The government has committed to introduce the Renters Reform Bill into Parliament during this session – despite the disarray over policies across the Truss administration.

At a Parliamentary session taking questions to the new Housing Secretary Simon Clarke – a close supporter of Liz Truss – there were several questions from backbench MPs pressing for a date for the introduction of the Bill.

Clarke resisted giving a date but said he was being clear that it would be introduced this session; he also repeated the commitment given by the Prime Minister last Wednesday that Section 21 eviction powers would be outlawed.

A government leak to The Times 10 days ago suggested that this ban may itself be scrapped, but Truss U-turned on it at the most recent Prime Minister’s Questions. 

At his question time yesterday, Clarke made a number of unspecific commitments to reforming the rental sector in a bid to help tenants, including a “very close review” of Local Housing Allowance and how it can be more accurately reflecting market rents.

The Renters Reform Bill was first pledged by Theresa May’s government in April 2019 and was described at the time as a “step change” in protections for renters, ending no-fault evictions and giving landlords and tenants more rights. 

It was hailed as “the biggest change to the private rental sector for a generation” but has undergone several delays, mostly because of a lack of Parliamentary time.

It is widely believed that many provisions of the Bill would require up to two years of time to become law – suggesting it may be difficult for the current Conservative government to squeeze it in before the next scheduled election in late 2024.