‘Watered down’ Renters’ Reform Bill passes Commons after concession to backbenchers

The Renters Reform Bill passed through its final reading in the House of Commons yesterday (Wednesday), after the government caved to pressure from backbench MPs and landlords.

In its initial form, Michael Gove’s much-delayed legislation would have put an end to Section 21, which gave landlords the right to evict tenants without any reason. 

However, lobbying from private landlords and backbench Conservative MPs led the government to back a series of amendments in yesterday’s reading, which opponents say water the bill’s power down substantially. 

In its new form, the abolition of Section 21 has been delayed indefinitely until a review of the courts system. 

Another amendment, which would impose a four-month protected period before which tenants can give notice to leave, was also passed, although exemptions for the death of a tenant or victims of domestic violence were agreed after objections from MPs and charities. 

The amendments have turned former advocates of the legislation, such as the Renters’ Reform Coalition, against it. 

The coalition, which is made up of 20 housing organisations including Shelter and Crisis, said the bill in its current form “will be a failure”. 

This sentiment was shared by the Labour Party, which unsuccessfully put forward an amendment which would have abolished section 21 as soon as the bill passed into law. 

The party’s shadow housing secretary, Mattew Pennycook, criticised the delay to the bill, which left committee last November, noting that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill had completed all its Commons stages in the intervening period. 

“The reason for the delay is, of course, an open secret, with the ongoing resistance to the legislation from scores of Government Members—including many with relevant interests, as private renters across the country have certainly noted,” he said, alluding to the numerous members of parliament who are themselves private landlords. 

He accused the government of preferring “grubby political horse-trading” to passing its bill in its initial form with the support of Labour members. 

Jacob Young, parliamentary under-secretary of state for levelling up, said the bill would “create a fairer private rented sector for both landlords and tenants,” giving the latter “more certainty of tenure and healthy homes”. 

He thanked backbenchers, including Anthony Mangnall and Andrew Lewer, for their “continued engagement and constructive dialogue on the measures in the Bill”. 

The Association for Rental Living, which represents the build-to-rent sector in the UK, welcomed the six-month assured tenancy and the requirement for court reform before the abolition of Section 21. 

Without the former, it said they would “likely see an exodus in investment in rental accommodation which would exacerbate the already evident housing crisis”.   

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However, Darren Baxter, principal policy adviser at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which is a member of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said the bill prioritised “placating landlords and backbenchers over strengthening tenants’ rights”.  

“The Renters’ Reform Coalition is right to highlight the serious inadequacy of the Bill, which has been repeatedly watered down,” he said. 

“While its primary aim has been to end no-fault evictions, it offers no clear timeframe or commitment as to when this will be done, reneging on promises made to renters over five years ago.” 

During the discussion of the bill in Commons yesterday, levelling up committee chair Clive Betts criticised the basis for the delay to the end of no-fault evictions.  

He said he had “no conviction” that the courts would be any quicker in two or three years than they are now and said ministers needed to “look a bit beyond the existing system to resolve these problems”. 

“That is why the Committee has suggested—it has been suggested before—a housing court system,” he said.  

“I know that Ministers do not want it and that the Ministry of Justice does not want it, but it seemed to us a way of resolving what are often simple or quick problems. A small claims court format could do it in many cases without the need for lawyers to be introduced.” 

The bill will now go to the House of Lords, where many interest parties are hoping further amendments will be made. 

The Student Accredited Private Rental Sector, a coalition of higher education and student housing organisations, said further changes were needed to safeguard student housing supply and called for parity between purpose-built student accommodation and private student housing.