Renters’ Rights Bill soon to reach Royal Assent
As the Renters’ Rights Bill continues through the stages to become law, CLA Senior Policy Adviser Avril Roberts explains the provisions that are included and still needed in the bill
The Renters’ Rights Bill is now in the committee stage of the House of Lords and will soon return to the House of Commons to achieve Royal Assent. This means that the bill will become an Act of Parliament and the countdown to the measures within the bill taking effect will begin. Most notably, the bill delivers on the government’s manifesto commitment to end section 21 evictions, known as the ‘notice only’ or ‘no fault’ route to possession.
The CLA are predicting that the bill will achieve Royal Assent before the summer, likely in May or June. We are therefore seeking advice from the government on when the legislation will begin to apply. Usually there is a short delay between Royal Assent and implementation to give time to prepare for those affected by legislation. We will publish guidance as soon as we know the details, which will include new CLA guidance notes.
What’s included in the Renters’ Rights Bill?
Provisions included within the bill are:
- Removal of Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988
- Reform of Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 (the alternative routes to possession)
- Abolishment of assured shorthold tenancies, so all tenancies will be fully assured (i.e. run from month to month with no minimum or maximum term)
- Landlords must not “unreasonably withhold consent” when a tenant requests to keep a pet
- A Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector (PRS)
- A PRS database
- A PRS ombudsman
- Awaab’s Law will be extended to the PRS – this sets legal expectations about the timeframes in which landlords must make homes safe where they contain serious hazards, such as damp and mould
- A ban on rental bidding
The CLA has worked tirelessly to ensure that the provisions in the bill will work for rural PRS landlords. We were successful in ensuring that these provisions are included in the bill:
- A new ground for possession where the property is required for an incoming agricultural worker
- The “employers’ ground” which ensures possession is granted when an employment contract ends, has been strengthened by making it mandatory
- An equivalent of the existing “form 9” notice, which allows landlords to contract out of security of tenure when housing an agricultural worker, and thus preserve the right to repossess the property when the job is over
- Additional grounds are available specifically to landlords and tenants of agricultural tenancies where the superior lease ends and/or where the superior landlord becomes the tenant’s direct landlord
What’s still needed in the bill?
We are working with peers in the House of Lords on a number of specific amendments which we believe are still needed to ensure the efficient functioning of the PRS in rural areas:
- Under the new ground for incoming agricultural workers, we would like to see this amended to allow repossession for a wider range of employees, for example those in hospitality. This would reflect the needs of the 85% of rural businesses that have nothing to do with farming or forestry
- A new ground – “the property is required to house an outgoing agricultural worker that the landlord has a statutory duty to house and who is being moved to suitable alternative accommodation”
The CLA will be hosting a webinar for members on the reforms in the Renters Rights Bill in May, details will shortly be announced on the CLA website and via e-news. The webinar will include tips on how to prepare for the new legislation and we encourage members to join to find out more.
