Renters (Reform) Bill delivers fair deal for tenants and landlords
Ahead of the Renters (Reform) Bill’s third reading in Parliament later today, the NRLA has issued a statement outlining what landlords and tenants should expect from the Bill, and what the NRLA wants to see going forward.
The NRLA’s statement sets out why it is crucial that the Bill passes through Parliament, and how several amendments make this a more “balanced Bill that protects landlords and tenants”.
The Bill's impact assessment and transcripts of the parliamentary stages are available to read on the Parliament website here.
Speaking ahead of the final stages of the Renters (Reform) Bill in the House of Commons today, Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said:
“This Bill delivers a fair deal for tenants and responsible landlords. In the interests of certainty for the sector it is now time to ensure the Bill passes through Parliament.
“For renters, the Bill will abolish section 21 repossessions and fixed term tenancies, introduce a Decent Homes Standard for the sector, a new Ombudsman and Property Portal which landlords will have to join as well as measures to protect families and those in receipt of benefits from discrimination.
“Going forward, it will always be for the courts to decide if landlords have met the threshold to repossess a property based on a series of legitimate reasons. This includes tenant anti-social behaviour, serious rent arrears or where a landlord plans to sell a property.
“That said, the tenant group, Generation Rent, has rightly warned that landlords selling properties is ‘a leading cause of homelessness.’ The only answer to this is ensuring responsible landlords feel confident enough to stay in the market. Greater security for tenants will mean nothing if the rental homes are not there in the first place.
“A number of the amendments proposed to the Bill enact recommendations by the cross-party housing select committee. Taken together they would ensure a balanced Bill that protects tenants and ensures it is viable for responsible landlords to continuing renting properties out.”
-ENDS-
Notes:
• The tenant group, Generation Rent, has warned that: “Landlords selling properties is a leading cause of homelessness.”
• Amendments the Government has tabled to the Bill include:
- Accepting a proposal by the cross-party Levelling Up, Housing and Communities select committee that when fixed term tenancy agreements end, “tenants be unable to give two months’ notice to leave until they have been in a property for at least four months.” The Committee noted that: “This will give landlords the legal certainty of at least six months’ rent at the start of a tenancy.” Protections should be in place however to ensure tenants can leave earlier than this where properties are not of a decent standard, and to protect those suffering from domestic abuse.
- Reviewing the operation of the courts before ending section 21 for existing tenancies to ensure the justice system can cope with the increased workload. The Select Committee noted that: “Before section 21 can be repealed, landlords must have confidence in their ability to regain possession under section 8, especially in the case of rent arrears and antisocial behaviour. The biggest obstacle to this is the capacity of the courts.”
The Law Society has warned that: “without investment for housing legal aid and the courts, the bill will not achieve its aims and may lead to an increase in backlogs and landlords and tenants alike will be unable to enforce their legal rights.”
- Ensuring all types of student housing, including one and two bed properties, are covered by the planned ground for possession to protect the annual cycle of the student housing market. This is supported by the Labour-led Local Government Association which noted that it “would give confidence to student landlords, who rent properties not considered as HMOs, that they can offer properties each academic year.”
• Further information about the NRLA can be found at www.nrla.org.uk. It posts on X @NRLAssociation.
• For further information contact Ed Jacobs by emailing [email protected] or telephone 0770 6386 773.
• The NRLA’s press office can be contacted by emailing [email protected] or by calling 0300 131 6363.