Renters’ Rights Bill back in Lords next month
Committee Stage of the Renters’ Rights Bill will start on 22 April it has been confirmed this week.
This will see peers scrutinise the detail of the Bill, and debate and agree any proposed amendments.
The debate is expected to take a number of days, and while both 22 and 24 April have been confirmed, further dates are expected to be announced closer to the time.
The NRLA is backing two amendments on rent arrears which we believe will give landlords the confidence to know they will still be able to regain possession – in a timely manner – should their tenants stop paying rent.
Lord Carter of Haslemere proposes the existing (two month) threshold remains when the Renters' Rights Bill comes into force, in line with our recommendations, as well as a caveat that would exempt arrears built up as a result of issues with Universal Credit payments. You can read about these in more detail here.
We have also recommended other changes that we believe will ensure that the Bill is fair and workable in practice. These include:
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The introduction of a system to assess rent increases before disputes are sent to the tribunal: This would be developed in conjunction with the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), which could advise on market rents.
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Changes to mitigate the risk of arrears: These include a move which would allow an initial rent payment to be paid as a condition of a landlord agreeing to a tenancy, and the reintroduction the two-month threshold for rent arrears when it comes to triggering possession proceedings using the mandatory ground.
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Changes to the student possession ground: We are calling for an extension of the ground allowing it to be applied to one- and two-bedroom student homes, and to allow students to pay rent by term (rather than monthly).
We have also called for a full implementation plan for the changes being brought forward in the Bill – and a clear plan for the justice system – to ensure it has the confidence of landlords and tenants.
What happens next?
In all 50 pages of amendments have been tabled since the Renters’ Rights Bill was last discussed in the Lords on 4 February.
Each of these must be debated, with an open-ended time limit and all Lords given the opportunity to speak during this stage in proceedings.
Following Committee Stage, there will be another two stages in the Lords before the Bill returns to the Commons for agreement ahead of Royal Assent. This is expected to be this summer.
After that, secondary legislation will need to be published to fill in details of key elements of the Bill before it comes into force; for example, secondary legislation will be needed to confirm what must be included in the written statement required for all periodic tenancies.
We would encourage you to keep an eye on our newsletters and social media channels for all the latest on the Bill’s progress.
Find out more
- The public affairs team is hosting a webinar on 10 April with an update on the Renters’ Rights Bill and our energy efficiency campaigns. We will have a further webinar focused on the latest on the Renters’ Rights Bill following Committee Stage in May.
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For more on the NRLA's approach to the Bill and our campaigns work read a blog by our policy director Chris Norris here.
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Extra dates have been added for our new Renters’ Rights course, after training sessions sold out in record time. For more information and to book click here.
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We have also added a new eLearning option for the Renters’ Rights course, allowing you to take the training at a time and place to suit you. For more information and to book click here.
