The Renters Reform Bill is not scheduled for debate this week in Parliament – and time is running out for it to be shoe-horned into the coming weeks, too.

The Bill was introduced with much fanfare four months ago, at which point it has a rapid First Reading. It’s still awaiting its Second Reading and this delay is unusually long for any significant legislation.

On Thursday of this week we will find out whether it’s scheduled for debate next week – but that will be a short week of just two days for the House of Commons, ahead of the start of the party conference season.

If the Second Reading doesn’t happen before the conferences it must wait until MPs return to Parliament on October 16.

Even then there is a relatively short window of opportunity for a Second Reading before the King’s Speech outlines Parliament’s agenda for the coming year on November 7.

If the Second Reading hasn’t happened by that time the Bill will have to be reintroduced and the whole process starts again.

Given the lengthy time it takes for a Bill to go through the Commons and Lords and then goes to receive Royal Assent, there are now growing doubts that the Bill’s controversial measures will be enacted before the next General Election.

Ben Twomey, the chief executive of the Generation Rent activist group, says: “The clock is ticking, and while we wait for the government to pass the law it promised to renters four years ago…

“Every 15 minutes another family is being evicted through no fault of their own. It’s heart-breaking to think how many more could be homeless by Christmas.”