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

JeggNegg

23:19 PM, 17th May 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Dino Saw at 17/05/2023 - 10:32
I hope your conclusion is wrong. But at the moment the only winner is the politicians just getting a 4 year old promise/pledge over the line. Possibly based on they will gain the vote of more tenants than the loss of a few landlord votes.

JeggNegg

23:40 PM, 17th May 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 17/05/2023 - 16:41
I note you have scanned the new Bill. I will confess I have looked at it yet. But if a domestic pet say female dog or female cat is accepted by a land lord will the land lord be able to challenge the tenant’s pet has puppies or kittens?
I have 1 tenant who I have known for over 20 years, requested I greed she could have 1 dog as a companion, which I agreed to. She was asked by a friend if she could adopt another dog. I was asked if I minded, and said No. the tenant accepted this answer, and we still had a great tenant/ landlord partnership. It it does take years to achieve this understanding from both sides amicably.

Barbaracus

9:25 AM, 18th May 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by York student landlord at 17/05/2023 - 23:17
If you read the explanatory notes.

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/58-03/0308/en/220308en.pdf

Numbers 50 and 51.

There is no way to have a fixed term tenancy now. If you try and create one via a loophole etc it has no legal effect and you can be fined up to £5,000 (number 110, Example 1)

Angela Angela

20:02 PM, 18th May 2023, About 10 months ago

Hello, does the bill specify what impacts will it have now on gaining possession when failed to serve the pre tenancy document? (EPC, Gas, ECIR and how to rent) - now that section 21 is gone?

Raz

6:40 AM, 20th May 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Jonathan Cocks at 17/05/2023 - 23:40I allow pets but put in a clause stating the sale or breeding of pets/animals is strictly prohibited. If they did so it would then be a breach of agreement.
Another issue with pets that hasn't been addressed is that if a tenant abandons a pet in a property it then becomes the responsibility of the landlord. Legally the pet must be kept for 30 days before disposal like any other property a tenant may leave behind. You can't just go dump it at the nearest cat/dogs home but would have to put it in a kennel/cattery etc and have the extra associated costs of that! I always get tenants to provide a third party who signs an agreement to say they will take responsibility for the animal in an emergency, if abandoned or should the tenants no longer be able.

Christopher Lee

7:43 AM, 20th May 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by York student landlord at 17/05/2023 - 07:08
Are you really a landlord?
The bill clearly does away with ASTs and is moving all tenancies to periodic. It's going to destroy student let's.
Also...you don't already take 5 weeks deposit and think 5 weeks could cover the potential damage from a pet? What planet are you on?

Ray Lancaster

8:02 AM, 20th May 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Dylan Morris at 17/05/2023 - 14:19
If your property is mortgaged, most lenders insist on professional working tenants only.

Ray Lancaster

8:07 AM, 20th May 2023, About 10 months ago

Regarding mortgaged let properties.What happens if tenants lose a job and go on benefits as most mortgage lenders insist that property is only let out to working tenant’s as you will now not be able to issue a section 21 you will be breaking your mortgage terms and conditions?

dolly day dream

9:34 AM, 20th May 2023, About 10 months ago

re arranging deck chairs on the titanic, by far the most apt comment.....selling up its stressful enough as it is......always allowed dogs no troubles, kids x2 once, never again. Why dont the govt just build old style council estates.....or would that be common sense

dolly day dream

9:38 AM, 20th May 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Dylan Morris at 17/05/2023 - 10:28yep all reasons why i am selling up, just cant be ar$ed anymore

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