Reforms to renters’ rights move a step closer to becoming law
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Rental reforms have moved closer to becoming law after they were supported by MPs, amid warnings that landlords are evicting tenants before the changes can take effect. The Renters’ Rights Bill seeks to introduce several measures including an end to no-fault evictions, stopping bidding wars for tenancies, helping tenants challenge unreasonable rent increases and preventing landlords from demanding more than a month’s rent in advance from a new tenant.
The House of Commons supported the Bill at third reading by 440 votes to 111, majority 329, and it now progresses to the House of Lords to undergo further scrutiny. But Conservative MPs warned more changes to the law could see an exodus of landlords, limiting the supply of homes for rent and driving rents up further as a result.
There were also calls from some Labour backbenchers and the Green Party for rent controls to be considered, although housing minister Matthew Pennycook said the Government would proceed with proposed protections to guard against “unreasonable” within-tenancy rent rises and wider action to “improve affordability”.
Mr Pennycook told MPs at third reading: “The current system for private renting is broken. “While the Government recognises the majority of landlords provide high quality homes and a good service to their tenants, it remains the case that private renting provides the least affordable, poorest quality and most insecure housing of all tenures.
