Renters Rights Bill

When the Renters Rights Bill becomes law, it will make Section 21 evictions illegal. This means landlords can no longer evict tenants without a specific reason. All private tenancies will change to periodic (rolling contracts).

Courts will only grant possession under legally defined grounds, such as:

• selling the property
• moving in yourself or for a close family member
• tenant rent arrears or anti-social behaviour

When the Renters Rights Bill becomes law, landlords must register their properties on a national Private Rented Sector database.

This aims to improve transparency and enforcement in the rental market.

You can prepare by:

• gathering essential documents ahead of time, including a Gas Safety Certificate, Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR),
• ensuring your records are up to date
• ensuring all your property certificates and documents are easily accessible and in one central place
• ensuring you have a system in place to meet any key deadlines

When the Renters Rights Bill becomes law, private landlords must meet the Decent Homes Standard.

The Decent Homes Standard ensures properties are:

• safe and well-maintained
• free from serious hazards, such as damp, faulty wiring, or poor insulation
• fit for human habitation
• meeting Awaab’s Law. This means private landlords must address damp, mould and serious issues within set timescales.

You can prepare by:

• conducting an inspection, either yourself or with a professional, to identify and fix potential hazards
• budgeting for necessary repairs, as non-compliance could lead to fines
• responding to tenant repair requests promptly, ensuring you meet the new legal timeframes
• ensuring you have a clear process in place for communicating with your tenants
• ensuring your tenants know how to contact you if they have a problem
• making clear plans for when you go on holiday or have any unexpected absences i.e. sickness

When the Renters Rights Bill becomes law, landlords can only increase rent once per year. They must give tenants at least two months notice before raising the rent.

Tenants will have the right to challenge unfair rent hikes through a tribunal.

Landlords can only request one months rent in advance after both parties sign the tenancy agreement. This must be before the tenancy starts.

You can prepare by:

• setting up a rent review calendar to plan rent adjustments in a structured way

• basing rent increases on market conditions to avoid disputes

• keeping clear records of rent changes and your reasons for them

• researching your local market 

When the Renters Rights Bill becomes law, the Government will create a Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman . They will handle disputes between landlords and tenants.

The Ombudsman’s decisions will be legally binding.

All landlords must register with the scheme.

You can prepare by:

• signing up for the Ombudsman Scheme as soon as it’s available. This will be mandatory
• keeping detailed records of maintenance requests and tenant interactions to help resolve disputes
• focussing on clear communication with tenants to prevent conflicts before they escalate
• ensuring you keep up to date on the latest developments by registering with your Local Authority’s mailing list

When the Renters Rights Bill becomes law, tenants will have the right to request a pet and landlords cannot unreasonably refuse.

You can prepare for this change by creating a fair and transparent pet policy. This should balance tenant needs, property upkeep and property sustainability.

When the Renters Rights Bill becomes law, landlords must not discriminate against tenants on benefits or with children.

Tenant selection must be fair and transparent, based only on financial suitability.

You can prepare by:

• reviewing your tenant screening process, ensuring it complies with non-discrimination rules
• focussing only on affordability, references, and credit history when assessing applications
• removing any outdated policies that might unintentionally exclude certain groups

If you are using an agent, you must ensure they are following the guidance on your behalf.

When the Renters Rights Bill becomes law, Councils will have greater powers to investigate landlords and enforce compliance.

The Renters Rights Bill will also introduce higher fines and penalties for breaches of rental laws.

You can prepare by:

• staying informed on local council regulations, as enforcement will be stricter
• conducting regular property inspections to ensure ongoing compliance
• engaging with local authorities proactively to stay ahead of any new requirements