'Cruel' no-fault evictions and new 'one-year protection' for renters to be debated in Parliament today

A parliamentary debate is set to take place today (October 9) to discuss proposed protection for renters, including the ban on "cruel" no-fault evictions. The Renters' Rights Bill is scheduled for its Second Reading in the Commons on Wednesday, with the government indicating its determination to speed up the bill's passage into law.

Despite previous government pledges to end section 21 no-fault evictions, concerns about the impact on landlords and the courts had threatened to delay implementation. The Conservatives’ Renters (Reform) Bill then ran out of time to progress through Parliament before the election.

However, Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has vowed to push the Renters' Rights Bill forward, stating it will "transform the sector" by prioritising stable accommodation for families.

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Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the Renters’ Rights Bill will “transform the sector” with a focus on ensuring stable accommodation for families.

She emphasised: "I am determined to get this Bill into law as soon as possible. The thousands of children and families living in unsafe housing or under the cruel threat of a Section 21 eviction notice have been waiting far too long already."

Rayner added: "We will deliver on our promise to renters and transform the sector into one where families can put down roots, where children can grow up in healthy homes, and where young people can save for their future."

The latest official figures released last week revealed an almost 8 percent year-on-year increase in the number of households requiring homelessness assistance due to a section 21 no fault eviction notice, rising from 24,260 to 26,150 in the year to March.

In a speech to the Commons, Ms Rayner is set to outline key elements of the Bill, including measures to empower tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases and stipulations that landlords can only raise rent once a year at market rate.

The proposed legislation would also provide renters with a one-year protection period at the start of a tenancy, during which landlords cannot evict to move in or sell the property, and would extend notice periods for various grounds for possession from two months to four months.

The Government has stated that the Bill will expedite dispute resolution through a new ombudsman service, reducing the need for court proceedings.

It is also anticipated to grant local councils more robust powers to tackle rogue landlords and give tenants the right to request pet ownership, with landlords unable to unreasonably refuse. However, campaigners representing both renters and landlords have expressed concerns about various aspects of the proposed new legislation.

The Renters’ Reform Coalition has given a cautious thumbs-up to the proposals in the new Bill, labelling them a "significant improvement" over past efforts by government but insisted that further measures are needed to create a fair balance between landlords and tenants. The coalition is advocating for extended protection against eviction, proposing that such safeguards should last for the initial two years of a rental agreement.

On the flip side, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) expressed worry about the potential for tenants to accrue higher levels of rent arrears before facing eviction, with particular concern over the proposed increase in notice period from two weeks to four in such instances.

NRLA's chief executive Ben Beadle commented on the situation: "Landlords should rightly expect that they can swiftly regain possession of the properties they rent when tenants reach two months of arrears as at present."

He added, "In no other walk of life would the Government allow consumer debts to build for months on end with all the damage that can cause to their credit ratings."