Today, The Renters (Reform) Bill has been introduced into the Commons and will deliver the Government’s 2019 manifesto commitment to “bring in a Better Deal for Renters”, including abolishing ‘no fault’ (section 21)evictions and reforming landlord possession grounds. Alongside these reforms, we are reforming court processes to make this process faster and more efficient, so landlords have strengthened rights and means of possession. As promised in the 2019 commitment the Bill “will create a fairer rental market: if you’re a tenant, you will be protected from revenge evictions and rogue landlords, and if you are one of the many good landlords, your rights of possession will be strengthened".
Commenting on the Bill, Mims Davies MP said:
I know too many renters are living in damp, unsafe and cold homes, powerless to put it right, and under the threat of sudden eviction. I have confidence The Renters (Reform Bill) will provide safer, fairer and higher quality homes for thousands of tenants in Mid Sussex.
The Renters (Reform) Bill will address these failures for both the 11 million private renters and 2.3 million landlords in England. The reforms have been developed in consultation with landlord and tenant groups over the past five years. As set out in the ‘A Fairer Private Rented Sector’ white paper, we will:
▪Abolish section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions and move to a simpler tenancy structure where all assured tenancies are periodic –providing more security for tenants and empowering them to challenge poor practice and unfair rent increases without fear of eviction;▪Introduce more comprehensive possession grounds so landlords can still recover their property (including where they wish to sell their property or move in close family) and to make it easier to repossess properties where tenants are at fault, for example in cases of anti-social behaviour and repeat rent arrears
▪Provide stronger protections against backdoor eviction by ensuring tenants are able to appeal excessively above-market rents which are purely designed to force them out .As now, landlords will still be able to increase rents to market price for their properties and an independent tribunal will make a judgement on this, if needed. To avoid fettering the freedom of the judiciary to make full and fair decisions, the tribunal will continue to be able to determine the actual market rent of a property.
▪Introduce a new Privately Rented Sector Ombudsman for private landlords which will provide fair, impartial, and binding resolution to many issues and prove quicker, cheaper, and less adversarial than the court system.
▪Create a Private Rented Property Portal to help landlords understand their legal obligations and demonstrate compliance (giving good landlords confidence in their position), alongside providing better information to tenants to make informed decisions when entering into a tenancy agreement. It will also support local councils –helping them target enforcement activity where it is needed most.
Give tenants the right to request a pet in the property, which the landlord must consider and cannot unreasonably refuse. To support this, landlords will be able to require pet insurance to cover any damage to their property.
Further guidance on measures in the Bill can be found here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guide-to-the-renters-reform-bill