The rental sector risks being saddled with unworkable reforms unless the Government backs amendments proposed by peers, the NRLA has warned.

Ahead of the Renters’ Rights Bill committee stage in the House of Lords, the landlord group says ministers must get behind pragmatic changes including a review of the impact on the justice system ahead of scrapping Section 21.

Student housing

The NRLA is also backing an amendment that would extend the possession ground to all student housing.

It says with fixed-term tenancies ending, landlords will have no certainty that properties will be available to rent to new students at the start of each academic year.

While the Government has proposed a possession ground to address this, it excludes one-and two-bedroom properties - which make up a third of student accommodation.

Rent arrears

Another amendment from a former Number 10 legal adviser would reverse the increase in the amount of rent arrears a tenant can build.

The Bill increases by half the amount of rent arrears before a landlord can use the mandatory ground for possession for arrears.

However, the NRLA says allowing arrears to build further will make it harder for tenants to tackle problem debts and also make responsible landlords less likely to rent to those who struggle to prove they can sustain a tenancy.  

Ben Beadle, of the NRLA, believes ministers must back these “constructive, sensible proposals” to ensure the Bill works in practice.

“Without changes the justice system will not cope, students will struggle to plan where they will live and responsible landlords will avoid the risk of taking tenants with a poor, or no, credit history in the UK,” he said.

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