Renters' Reform Bill - get involved in our campaign
Over the past month, we have been running a series of interactive regional webinars for members to learn more about the Renters’ Reform Bill and specifically the NRLA’s proposals for this.
Hundreds of landlords have attended our regional webinars so far, and the next regional webinar for members on this topic will be hosted by our South East reps on 11th February. To watch the recordings of the webinars click here.
Renters Reform Bill: The NRLA’s proposals
The Renters’ Reform Bill has not yet been published, but responding to a written question on the Bill in November, Housing Minister Christopher Pincher MP said the Bill will be brought forward when 'there is a sensible and stable economic and social terrain' following the emergency coronavirus response’.
The Government has also previously announced that the Renters’ Reform Bill would:
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Abolish Section 21 repossession and reform the grounds for possession.
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Improve the court process for landlords to make it quicker and easier for them to get their property back.
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Introduce a new lifetime deposit so that tenants don’t need to save for a new deposit every time they move house.
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Develop and implement measures to widen access to and expand the scope of the database of rogue landlords and property agents.
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Give greater powers to drive improvements in standards, and empower tenants to make an informed choice about who they rent from.
NRLA proposals for the Renters’ Reform Bill
The NRLA published its proposals for the Renters’ Reform Bill in December. They were developed following engagement with both members and the wider housing sector to develop the proposals, which work for both landlords and tenants.
The NRLA is calling for fundamental reforms to the rights of repossession that are fair to both tenants and landlords.
The proposals outline clear and comprehensive grounds upon which landlords should be able to regain possession of their properties. This includes cases of tenant rent arrears, anti-social behaviour and situations where landlords want to sell a property. Where possession notices are challenged, the NRLA is calling for the creation of a new, publicly funded conciliation service, similar to the employment dispute body, ACAS. This would seek to resolve disagreements between landlords and tenants without the stress and costs associated with going to court.
The Renters’ Reform Bill was also a topic of discussion during the first edition of the NRLA’s brand new podcast, Listen Up Landlords, launched last week. During the segment about the Renters’ Reform Bill, podcast presenters NRLA CEO Ben Beadle and NRLA rep Richard Blanco spoke to guests landlord and campaigner James Fraser and landlord and agent Susan Aktemel about the implications of the bill and NRLA response.
Get involved
We are interested in hearing from members when it comes to what you think of our proposals to government, how you have engaged in the Renters' Reform Bill process and your experiences with possession. To share your views with us and read more about our proposals in detail, please click here.
Keep an eye out for opportunities for you to get involved, such as writing to your MP and engaging with our lobbying work when the Bill is brought forward.
