An industry supplier claims the Renters Rights Bill contains a loophole that could enable landlords to evict under what it calls “the guise of having to conduct major maintenance work.”

Inventory Base has analysed data around landlord possession actions in England and Wales and found that the number of instances in which tenants are evicted has increased sharply over recent years.

In 2020, court bailiffs executed 7,451 repossession orders, followed by 9,471 in 2021. But then, in 2022 when the eviction ban introduced during the pandemic was lifted, the number of repossessions soared to 19,651. The annual total jumped to 25,282 in 2023 and then 27,993 in 2024.

However, some of these figures are skewed by the eviction bans imposed during the pandemic.

If Section 6B of the Renters’ Rights Bill goes through as planned, landlords could have a new route to regain possession when major works are required. 

Inventory Base claims that unless it’s watertight, this could what it describes as “a backdoor eviction route.”

It claims that unscrupulous landlords could assert that major works are needed, evict the tenants, then quietly re-let the property once they’re out.

It also suggests the Bill is vague on what qualifies as “substantial redevelopment.”

The supplier claims that inventories offer a layer of accountability that could stop Section 6B from being exploited.

Documenting the ‘before’ condition and work on progress could avoid accusations of unfair eviction it claims.

Once the works are completed, a final inspection can confirm the property is habitable again – preventing unnecessary delays in re-letting.

Siân Hemming-Metcalfe of Inventory Base comments: “Section 6B could be a sensible reform – if it’s handled properly. But without clear definitions and proper oversight, it runs the risk of being misused, disputed, or even ignored. 

“The rental sector needs transparency, accountability, and balance – and independently commissioned inventory reports can help deliver exactly that.

“If landlords, tenants, and local authorities all want a fair, functional system, evidence-backed documentation needs to be part of the equation. Otherwise, we’re looking at yet another policy change that creates more problems than it solves.”