Little wonder the Renters (Reform) Bill will ‘not stop unscrupulous landlords’ – when these include Tory MPs

Community union ACORN, representing thousands of renters across England, has withdrawn support for the Renters (Reform) Bill which enters the report stage in parliament on Wednesday 24 April. It is following long delays and government concessions to landlord and housing lobbyists.

This comes as the Renters Reform Coalition (made up of over 20 advice organisations, unions, and professional bodies), warned that in its current form the Bill will fail to achieve the government’s stated aim of delivering a ‘better deal for renters.’

Renters (Reform) Bill: watered down by landlord Tory MPs

In 2019 the Government announced that it planned a ‘once in a generation’ wholesale reform of the private rental sector, to deliver a ‘better deal for renters.’ After much delay, the Renters (Reform) Bill entered Parliament in May 2023. However, since then ministers have watered it down.

The Bill in its current form will end section 21 ‘no fault evictions’ only in name with wide loopholes for unscrupulous landlords to exploit, leaving them able to kick out tenants who complain about conditions, and putting an indefinite pause on when the legislation would come into effect.

Of course, this is probably of little wonder. As Sky News reported:

A total of 83 Tories have declared they received the sizeable rental payments since the last election in December 2019, along with 18 Labour MPs, four Liberal Democrats and one member of the SNP.

But many more could be benefiting from a smaller income as landlords, as MPs only have to publish it on the register of interests if rent tops the £10,000 annual figure.

Changes needed

ACORN, along with the Renters Reform Coalition, is calling for ministers to table amendments to ensure it delivers the transformative changes needed for renters. These include:

• A reversal of concessions that would see a section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction ban delayed indefinitely, and tenants trapped in tenancy agreements for six months.
• A limit on in-tenancy rent rises to prevent unaffordable increases being used as ‘economic’ no-fault evictions, and strong safeguards to prevent unscrupulous landlords abusing the new grounds for eviction which risk being used in the same way as section 21 notices.
• Giving tenants four months’ notice when they are to be evicted, rather than two months’ notice proposed at present.
• Extending the ‘protected period’ that protect renters from eviction under the new landlord circumstances grounds from the proposed six months to two years.

Renters (Reform) Bill will do ‘nothing to stop unscrupulous landlords’

Adam is a disabled renter living in Liverpool. He has has been evicted four times in less than four years. He was recently served a section 21 eviction notice and given no reason why. This follows complaints to the landlord from him and housemates about mould and disrepair issues in their home.

He said of the Renters (Reform) Bill:

I’ve been evicted four times in under four years, including an illegal eviction and revenge section 21 evictions after complaining about bad conditions and serious structural issues in my home.”

This Bill should have helped level the power balance between renters and landlords, but as it stands it will do nothing to stop unscrupulous landlords such as those I’ve experienced from evicting people via the backdoor.

ACORN spokesperson Martin Mawdsley said:

Private renting in England is broken. Lack of security, poor standards and record high rents are plaguing renters, those at the sharp end of the housing crisis.

For five years we’ve had promises from the Government that they would change this, but after years of feet dragging and with the Bill being watered down to appease backbench Tory MPs and landlord lobbyists, it looks like this is an opportunity lost and a promise broken.”

ACORN will continue to fight for the changes so desperately needed to make sure everyone has a safe, secure and affordable home.

Featured image via MatthewWilliams-Ellis – Envato Elements