Landlords: Email or post this letter to your MP about the disastrous Renters’ Rights Bill TODAY!

All private landlords know that Labour’s Renters’ Rights Bill will be a nightmare for tenants, and now it’s about to leave the Lords and go back to the Commons for a final vote. It’s not too late to have your voice heard! We MUST work together and ensure that MPs understand the unintended consequences of this poor legislation.

The big issue is that Labour is desperate for a positive headline, and what’s better than dangling ‘tenant protections’ in front of voters?

There’s just one problem: this Bill will hit tenants harder than any landlord ever could. It’s time to grab your pens, fire up your emails and send a letter to your MP – because if this bill passes, the fallout will be on them, and they need to hear it now.

Let’s cut through the spin. The Renters’ Rights Bill sounds noble, but it’s a masterclass in unintended outcomes. There’s so much to criticise (see my previous articles!), but here’s a quick run down on some of the more egregious examples.

Rent control fiasco

By banning offers above advertised rent, it forces landlords to list properties at the maximum market rate. No more holding rents down to secure long-term tenants or avoid voids – Scotland’s rent control fiasco already proved that landlords can, and will, max out rents when squeezed.

Add to that the tax rules blocking small-portfolio landlords from offsetting finance costs against rents, and the crippling costs of upgrading properties to EPC Band C or above (which, without a cap on costs, means spending £20-£50K per property).

The numbers don’t add up, so what do we do? We sell. We exit. And we’re already doing it, despite the Housing Minister’s bizarre claim that there’s ‘no evidence’ of this.

Fewer landlords mean fewer rental homes so tenants will face rocketing rents – don’t be surprised if they end up paying 50% of their wages, not 30%.

Also, be prepared for landlords being reluctant to sign up to the proposed landlord database with lots of personal information that means some tenants can abuse them. It’s no surprise either that there’s no mention of a database for bad tenants.

Periodic tenancy wrecking ball

Plus, MPs need to appreciate that the Bill’s aim of ending six-month Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) to periodic tenancies is a wrecking ball for the student accommodation sector.

Students typically rent for fixed academic terms, and private landlords rely on these short-term ASTs to align with university calendars, ensuring predictable turnover and income.

Forcing rolling contracts onto the student PRS – where they can leave with minimal notice – will create chaos, leaving landlords exposed to voids mid-year when student demand plummets.

Undoubtedly, many will abandon the student market entirely, slashing rental options for students already struggling with housing shortages.

Also, if fixed-term ASTs remain for purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), why are private student landlords being saddled with this unworkable periodic tenancy system?

It’s a blatant double standard that will drive up student rents and push more properties to Serco or to private sales.

Labour is being arrogant

Ah, yes, the Serco deal. The government is handing contracts to Serco and others to house asylum seekers, pitting them against tenants for a dwindling supply of private rentals.

With the Bill making it harder to manage HMOs, student lets or private tenancies, many landlords will find Serco’s contracts far more appealing.

Why bother screening tenants or dealing with voids when Serco offers guaranteed income? This isn’t speculation – it’s already happening, and the Bill will turbocharge it. Quality homes will be cherry-picked for asylum seekers, leaving tenants to fight over the scraps.

Labour’s arrogance is staggering. They’ve ignored landlords’ warnings in the Commons and Lords debates, dismissing sensible amendments and are treating us like the enemy.

But we’re not the ones who’ll pay the price.

Small-portfolio landlords, the backbone of the private rental sector, are being squeezed out.

Larger corporate landlords, who can still offset finance costs, will dominate, jacking up rents to boost dividends and profits. That leaves tenants as the real losers, along with students.

Labour is punching down

This isn’t just about the Renters’ Rights Bill. It’s the cumulative punching down of Labour’s policies: tax changes, EPC mandates, Serco contracts and now this new law.

Together, they’re a recipe for a housing crisis. When rents soar and homelessness spikes, Labour will point fingers, but the blame lies with them. They were warned. They didn’t listen.

Landlords, you know the numbers. If the costs don’t add up, you’ll do what any rational businessperson will do: sell, move family in, or pivot to easier options like Serco.

The Renters’ Rights Bill isn’t about protecting tenants – it’s betraying them.

So, act today and write to your MP. Use the letter below to spell out the disaster awaiting tenants if this bill passes.

Make it clear: when tenants are furious at the next election, MPs who vote for this Bill will own the consequences.

Until next time,

The Landlord Crusader

Find your MP’s contact details on the Parliament website.

You can copy the letter below to your MP or download it from the Property118 website – Here is the Word version, and here’s the PDF version. Either print it off and post it or copy and paste as an email.

Email subject: Urgent: Please reconsider support for the Renters’ Rights Bill

Dear [MP’s name],

As a private landlord in your constituency, I urge you to reconsider supporting the Renters’ Rights Bill in its upcoming Commons vote. While intended to protect tenants, this Bill will have severe unintended consequences that will harm the very people it claims to help.

The Bill’s ban on accepting offers above advertised rent will force landlords to set rents at maximum market rates, as seen in Scotland’s rent control experiment. This will drive rents higher, not lower. Combined with existing tax policies preventing small-portfolio landlords from offsetting finance costs, and new pressures like costly EPC upgrades, many landlords, including myself, face unsustainable margins. That means we will be forced to sell properties or exit the market entirely.

This exodus is already happening, contrary to the Housing Minister’s claims, reducing the supply of rental homes. The government’s deal with the likes of Serco to house asylum seekers further strains this finite supply, as landlords may find it more viable to rent to Serco than to private tenants.

Tenants will bear the brunt: sky-high rents, fewer homes and increased homelessness. The Renters’ Rights Bill, alongside other policies, creates a punitive environment for renters, not landlords. Larger corporate landlords may weather these changes, but small landlords, who form the backbone of the private rented sector, cannot.

You were warned in the Commons and Lords debates. Voting for this bill risks creating a tenant’s housing crisis for which MPs will be held accountable. Please vote against the Renters’ Rights Bill to protect tenants – your constituents – from its devastating consequences.

Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Contact Details]
Landlord in [Constituency Name]

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