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14/7/25 8:13 pm
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Peers are hoping they can convince the government to reconsider key changes to the Renters’ Rights Bill around the student possession ground and re-letting after using the sale ground for possession.
While the government rejected amendments approved in the House of Lords earlier in the process, 17 have been listed for debate when the bill returns to the Upper House tomorrow.
Shadow Housing Minister, Baroness Scott, has re-tabled her party’s amendment to extend the student possession ground (4A) to one-and two-bedroom properties.
Under the bill, landlords wanting to repossess their property on the grounds they plan to sell it would be banned from re-letting or re-marketing it for a year. Crossbench peer Lord Cromwell has re-tabled his amendment to reduce this to six months. However, the government has confirmed its desire to oppose both amendments.
Baroness Scott will also reintroduce the amendment to bring in pet deposits, allowing landlords to use the deposit to repair damage which would be subject to the rules governing deposits in tenancy agreements.
Other key battlegrounds up for debate again include requiring local authorities to meet the criminal, rather than the civil, standard of proof when imposing penalties for rental discrimination and rental bidding breaches.
A previous Lords amendment introduced a new ground for possession for the sole purpose of allowing a landlord to regain their property to house a carer for themselves or a member of their family living with them. The government rejected this, but peers want to debate it again.
There is also an amendment from Labour's Baroness Taylor which amends the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 to enable landlords and tenants to agree that notice to quit of less than two months can be given. This amendment would ensure that, where there are joint tenants, all of them must make such an agreement with the landlord.
If the Lords accept these amendments, they will go back to the Commons for debate as part of the ‘ping pong’ process until the bill reaches Royal Assent.
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