Yesterday, the Renters’ Rights Bill was voted through almost entirely unaltered except for changes designed to help leaseholders to rent out homes and regulate standards within homes rented by military personnel.
Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook and his counterpart in the Lords, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, rejected all other amendments to the Bill during all its stages
The Bill is set to become law in days once the King has given the draft legislation Royal Assent. An implementation date is yet to be set.
During the final parliamentary debate, the Minister claimed the private rented sector (PRS) was ‘unjust and broke’ and that the new legislation provided landlords with ‘simpler regulation’.
Pennycook stated “Today is a momentous one because the Renters’ Rights Bill will soon have completed all its stages and become law.
“The need to decisively level the playing field between landlord and tenant is pressing and we promised to succeed where the previous government failed by legislating to transform the experience of private renting.”
Shadow Housing Secretary James Cleverly asked for the implementation date for when the changes become effective. However, Pennycook failed to give any dates, claiming that tenants and landlords would soon be informed and that there would be a smooth transition.
Cleverly said “The Bill in its current form will, in some areas, be counter-productive and drive landlords from the market as well as putting up rents for tenants and Labour’s own impact assessment for this bill supports this concern.
“We will be holding the Government to account for the consequences of this Bill.”
The legislation will introduce the following:
- Scrapping of Section 21.
- Ban payment of rent in advance.
- Introduce open-ended rental contracts.
- Limit rent increases to one a year.
- Prevent tenant bidding wars.
- Bring in a Decent Homes Standard for the PRS.
- Extend Awaab’s Law to private landlords.
- Launch a database of rented properties.
- Create a new ombudsman to handle tenant complaints about landlords.
Industry reaction
Nathan Emerson, Chief Executive, Propertymark noted “The conclusion of today’s debate marks another clear step forward for the Renters’ Rights legislation and brings us closer to the most significant reform of the private rented sector in England in decades
“While there are still important details to be finalised, it’s now beyond doubt that major change is coming.
“Letting agents and landlords must begin preparing now. Delaying action risks being left behind when the legislation takes effect. Propertymark continues to call for clear guidance, realistic timelines, and workable solutions that recognise the operational realities of agents and landlords alike.
“We are committed to helping the sector navigate these reforms through our national Renters’ Rights Roadshow, which begins next month. These free, in-person events are a vital opportunity for agents to hear directly from experts, ask questions, and ensure they’re ready to support their clients through the transition.”
William Reeve, CEO of Goodlord, commented “After too many false starts to count, the deed is done. Three and a half years after it was first mentioned in a Queen’s Speech, this seminal piece of legislation is now finally winging its way onto the statute books
“Today’s Commons appearance was mainly a formality after the Lords debate last week settled most of the outstanding issues.
“The Bill will now receive Royal Assent and the government will announce its plans for implementation in the coming weeks. Some elements of the legislation – such as the abolition of Section 21 and the shift to periodic tenancies – will come into force on the commencement date, which will likely be somewhere between April and June 2026.
“Others such as the establishment of an Ombudsman and the application of the Decent Homes Standard to the PRS have less clear cut timelines.
“This gives agents and landlords a small window in which to get their house in order. It’s absolutely essential that anyone with their head still in the sand about the legislation pulls it out sharpish. This legislation is real, vast and can no longer be ignored.”