Activists line up to criticise Renters Reform Bill amendments

The Renters Reform Bill returns to the House of Commons today with activist groups critical of amendments put forward to reach a compromise.

The amendments include:

- Accepting a proposal by the cross-party housing select committee that when fixed term tenancy agreements end, “tenants be unable to give two months’ notice to leave until they have been in a property for at least four months";

- Reviewing the operation of the courts before ending Section 21 for existing tenancies to ensure the justice system can cope with the increased workload;

- Ensuring all types of student housing, including one and two bed properties, are covered by the planned ground for possession to protect the annual cycle of the student housing market. This will ensure landlords can guarantee to prospective students that properties will be available to rent from the start of each academic year; and

- Reviewing the need for local authority licensing schemes in light of the proposed property portal, an idea contained in the original Renters Reform Bill.

However, the London Renters Union says the Bill in its amended form will fail to properly abolish Section 21 evictions and give renters security in their homes.

An LRU spokesperson says: “In its current state, the Tories’ Bill will fail to give renters any real security in our homes. After five long years, there is still no end in sight to the slew of evictions forcing tens of thousands of us into homelessness. Michael Gove has shown more interest in protecting the profits of his mates in the landlord lobby than ensuring everyone in this country has a secure place to call home. 

“Renters have had enough of the Tories and their broken promises. Labour must step up and commit to protect renters from unfair eviction and unaffordable rent hikes.”

The Generation Rent activist group says: "In its current form, the Renters Reform Bill will be a failure" 

Ben Twomey, chief executive. comments: "Everyone deserves to feel secure in their own home, which is why the government committed to end section 21 no fault evictions over five years ago. The Renters Reform Bill does not deliver the original promise that landlords will 'no longer be able to unexpectedly evict families with only eight weeks notice'.

"Renters were promised once-in-a-generation change but if this Bill passes in its current form, we could still be just a couple of months away from homelessness, even if we play by all the rules set by landlords. That's why as a bare minimum we're calling on the government to double eviction notice periods to four months, while increasing the time tenants can spend in their home without fear of eviction from six months to two years.”

A government statement says: “This landmark legislation will provide a fairer private rented sector and deliver on the manifesto commitment to ban Section 21 evictions. As part of the bill, we are considering exemptions which would mean that in certain circumstances tenants would be able to leave within the first six months of a new tenancy, such as the death of a tenant, domestic abuse, or significant hazards in the property.

“We are absolutely committed to the Renters (Reform) Bill, which will have its remaining stages in the House of Commons … This Bill will abolish Section 21 evictions and deliver a fairer rented sector for tenants and landlords. We will continue to work across the sector to ensure it passes into law as soon as possible.”

You can see the full (and very long) list of amendments here.

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