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9:23 AM, 18th October 2023, About 7 months ago 29
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The government will proceed with the Renters (Reform) Bill with a second reading scheduled for Monday, the Financial Times reveals.
The Bill, which aims to end no-fault evictions and make renting safer and fairer for millions of people in England, was first promised in 2019.
But it has been delayed due to opposition from some Conservative MPs.
However, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, apparently told a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that he wanted to push ahead with the legislation, according to senior government figures.
The Bill will have its second reading in the House of Commons and will then be carried over into the next Parliamentary session that begins with the King’s Speech on November 7.
Michael Gove, the levelling-up secretary, is understood to have won the internal battle over the bill, which would abolish assured short-hold tenancies and Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions.
Under current law, landlords can evict tenants without giving a reason and apply for a court order after just two months.
The Bill would also give landlords stronger rights to repossess properties where tenants exhibit anti-social behaviour or build up rent arrears.
It would also hold landlords who let out unsafe homes to account.
The Financial Times revealed last month that the Bill had been put on ice, reflecting the concerns of many Tory MPs.
Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House of Commons, did not include the Bill’s second reading in her announcement of business for the remainder of the current parliamentary session.
Angela Rayner, the shadow levelling-up secretary, had complained at the recent Labour Party conference that the ‘zombie government’ was failing to progress the legislation.
And this week, a group of 30 charities and non-profit organisations — from Citizens Advice to the Child Poverty Action Group — urged Mr Sunak to pass the bill, saying that delays would risk causing ‘more avoidable hardship and suffering’.
Polly Neate, chief executive of housing charity Shelter, said the news will be welcomed by Britain’s 11 million renters.
She told the FT: “Every day 540 people are slapped with a no-fault eviction notice and given just two months to find a new home.
“For them, needless delays and hold-ups to making renting safer and fairer are unacceptable.
“A robust Renters (Reform) Bill has the potential to free people from the constant threat of a no-fault eviction.
“It would reduce homelessness and hold landlords who let out unsafe homes to account.”
The government says it remains ‘absolutely committed to delivering a fairer private rented sector for tenants and landlords through the Renters (Reform) Bill’ and that its ‘second reading will follow shortly’.
Richie
12:17 PM, 18th October 2023, About 7 months ago
Push through? Sounds like a vote catcher for him.
With a number of members against or not sure there must be more debate,
Is Sunak a voted leader of a party or a dictatorship?
Seething Landlord
12:18 PM, 18th October 2023, About 7 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 18/10/2023 - 12:04
Yes, all will be able to vote but with the opposition parties firmly in favour it would take a major rebellion from Conservative MPs to defeat the Bill.
Seething Landlord
12:21 PM, 18th October 2023, About 7 months ago
It will soon be time for ostriches to take their heads out of the sand and decide which way they are going. Either embrace the changes or get out while they can.
Sheridan Vickers
12:23 PM, 18th October 2023, About 7 months ago
"And this week, a group of 30 charities and non-profit organisations — from Citizens Advice to the Child Poverty Action Group — urged Mr Sunak to pass the bill, saying that delays would risk causing ‘more avoidable hardship and suffering".
What they're saying is, hurry up and pass these laws so we can screw these landlords for every penny they've got. How dare these landlords expect rent from our little ponces we like to house for free. They're entitled to it because they don't want to work or own their own properties so you landlords must provide it because Shelter and the other 30 charities are definitely not a charity for that, we just collect money and sit on it. We want our ponces to stay in your properties rent free forever and if we want our pets to live with us and ruin the property, then the landlord can put the property right when we decide to leave. Hurry up please as we can't wait to find a landlord who is in a hurry to serve S21 on his lowlife tenants and put him through the courts just to get more money out of him and cause more stress with the delays. Yayy this is what the housing market should be. We dictate. You provide for free.
F..k off.
GlanACC
13:03 PM, 18th October 2023, About 7 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Anne Noon at 18/10/2023 - 11:44
By the time it has the second and 3rd reading and amendments and goes through the House of Lords it will be about a year before it is enacted. Gives you plenty of time for big decision making. The abolition od S21 isn't a problem for me as either when my tenants leave I will sell, or I can always use the S8 force a tenant out in order to sell.
Luke P
13:37 PM, 18th October 2023, About 7 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Richie at 18/10/2023 - 12:17
If you recall, he wasn't voted in as PM at all...!
Ray Guselli
14:44 PM, 18th October 2023, About 7 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Paul at 18/10/2023 - 11:34
The problem is that, from experience, no matter how receptive or genuinely concerned your MP is, they are governed by the whims of Ministers, often devoid of what is happening in the real world and whose position and power ensures that policies, doomed to fail, will in any case be introduced.
The current backlog in the courts is because it cannot cope with the existing arrangements which will be exacerbated by the proposed legislation which will increase demand even further.
Promises of increased resources etc by the Government to deal with landlord needs are election rhetoric, worth nothing.
Reluctant Landlord
15:10 PM, 18th October 2023, About 7 months ago
Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 18/10/2023 - 13:03
not a case of when it is enacted - more of the concern over its content!
Rod
16:09 PM, 18th October 2023, About 7 months ago
This week, iHowz have written to MPs and Lords, inviting them to our presentation next month, where we will explain our proposal to amend S21, rather than the proposed abolition in the RRB.
The key elements of our proposal to amend (and retain) S21 are to offer:
- Rent Free period for the last two months
- Sliding scale of notice required, based on time tenant has been in situ
Full details of the iHowz proposal are available here:
https://ihowz.uk/the-unintended-consequences-of-losing-the-section-21-notice/
JamesB
19:12 PM, 18th October 2023, About 7 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Rod at 18/10/2023 - 16:09
2 month rent free period? Interesting. I'll just check whether the mortgage company will give a 2 month interest free period......