The private rented sector has been promised a Renters’ Reform Bill that would strengthen standards, but how do buy-to-let landlords benefit from this? The Renters’ Reform Bill, dubbed “the biggest change to renters law in a generation” has been reintroduced for a third time with promises to alter UK rental rules. Private and public housing will be affected by the revisions being proposed.

The recent Queen’s Speech highlighted the ideas that were initially suggested in the Queen’s Speech in 2019 with the purpose of shaking up the industry. There is now a promise of a White Paper outlining the details of the Renters Reform Bill’s plans.

Abolishing so-called “no-fault” evictions seems to have wide bipartisan support among many property professionals. The Deregulation Act of 2015 says that Section 21 is one of the main reasons people are homeless because local governments can’t get the money they need to take action against bad landlords.

However, there are specific circumstances in which landlords must evict a tenant before the end of the term. This is why many have voiced agreement of measures to broaden Section 8’s definition of possession.

What is included in the Renters’ Reform Bill?

The principal purpose of the renters’ reform is to “build on the progress the government has already made in this area, and ensure all renters have access to secure, quality homes, levelling up opportunities for the 21% of private renters who currently live in homes of an unacceptable standard”.

There are four primary parts to the Renters Reform Bill and its primary goal is to safeguard and assist the nation’s 4.4 million renters. But landlords aren’t completely ignored, since some of the measures are tailored toward them.

Four principal sections

• For the first time, the Decent Homes Standard is being applied to privately leased housing. This will be the subject of a consultation in the summer of 2022.
• In order to list their rental homes, all landlords must sign up for a new private rental property portal site. The concept of a landlord registry has moved on, and the discussion has progressed to include what landlords must do to register their properties.
• To provide tenants with fairer circumstances and give them the power to fight unfair practises, Section 21 evictions will be abolished. Rent arrears have been given additional and tougher grounds for eviction, while notice periods for anti-social behaviour have been reduced. Officials, on the other hand, will have to work out what this means for the current tenancy arrangement, as effectively, the Assured Shorthold system is abolished by the plans.
• Renters in the private rented sector in England will have access to a new PRS Ombudsman, who will cover all landlords in the private rented sector. Therefore, agents may have recourse against poor landlords depending on how the system is set up. This helps to clarify the difference between letting services and comprehensive property management.

Levelling up

The administration’s “levelling up” plan, dubbed “a moral, social, and economic programme for the entire government,” has been in vogue this year. The Levelling Up White Paper’s goal is to ensure that everyone in the UK has equal access to opportunities.

The Renters’ Reform Bill pertains to this issue because there are so many people that rent their homes.

“Too many renters are living in damp, unsafe, and cold homes, powerless to put them right, and under the threat of sudden eviction,” Housing Secretary Michael Gove said in a recent statement. “The New Deal for renters announced today will help to end this injustice, improving conditions and rights for millions of renters. This is all part of our plan to level up communities and improve the life chances of people from all corners of the country.”

There have been a number of landlords and landlord representatives that have spoken out against the government’s emphasis on helping tenants, even at the expense of landlords, in recent years. Some people in the PRS industry have been hurt by tax increases, the loss of tax breaks for mortgage interest, and more rules.