‘Welcome’, ‘painfully overdue’ and must be passed ‘as quickly as possible’: reaction to Renters’ Rights Bill

Other measures introduced in the bill include applying Awaab’s Law and a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector.

Landlords who fail to address serious hazards can be fined up to £7,000 by councils and may face prosecution for non-compliance.

Notice periods will be extended to four months for most eviction grounds, and in-tenancy rent increases will be limited to ‘market rate’ and a maximum of once a year.

Sector responses 

Crisis said the bill will “protect tenants against homelessness”. 

However, the homelessness charity said that while the measures are “hugely welcome” and “long overdue”, it is calling on the government to take “stronger action” so that people can afford their rent. 

Crisis is also urging the government to pass the bill as quickly as possible to reduce high numbers of tenants being served a no-fault eviction before this legislation becomes law.

Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis, said the bill “offers a real glimmer of hope” in a world “that has long felt stacked against renters”, and “will provide tenants with long-overdue security and protection against homelessness”.

He said: “Abolishing no-fault evictions, which are the leading cause of homelessness in England, and extending notice periods, are just some of the very welcome measures that will ease the anxiety experienced by hundreds of thousands of renters. 

“They will finally be able to sleep at night knowing they won’t wake up tomorrow faced with the threat of homelessness.

“But there is still work to be done. We need stronger action from government to ensure people can afford their rents, and for the bill to be passed quickly to stop a rush on renters being served an eviction notice over the coming months. For now, we’re delighted to finally see some good news for renters.”​

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, described the bill as a “watershed moment for England’s 11 million renters”. 

She said: “This bill will do far more to protect tenants than previous failed attempts, but renters shouldn’t be forced out by colossal rent hikes once the government pulls the plug on Section 21.

“More than 60,000 renters were walloped with extortionate rent hikes that cost them the roof over their head in the past year alone.

“To truly deliver the stability England’s renters need, the bill must limit in-tenancy rent increases so they’re in line with either inflation or wage growth. It must also protect renters from eviction for two years and stamp out discriminatory practices like demands for huge sums of rent in advance that drive homelessness.”

Ben Twomey, chief executive of Generation Rent, said the introduction of the bill is “welcome news for England’s private renters”. 

He said the abolition of Section 21 evictions is “painfully overdue”, while the requirement for landlords to provide a valid reason for eviction will “give tenants more confidence to challenge disrepair and poor treatment by landlords and letting agents”. 

“Doubling notice periods for tenants when evicted will directly protect us from homelessness,” Mr Twomey added. 

However, he said that renters “risk being left with no financial support” to find a new home in “difficult circumstances” and that the government “must take action to soften this blow”.

“The government has also promised to provide tenants with greater protections against unreasonable rent increases, but more work is required to make this a reality. 

“The bill will ban scheduled unaffordable rent increases being written into contracts, but we remain vulnerable to backdoor rent hike evictions,” he said.

He added that the proposed blanket ban on landlords “pitting tenant against tenant in bidding wars cannot come soon enough, but if landlords are allowed to continue with unchecked and unaffordable rent rises, thousands more of us will still be forced into poverty and on to the streets”.

Rachael Williamson, head of policy and external affairs at Chartered Institute of Housing, welcomed the new bill as a “significant step towards creating fairer, more secure housing for millions of renters”. 

“Everyone should have access to safe, affordable and stable homes, with clear redress if needed. We look forward to working with the government to support the bill’’s implementation, helping to build a housing system that meets the needs of all,” she said. 

Adam Hug, housing spokesperson for the Local Government Association (LGA), said that the body, which represents councils across England, is “pleased” to see the inclusion of a ban on no-fault evictions.

“This is something the LGA has long-called for,” he said. Mr Hug said the LGA “will continue to work with government to ensure that councils have the right powers, skills, capacity and resources to undertake effective enforcement activity”. 

Grace Williams, executive member for housing and regeneration at London Councils, said that the three million Londoners living in private rented sector homes “undoubtedly deserve stronger protection”.

She said: “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.”

She said that London boroughs will work “both with the government and with landlords” to ensure the reforms are “as successful as possible”. 

Ms Williams said 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 ministers in tackling the other deep-seated issues driving London’s housing pressures and rapidly escalating homelessness crisis – especially the chronic shortage of affordable housing,” she added. 

Morgan Vine, head of policy and influencing at Independent Age, welcomed the bill and said it “has the potential to deliver many of the protections that older private renters tell us they desperately need”.

She said: “It is a misconception that all older people own their own homes – in fact, the number of older renters is rapidly rising. 

“Many in this group have told us that they live in a state of constant anxiety at what could happen, including the thought of being made homeless due to a no-fault eviction, having to find a new home with only two months’ notice, dealing with the cost of moving, or being discriminated against due to their age and financial status. Things cannot go on this way.”

She urged politicians to “work quickly” to implement the protections for renters.