No-fault eviction ban and more renter rights revived by government

The government has revived plans to ban no-fault evictions and provide renters with greater protection and security.

Laura Murphy, Paralegal in our Dispute Resolution team provides an update.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will ban Section 21 evictions for new and existing tenancies, extend Awaab’s Law into the private rented sector and end blanket bans for those on benefits or with children. 

Ministers say banning Section 21 will reassure tenants they can challenge bad practice without the fear of retaliatory eviction, as landlords will need to provide a valid cause to end a tenancy early.

Going further than ever before, the Bill will abolish Section 21 evictions for both new and existing tenancies at the same time, giving all private renters immediate security and assurance.

The Decent Homes Standard will be applied to the private rented sector for the first time. Currently 21% of privately rented homes are considered non-decent and more than 500,000 contain the most serious of hazards.

Clear expectations will be set so tenants can expect safe, well-maintained, and secure living conditions.

Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner said: “Good landlords who provide these standards will benefit from clear regulation. This will eliminate unfair competition from those who, for far too long, have got away with renting out substandard properties to tenants.

“Most landlords act in a responsible way but a small number of unscrupulous ones are tarnishing the reputation of the whole sector by making the most of the housing crisis and forcing tenants into bidding wars.”  

Other measures introduced in the Bill include:

• Applying Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector. This will ensure that all renters in England are empowered to challenge dangerous conditions.

• Apply a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector for the first time. Landlords who fail to address serious hazards can be fined up to £7,000 by local councils and may face prosecution for non-compliance.

• A ban on rental bidding wars, by cracking down on those who make the most of the housing crisis by forcing tenants to bid for their properties. Landlords and letting agents will be legally required to publish an asking rent for their property. They will also be banned from asking for, encouraging, or accepting any bids above this price.

• Ban on in-tenancy rent increases written in to contracts to prevent landlords implementing too high rents mid-tenancy, often to push out the current tenants. Under these reforms, landlords will only be allowed to raise the rent once a year, and to the market rate. 

• Abolishing blanket bans on tenants with children or those in receipt of benefits to ensure fair access to housing for all.

A new Private Rented Sector Database will also be created to help landlords understand their obligations for compliance and provide tenants with the information they need to make informed choices for new tenancies. It will also enable councils to focus on enforcement where it is needed most

If you would like more information about the issues raised in this article please contact Laura on 01228 516666 or click here to send her an email.