the Minister argued that the existing two-month period around the selling and moving-in grounds in the Bill strikes the right balance between the rights of tenants and landlords, arguing that extending this period could undermine landlord confidence.
What happens next?
MPs will continue to review the remaining amendments tabled next week with the examination set to conclude by December 5.
The NRLA will continue to share updates on our news site and social media channels.
For more information about the proposed amendments you can read a blog by NRLA Head of Policy James Wood here.
If you would like to read the transcripts from the Renters (Reform) Bill Committee this week, please click here.
And for more information on how the Renters (Reform) Bill will become law, please click here.
