Tory MPs have tabled a raft of amendments to the Renters Reform Bill to ensure it works for the whole private rented sector.

Anthony Mangnall and colleagues hope other MPs will back their recommendations ahead of the report stage of the Bill. These include a suggestion that the proposed legislation should enable evidence such as texts or emails from neighbours to be taken into account by the courts when deciding if a tenant has engaged in anti-social behaviour.

Give notice

Other suggestions are that tenants should be unable to give notice to leave a property until they have lived there for at least four months when fixed term tenancies end and that it should address concerns that the courts are not prepared for the impact of the end of section 21 repossessions, by requiring the government to publish a review of the operation of possession proceedings in the courts before it is abolished.  

The MPs believe the Bill should prevent a costly duplication of efforts by ending the use of landlord selective licensing schemes by councils when the national property portal covering the PRS is set up. Another amendment suggests it should protect the annual cycle of all types of student housing by extending the government’s proposed ground for possession to achieve this, to one- and two-bedroom student properties, not just HMOs.

Feel empowered

NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle (pictured) says: “We accept that section 21 is going and agree that tenants need to feel empowered to challenge the actions of rogue and criminal landlords. However, amidst a supply crisis in the rental market, it is vital that the Bill has the confidence of responsible landlords.

“These pragmatic changes would go a long way towards striking the balance between the needs of renters and the majority of landlords who do right by their tenants.”

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