Renters' Rights Bill introduced to Parliament

The Renters' Rights Bill has be introduced to Parliament.

The Bill will ban Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions for new and existing tenancies, extend Awaab’s Law into the private rented sector and end blanket bans for those on benefits or with children.  

According to statistics, last year nearly 26,000 households faced homelessness as a result of a Section 21 eviction and had to go to their council for support. It is hoped that greater security will give renters peace of mind, so they can build their lives in their communities.

The bill means that the Decent Homes Standard will be applied to the private rented sector for the first time. At the moment 21 per cent of privately rented homes are considered non-decent and more than 500,000 contain the most serious of hazards. Landlords who fail to address serious hazards can be fined up to £7,000 by local councils and may face prosecution for non-compliance.

Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner said: "Renters have been let down for too long and too many are stuck in disgraceful conditions, powerless to act because of the threat of a retaliatory eviction hanging over them.  

"Most landlords act in a responsible way but a small number of unscrupulous ones are tarnishing the reputation of the whole sector by making the most of the housing crisis and forcing tenants into bidding wars.   

"There can be no more dither and delay. We must overhaul renting and rebalance the relationship between tenant and landlord. This Bill will do just that and tenants can be reassured this Government will protect them."

The Bill will also introduce a ban on rental bidding wars, by cracking down on those who make the most of the housing crisis by forcing tenants to bid for their properties.

There will also be a ban on in-tenancy rent increases written in to contracts to prevent landlords implementing too high rents mid-tenancy. Blanket bans on tenants with children or those in receipt of benefits will be abolished.

A new Private Rented Sector Database will also be created to help landlords understand their obligations for compliance and provide tenants the information they need to make informed choices for new tenancies.

Cllr Adam Hug, housing spokesperson for the Local Government Association said: “With the Renter’s Reform Bill introduced today, we’re pleased to see the inclusion of a ban on Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions which are the primary cause of people presenting to councils as homeless. This is something the LGA has long-called for.

“We look forward to studying the content of the legislation more closely.

“We will continue to work with government to ensure that councils have the right powers, skills, capacity and resources to undertake effective enforcement activity.”

Cllr Grace Williams, London Councils’ executive member for housing & regeneration, said: “Three million Londoners live in private rented sector homes and undoubtedly deserve stronger protection.

“Boroughs support a ban on no-fault evictions. Too often we’ve seen Londoners turfed out of their homes for no good reason and made homeless, turning their lives upside down. With London’s homelessness pressures at record levels, banning these evictions is a crucial step forward.

“Boroughs will work both with the government and with landlords to ensure these reforms are as successful as possible. Part of that means ensuring boroughs are provided with the powers and resources we need to enforce the new rules. We will also work alongside minsters in tackling the other deep-seated issues driving London’s housing pressures and rapidly escalating homelessness crisis – especially the chronic shortage of affordable housing.”