Previously known as the Renter’s Reform Bill, the new Renter’s Rights Bill was introduced in September 2024, following the change in government.
It aims to improve conditions and rights for millions in the private and socially rented sector.
If you’re a renter or landlord, read on to see how these changes may affect you.
What’s in the Renters' Rights Bill?
The Renters Rights Bill includes major changes that’ll positively impact private and social renters, and landlords.
Here’s a quick overview of what’s in the legislation:
- a ban on Section 21 ‘no fault evictions’, protecting tenants from dishonest landlords while strengthening landlords’ legal grounds for taking back their property when reasonable
- tenants can request having a pet and landlords can't ‘unreasonably refuse’, but they can request you have the right insurance to cover potential damage
- the introduction of new measures to end rental bidding wars
- if the landlord evicts the tenant to sell the property, they won’t be able to re-let it for a year
- making it illegal for landlords to discriminate against tenants who receive benefits or have children
- applying a Decent Homes Standard and ‘Awaab’s Law’ to the private rented sector – this is all about making sure rented properties meet a fair standard and repairs to any serious hazards are fixed within a certain timeframe
- creation of a new Private Renters’ Ombudsman to settle disputes between private renters and landlords
Find out more about the bill on the GOV.UK website.
What is the Section 21 notice?
Under current UK law, landlords can give a Section 21 notice to evict tenants within two months without giving a reason.
While a contracted tenancy may protect you until the end of your fixed term end date, it still leaves many renters without security.
In fact, 22% of those who moved in the past year didn’t end their tenancy by choice.
This will help to give tenants more security and will allow them to challenge unfair rent increases or other poor practises without fear of eviction.
How can landlords evict rule-breaking tenants?
The Renters’ Rights Bill will strengthen the Section 8 notice, which lets landlords evict tenants who’ve broken their tenancy terms.
Strengthening landlords' grounds for repossession will allow easier evictions for tenants who deliberately engage in antisocial behaviour or don't pay rent.
What about social renters?
The Social Housing Regulation Bill will be introduced for social renters, with regular thorough inspections and stronger powers to tackle failings by social housing landlords.
The Social Housing Regulation Bill will:
- give regulators stronger powers to make changes if they can see social housing landlords are doing things unfairly or incorrectly
- expect social landlords to put tenants’ issues and concerns first, meaning no one has to live in sub-standard social housing
- be more transparent for tenants on how their landlord is performing, how their home is managed, and who’s responsible for health and safety requirements
- strengthen the regulation of the social housing sector in general to improve protections for tenants’ homes
