The new Renters Reform Bill (the Bill) outlined in the 2022 Queen’s Speech, is considered to be one of the most significant changes to rental law in a generation.
This new bill covers a wide range of issues but is ultimately intended to provide greater security in tenancies to millions of renters by driving up standards in the private and social rented sectors.
Part of the Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda, tenants have widely welcomed the Bill, but it could mean additional costs and complications for landlords and property investors across England.
What is in the Renters Reform Bill?
A key element of this “new deal” will extend the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector for the first time, ensuring that the 4.4 million households privately renting across England have a legal right to a safe and warm home.
In particular, it will ensure all renters have access to quality homes – ‘levelling up’ opportunities for the 21 per cent of private renters who currently live in homes of an unacceptable standard.
A ban on Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, will also be implemented to protect tenants from unscrupulous landlords while also strengthening landlords’ legitimate grounds for taking back their property.
To support communications between tenants and property owners, a new Private Renters’ Ombudsman will also be created to enable disputes to be settled quickly, at a lower cost, and without going to court.
The bill will also offer additional support to social renters, with regular rigorous inspections and stronger powers to tackle failings by social housing landlords.
The Social Housing Regulation Bill will continue to deliver on the Government’s reforms in response to the Grenfell Tower fire as the fifth anniversary of the tragedy approaches.
It will create a regulatory framework that will drive up the standards of social housing accommodation and help tenants and the Regulator hold social housing landlords to account.
Worried about the cost or changes brought on by these reforms? Speak to our team today.