Renters Reform White Paper – Full details published

Renters Reform White Paper – Full details published

11:37 AM, 16th June 2022, About 2 years ago 83

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The fairer private rented sector white paper has been published today (16 June 2022). Click Here

Section 21 evictions will be outlawed. The Government’s claim is that more than a fifth of private renters who moved in 2019 and 2020 did not end their tenancy by choice, including 8% who were asked to leave by their landlord.

Measures published today also include:

  • Outlawing blanket bans on renting to families with children or those in receipt of benefits
  • Ending the use of arbitrary rent review clauses, restricting tribunals from hiking up rent and enabling tenants to be repaid rent for non-decent homes. This will make sure tenants can take their landlord to court to seek repayment of rent if their homes are of an unacceptable standard
  • Making it easier for tenants to have much-loved pets in their homes by giving all tenants the right to request a pet in their house, which the landlord must consider and cannot unreasonably refuse
  • All tenants to be moved onto a single system of periodic tenancies, meaning they can leave poor quality housing without remaining liable for the rent or move more easily when their circumstances change. A tenancy will only end if a tenant ends or a landlord has a valid reason, defined in law
  • Doubling notice periods for rent increases and giving tenants stronger powers to challenge them if they are unjustified
  • Giving councils stronger powers to tackle the worst offenders, backed by enforcement pilots, and increasing fines for serious offences

In addition, private landlords will have greater clarity and support through the following measures:

  • A new Private Renters’ Ombudsman will be created to enable disputes between private renters and landlords to be settled quickly, at low cost, and without going to court
  • Ensuring responsible landlords can gain possession of their properties efficiently from anti-social tenants and can sell their properties when they need to
  • Introducing a new property portal that will provide a single front door to help landlords to understand, and comply with, their responsibilities as well as giving councils and tenants the information they need to tackle rogue operators

Levelling Up and Housing Secretary Michael Gove said: “For too long many private renters have been at the mercy of unscrupulous landlords who fail to repair homes and let families live in damp, unsafe and cold properties, with the threat of unfair ‘no fault’ evictions orders hanging over them.

“Our New Deal for renters will help to end this injustice by improving the rights and conditions for millions of renters as we level up across the country and deliver on the people’s priorities.”

Alongside the white paper the following documents will be published:

  • Response to 2019 consultation on abolishing section 21
  • Response to 2018 call for evidence on the case for a housing court
  • Response to 2019 call for evidence on tenancy deposit reform

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Comments

Neil Patterson

16:44 PM, 17th June 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by at 17/06/2022 - 16:06
Supposedly sometime in this parliament so within the next year.

LaLo

17:00 PM, 17th June 2022, About 2 years ago

O.K. I think the description ‘white paper’ is misleading - ‘red letter’ is more appropriate- especially page 40!

Rod

17:21 PM, 17th June 2022, About 2 years ago

For those unfamiliar with the process from White Paper to Act of Parliament

WHITE PAPERS are issued by the Government as statements of policy, and often set out proposals for legislative changes, which may be debated before a Bill is introduced. Some White Papers may invite comments.

The white paper will now be drafted as a Bill, which will be debated by both the House of Commons (MPs) and the House of Lords

This takes several stages:

- First Reading
- Second Reading
- Committee Stage
- Report Stage
- Third Reading
- Consideration of Amendments

During these stages the Bill will be amended, with some bits removed (common sense applied where a particular measure is shown unworkable), others added (to make other measures workable and address oversights) or amended (to attempt to minimise loopholes and exemptions or to make the measure more workable)

Finally the Bill will get Royal Ascent and become an Act
https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/work-of-the-house-of-lords/making-laws/

That does not necessarily mean that all measures will become effective immediately. They may have a date specified or be contingent on being activated by secondary legislation, meaning they could sit dormant for several years.

Historically, most HAs have come into effect in April or October.

My guess is that it may take a similar time to that taken by the Deregulation Act, where the Bill was published on 1 July 2013 and received Royal Ascent on 15 March 2015. That would fit with the need for the Government getting it done before the next election in 2024/25.

So, that implies S21 would not be available for new tenancies from 1 October 2024.

Who knows, the Government might have published the new MEES/EPC requirements by then.

iHowz landlord association will be reviewing the White Paper and comment shortly.

To see their current campaigns and helpful landlord advice, take a look at their website
https://ihowz.uk/levelling-up-the-private-rented-sector/

Sam Smith

22:26 PM, 17th June 2022, About 2 years ago

Would you get possession of the property if you need to refurb, redevelop or need to upgrade the EPC?

Student accommodation in houses aren’t exempt. So you’ll have a situation where students stay on in the property when you already have tenants lined up for the following year. And you’ll have a situation where students can just give notice to leave within 2 months. Not good at all.

I don’t think this is thought out.

LaLo

10:05 AM, 18th June 2022, About 2 years ago

The level of fines + page 44 could totally break many L.Ls who would then become tenants! If you can’t beat them - join them!

DSD

10:17 AM, 18th June 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Darren Peters at 16/06/2022 - 15:03
At least 6 - 12 months

Northernpleb

11:01 AM, 18th June 2022, About 2 years ago

I have just glanced over the report some of the interesting points I noticed were :
It fails to estimate how many fewer properties there will be to rent, or the increases in rents this legislation will cause.
In the category of various Tenants around 87% were happy with the property they live in. That Looks pretty good to me so where is the problem ?
The Category with the least happy were the large low income families where they are overcrowded. Is this the Landlords fault if they keep having Children they cannot afford ? Should Councils immediately re house them to some of the nice new 4 /5 beds they are building.
They also have a test case on the success of Nottingham Selective License Scheme . With no mention of Increasing rents and reduction in supply. of property to rent.

Sam Smith

11:27 AM, 18th June 2022, About 2 years ago

I assume the local property licensing will be abolished?

budd

11:34 AM, 18th June 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Sam Smith at 18/06/2022 - 11:27
I dont think so. Council will want their share also.

Rod

12:59 PM, 18th June 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Sam Smith at 18/06/2022 - 11:27O contraire
"Giving councils stronger powers to tackle the worst offenders, backed by enforcement pilots, and increasing fines for serious offences" does not sound like we get less regulation and red tape.
This ignores the fact that, despite sufficient enforcement legislation, many rogue (criminal) landlords will continue to operate with minimal risk to their business model due to a lack of funding and resources invested by councils to tackle these operators.
It is more likely that all rental properties will have to registered, with the reference included on tenancy agreements, as outlined in TLIC's proposals
https://www.property118.com/recommendations-to-government-for-a-post-section-21-prs/
and the recent iHowz green paper
https://www.property118.com/ihowz-green-paper-on-the-future-of-the-prs/

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