Renters’ Rights Bill moves to final stage before becoming law

It’s effectively the sequestration of property by the state, in other words, communism. That then becomes what Benito Mussolini defined as fascism when the corporates get handed properties at a discount, Black Rock’s Christmas present, remind me, who fought both communism and corporatism?

well…I’m now really considering not bothering to carpet properties at all. Cheap lino all the way.

Some tenants are clearly going to ignore a pet refusal if permission is sought and not given (for genuine reason). 5 weeks wont even touch the sides of destroyed carpets let alone all the other things a deposit is retained.

Most tenants can’t/have no access to a guarantor either….

Deposit of 5 weeks doesn’t even cover rent arrears if you now have to wait three months for these to accrue before you can APPLY for possession.

Back to the old days of ‘Bob’ being paid to ‘request T to move out’ I forsee.. Another levelling down policy to make it harder for good LL;s to operate. Meanwhile the dodgy LL’s keep going (if not increase).

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 19/09/2025 – 12:00
That is what a lot of councils do they tell their tenants to supply their own floor coverings for the duration of the tenancy as it is mostly carpets that will suffer from dirty paws, scratching and bad odours. If this is what tenants want then so be it let them fork out for the carpets. With regard to tenancy duration I am finding a lot of people asking for one or two months tenancy of late. I think that landlords need to adapt to these new times and adjust the way they let property but that pends the law or tenancy agreements covering for this shorter term more expensive tenancy allowing for this generally more along the lines of holiday letting. How can it make sense to pay an agent for finding a tenant or advertising, cleaners, an inventory etc and administer all the paperwork attached to an AST and then the tenant goes after 4 weeks, and when they get the hang of the RRB that is precisely whats going to happen as I see it.

Reply to the comment left by DP at 19/09/2025 – 14:16
if this happens I see some LL’s going self managing then – why pay out the equivalent of a months rent for a tenant find, when they only stay a month or two. Then there is the problem of voids…

The other thing that may happen is LL’s will have to think about offer incentives to T’s who stay over 6 months, 12 months etc???

ie if you stay for 6 months you get a weeks worth of rent back or if you stay 12 months, 2 weeks?

Otherwise its going to cost the LL and arm and a leg if they get two tenants back to back who only stay there 2 months each (despite saying they want to stay longer at the point the tenancy is offered) and there is a month void in between!

Slightly off topic but related…
Just had a VERY interesting chat with a particular council. They have no idea what they are going to do when RRB comes in. At mo they offer 1 x months RIA and deposit for a min 6 month AST. I explained the RRB and that no LL will be able offer a min 6 month. They clearly want people off their list long term – this is not going to help.

Also the bit that the LL cant accept the 1 x RIA until the AST is signed either.
They said its going to cause them chaos.

They cannot say when a RIA or deposit would be paid – it could hit the LL bank anything from 2 – 5 days after a payment is actioned (via another department).

I explained it had to be AFTER the tenancy was signed (I could be had up for a RRO). How many councils are going to have the capacity of doing a bank transfer as soon as the tenancy is signed so the keys can be released to the T??

Will the LL be forced to release keys without payment having been received?

Carlsberg definitely did not have a hand in this legislation!

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 19/09/2025 – 12:00
I would have thought that the unavailability of a guarantor would be a legitimate underwriting condition re pets.

Reply to the comment left by moneymanager at 19/09/2025 – 17:31
If you mean that you hope to make having a pet conditional on having a guarantor, then I think youre going to be disappointed. I dont believe that would ever be considered reasonable by a court.

I don’t understand how landlords accept all the laws being passed by the so called government. Landlords’ properties mean only the landlords have a say in it. I understand they have to be safe and comfy places for tenants to live in, probably more so then the landlord’s own residential place. But every government forget or overlook that the tenants have to be educated and be respectful of the properties they are renting. First of all the property is not theirs but renting it and as such leave it as they find it, except for wear and tear.
S21 ban is totally illegal, except the government has made it legal. The Lambeth council used S21 to get rid of their tenants. We will have a problem of subletting, overcrowding, nuisance tenants, who would only leave through court order. This to be is an illegal or best unfair system.

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 19/09/2025 – 14:49
You have raised a few valid points.
True, finding tenants through the agents is not going to be a good idea. On top of that for the void period for properties that are furnished will attract double council tax, so how would the landlords pay their mortgage interest, council tax and all the utility bills.
Letting to council, they may pay in advance, but leave the property when there is a lot of damages done.
I believe R2R companies will do well, as they often have homeless, or council tenants living there. They have an agreement with many councils and have sufficient experience if they have been going for 10 years or so.
Offering incentives to the tenants may work or not. To some of them one or two weeks of rent refund may not be sufficient incentives. Like students, they wish to stay 2 months to 8 months. They wish to go home to their parents or holidays, whatever.. saving rent for 4 to 6 months is better for them. I had recently students stay for just 2 months. If they are not happy, there is not much you can do. The house was fully refurbished with an ensuite and a main bathroom for 4 people. New kitchen, bathrooms. They reserved in April, when the rents were high. They went down in July, so notice given.

Reply to the comment left by DPT at 19/09/2025 – 21:38
The purpose of a guarantor is to ensure, or at least make more likely, that rent due is rent received, what makes you think that a guarantor agreement could reach to cover deposit deductions excess claims?