This morning’s King’s Speech delivered to a packed House of Lords has revealed Labour’s radical plans for landlords, letting agents and tenants.
It is one of 35 bills to be introduced during the current parliament and includes a new Renters’ Right Bill, which is largely a version of Michael Gove’s Renters (Reform) Bill.
Following the King’s Speech, Prime Minister Keir Starmer (pictured) said: “Today’s new laws will take back control and lay the foundations of real change that this country is crying out for, creating wealth in every community and making people better off - supporting their ambitions, hopes and dreams.”
Commentary about the Renters’ Rights Bill published this morning by No.10 reveal that: “The Government is determined to address the insecurity and injustice that far too many renters experience by fundamentally reforming the private rented sector and improving the quality of housing in it.
“We value the contribution made by responsible landlords who provide quality homes to their tenants and believe they must enjoy robust grounds for possession where there is good reason to take their property back.
“However, the Government is determined to level decisively the playing field between landlord and tenant by providing renters with greater security, rights and protections and cracking down on the minority of unscrupulous landlords who exploit, mistreat or discriminate against tenants with bad practices such as unfair rent increases intended to force tenants out, and pitting renters against each other in bidding wars.
“The Renters’ Rights Bill delivers our manifesto commitment to transform the experience of private renting, including by ending Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions – we will take action where the previous Government has failed.
“The Bill will give renters much greater security and stability so they can stay in their homes for longer, build lives in their communities, and avoid the risk of homelessness.”
* Getting rid of no-fault or ‘Section 21’ evictions;
* Giving tenants the power to challenge rent increases that may be designed to force them out ‘by the back door’;
* Preventing agents and landlords from encouraging bidding wars;
* Giving renters the right to request a pet but enabling landlords to request tenants take out pet damage insurance;
* Introducing a ‘decent homes standard’ to the PRS;
* Applying Awaab’s Law to the sector – i.e. fining agents or landlords who fail to fix damp and mould problems quickly enough;
* Creating a digital national database of landlords and their properties – i.e. a national portal.
Chris Norris (pictured), Policy Director for the National Residential LandlordsAssociation
“With an average of 15 households chasing every available home to rent it is vital that rental reform does not make an already serious supply crisis in the private rented sector worse," he says.
“The system that replaces Section 21 needs to be fair, workable and sustainable for both responsible landlords and renters. That means fixing a broken justice system which too often fails those reliant upon it.
“The Housing Minister has rightly noted that landlords need the courts to operate quickly where they have a good reason to repossess a property. This includes cases of tenant anti-social behaviour and serious rent arrears, which currently take almost seven months to process. This is far too long.
“Tenants are no better served by delays, which increase hardship, stress, and uncertainty. We need action from the Government, alongside the Bill, to ensure all are able to access justice in a timely fashion when they need to do so.
“We will work constructively with the Government as it continues to work on the detail of its plans.”
Ben Twomey (pictured), Chief Executive, Generation Rent
“It is welcome to see the end to no-fault evictions included in the government’s plans," he says.
"After five years of promises from the previous government, with no improvements at the end of it, renters are understandably demoralised and wary of new commitments. The government faces a big test to reassure voters that it can quickly turn promises into action and change things for the better."
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