Rayner unveils ‘landmark’ bill to protect private renters

The new bill will include a long-awaited ban on Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions for new and existing tenancies. Currently, Section 21 allows a private landlord to evict a tenant without giving a reason.

Ms Rayner added: “Renters have been let down for too long and too many are stuck in disgraceful conditions, powerless to act because of the threat of a retaliatory eviction hanging over them.”

Awaab’s Law – named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died from mould exposure in his housing association-owned home – was initially announced by the previous government solely for the social housing sector.

It was included as secondary legislation as part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act, but has yet to be enacted following a consultation run earlier this year by the Conservative government. The measures will force strict new deadlines on landlords to deal with hazards in homes, such as damp and mould. 

Once the law is finalised it will be extended to the private rented sector as part of the new bill.

The bill will also see the Decent Homes Standard applied to the private rented sector for the first time. Landlords that fail to tackle “serious hazards” could be fined up to £7,000 and face prosecution.

Rental bidding wars and in-tenancy rent increases will also be outlawed as part of the bill. 

Ms Rayner said: “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.”

Blanket bans on tenants with children or those on benefits will also be abolished as part of the new Bill, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said.

A new private landlord register will also be established to give tenants the “information they need to make informed choices for new tenancies”, MHCLG said.

The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) welcomed the bill as a “significant step towards creating fairer, more secure housing for millions of renters”.

Rachael Williamson, head of policy and external affairs at the CIH, said: “We look forward to working with the government to support the bill’s implementation, helping to build a housing system that meets the needs of all.”

However, some raised concerns about the impact of banning Section 21 on the court system. 

Ian Fletcher, director of real estate policy at the British Property Federation, said: “Our primary concern remains the ability of the courts to deal with the increased workload that will come their way without Section 21.”

He added: “Without court reform and improvement, the new system won’t work well and deliver fair access to justice. It remains therefore our number-one priority to ensure the courts are working well, and we hope it is a priority of the government’s, too.”

Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said that ending Section 21 will leave the courts “needing to hear possession claims where landlords have a legitimate reason”.

He added: “The cross-party housing select committee has warned that without reforms to ensure the courts process cases much more swiftly, they risk becoming overwhelmed. This will not serve the interests of tenants or landlords seeking justice.”

It is unclear at this stage how long the Renters’ Rights Bill will take to get royal assent to become law, but a bill can take months to get through various stages in parliament. 

Prior to being elected, Labour said it would introduce an “immediate” ban on Section 21.