The new Renters’ Rights Bill and how it may affect you

Currently, there are roughly 25,000 households in the borough at present and only around one-fifth of these are rental homes and if you are on the one-fifth or a landlord of one of these households being rented out the new bill will directly impact you.

Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, said: “Having met with the Housing Minister, it is clear his intention is for these reforms to overhaul private renting in England. They are a long-held manifesto commitment from Labour, with the new government at Westminster using their mandate for reform.” This seemingly will results in lower up-front costs to renting.

The bill will also remove fixed term tenancies which a survey conducted by Propertymark in December 2023, 93% said that removing fixed-term tenancies would negatively affect both agents and landlords. On a periodic contract, which would replace fixed term tenancies, if a tenant wishes to leave they would need to give the required notice. This is usually one month, and they would be liable for the rent until this time has passed. A report by Goodlord and the National Residential Landlord Association (NRLA) found that 53% of letting agents believed that introducing periodic tenancies would benefit the sector.

Now before this starts to bore you, my current opinion on the bill is that it would lower costs, improve conditions and give more time for if tenants are evicted to find new housing but also may loose some stability for tenants with shorter contracts. The Government must also recognise the impact that these changes will have with people up and down the country left wondering how this legislation will help meet the much-needed demand for homes for people to rent.

If you feel you want a say on this bill I would encourage you to research further minutiae of the bill and then contact our local MP Edward Argar at [email protected] where you can encourage him to vote and argue for or against the bill in parliament.