Renters’ Reform Bill publication sends the PRS ‘back to the Dark Ages’

Renters’ Reform Bill publication sends the PRS ‘back to the Dark Ages’

8:48 AM, 17th May 2023, About 11 months ago 85

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The long-awaited government plan to overhaul the private rented sector (PRS) with the publication of the Renters’ Reform Bill has been condemned as ‘going back to the dark Ages’.

The government says that more than 11 million tenants in England will now enjoy safer, fairer and higher-quality homes thanks to the introduction of the ‘ground-breaking’ Bill.

It adds that the legislation is a ‘once-in-a-generation’ opportunity that meets the government’s 2019 manifesto commitment.

That’s when the Tories promised to abolish section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions and give renters the power to challenge ‘bad’ landlords without fear of losing their home.

But Neil Patterson, the managing director of Property118 slammed the law’s publication and said: “There’s nothing for landlords to rejoice about – this law will take the PRS back to the Dark Ages.”

‘Too many renters are living in damp, unsafe, cold homes’

Michael Gove, the Housing Secretary, said: “Too many renters are living in damp, unsafe, cold homes, powerless to put things right, and with the threat of sudden eviction hanging over them.

“This government is determined to tackle these injustices by offering a New Deal to those living in the Private Rented Sector; one with quality, affordability, and fairness at its heart.”

He added: “Our new laws introduced to Parliament today will support the vast majority of responsible landlords who provide quality homes to their tenants, while delivering our manifesto commitment to abolish Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions.

“This will ensure that everyone can live somewhere which is decent, safe and secure – a place they’re truly proud to call home.”

New bill also protects more than two million landlords

The government says the new bill also protects more than two million landlords, making it easier for them to recover their properties when they need to.

This means landlords can sell their property if they want to, move in a close family member or deal with tenants who refuse to pay rent.

The new law will strengthen powers to quickly evict anti-social tenants by widening the disruptive and harmful activities that can lead to eviction.

There will also be a reformed courts process which will be largely digitised to help ensure the new tenancy system works for everyone.

‘Government’s pledge to ensure landlords can swiftly recover properties’

The chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), Ben Beadle, said: “We welcome the government’s pledge to ensure landlords can swiftly recover properties from anti-social tenants and those failing to pay their rent.

“Plans to digitise court hearings will also improve the speed at which legitimate possession cases are processed.”

He adds: “The NRLA will continue to work with the government to ensure the detail of the Bill is fair for responsible landlords and tenants alike.”

Quicker and cheaper resolutions to disputes

There’s also a new Ombudsman planned that will provide quicker and cheaper resolutions to disputes.

Plus, landlords will get a new digital Property Portal to understand their obligations and help tenants make better decisions when signing a new tenancy agreement.

The government says this will give confidence to good landlords while driving the criminal minority out of business.

Legal right to request a pet in their home

The new Bill will also enable tenants to have the legal right to request a pet in their home – which a landlord must consider and ‘cannot unreasonably refuse’.

That means landlords will be able to require pet insurance to cover any damage to their property.

The Bill will also:

  • Apply the Decent Homes Standard to the PRS for the first time, giving renters safer, higher quality homes and remove the blight of poor-quality homes in local communities. This will help deliver the government’s Levelling Up mission to halve the number of non-decent rented homes by 2030.
  • Make it illegal for landlords and agents to have blanket bans on renting to tenants in receipt of benefits or with children – ensuring no family is unjustly discriminated against when looking for a place to live.
  • Strengthen councils’ enforcement powers and introduce a new requirement for councils to report on enforcement activity – to help target criminal landlords.

The government says the Bill is a key part of the government’s mission to level up across the country and follows the wider housing reforms in the Social Housing Regulation Bill and Building Safety Act.

These address the systemic issues identified following the Grenfell Tower tragedy on improving the safety and quality of social housing and how tenants are treated by their landlords.

‘The Renters’ Reform Bill is a huge opportunity’

Dan Wilson Craw, the acting director of Generation Rent, said: “The Renters’ Reform Bill is a huge opportunity to improve the lives of the 11 million people who now rent from private landlords in England.

“Arbitrary Section 21 evictions make it impossible for tenants to put down roots and report problems about their home with confidence.

“Abolishing them will take away much of the stress of renting and improve communication and trust between tenants and landlords.”

He added: “The new Property Portal and Ombudsman have the potential to make it much harder for criminal landlords to operate.

“These reforms wouldn’t be happening without the tireless campaigning of members of the Renters Reform Coalition and thousands of renters over many years.

“We look forward to reading the Bill and working with ministers and Parliamentarians to make sure the legislation achieves what it sets out to do.”


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Comments

Ian Narbeth

11:35 AM, 17th May 2023, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Yvonne Francis at 17/05/2023 - 11:00
Thank goodness for that. Mandatory periodic tenancies would, at a stroke, ruin the student letting market.

Ian Narbeth

11:38 AM, 17th May 2023, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Dino Saw at 17/05/2023 - 10:32
Dino, I wrote about tenants and pets on this forum last year.

11:39 AM, 17th May 2023, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Alan Bailey at 17/05/2023 - 09:37
i don't think we need to publicise our own individual financial criteria For me if you don't have a job but spend more than me on booze fags tv that indicates a feckless unsuitable attitude to finances.

Old Mrs Landlord

11:44 AM, 17th May 2023, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Roanch21 at 17/05/2023 - 11:30
Agreed.

Luke P

11:58 AM, 17th May 2023, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by York student landlord at 17/05/2023 - 09:29How does that help when there's no automatic right to possession at the end of a fixed term?? If the tenant stays on, the agreement becomes periodic. Having never evicted anyone before, were you under the impression you could just have a chat with an understanding Judge about the rascal tenant that has overstayed their fixed term and he'll just rubber stamp the tenants immediate removal?

Darren Peters

12:56 PM, 17th May 2023, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 17/05/2023 - 11:58
If you're renting out a Leasehold property where the Lease states, 'No Pets', does the new legislation override this or are you in a trap where if you refuse a pet you're in breach of the new laws and if you allow a pet you're in trouble with the Freeholder?

Ian Narbeth

12:58 PM, 17th May 2023, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 17/05/2023 - 11:58
Luke P you are correct but periodic tenancies have another damaging effect. Prudent student landlords will let the property for 10 to 11 1/2 months of the year, leaving time to carry out maintenance between tenancies. If the tenants can leave early before the end of the contractual term, many will do so, depriving the landlord of rent and leaving a student rental property vacant in say May which will not be re-let for months. If one or two tenants out of a group of 4 to 6 want out they may persuade the others to join in terminating the tenancy early.
Overstaying by tenants at the end of the term isn't usually a problem because they (and their guarantors) are jointly and severally liable. Unless all want to stay on, those who overstay pick up the bill for the whole property.

Cathie French

13:13 PM, 17th May 2023, About 11 months ago

So far I have not picked up anyone referring to the Building Insurance Policy difficulties in terms of not refusing DSS tenants.
Total Landlord Insurance state in their policy 'Authorised Tenants: Full Time Employed'
What can a Landlord do?

Reluctant Landlord

13:54 PM, 17th May 2023, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Cathie French at 17/05/2023 - 13:13
under the terms of your policy, it is then reasonable to reject those that do not fit the criteria on which the property is insured.
The way to do it is state from the start so ALL applicants are aware...only Full time employed will be considered as a direct result of insurance requirements. To be honest will they pass the financial referencing to rent your property anyway if they were on benefits?

Dylan Morris

14:13 PM, 17th May 2023, About 11 months ago

So going forward will it be acceptable to ask potential tenants about pets ? Or will it be illegal…… a bit like asking a woman applying for a job if she’s pregnant or intends to get pregnant.

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