The fairer private rented sector white paper was published on 16th June by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities which it has described as “the biggest shake-up of the private rented sector in 30 years”.
Among the 12-point plan of action contained in the white paper is a pledge to outlaw section 21 or no-fault evictions that allow landlords to evict a tenant without giving a reason.
The reforms also include making it easier for renters to own a pet in rented accommodation and extending the Decent Homes Standard to the private sector for the first time, ensuring homes are free from serious health and safety hazards and homes are kept in a good state of repair by landlords.
The bill was first announced by the government in April 2019 and was hailed as “the biggest change to the private rental sector for a generation”, being regarded as a “step change” in protections for renters, giving more rights to landlords and tenants.
A number of measures are also being introduced for private landlords in the bill, of which there are an estimated 2.3 million in England. These include:
- A promise to work with the Ministry of Justice and Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) to target the areas where there are unacceptable delays in court proceedings, as well as strengthening mediation and alternative dispute resolution to enable landlords and tenants to work together to reduce the risk of issues escalating
- A private renter’s ombudsman to allow disputes between private renters and landlords to be settled quickly, without going to court, and at low cost
- A promise to responsible landlords that they can sell their properties when they need to and can efficiently gain possession of their properties from antisocial tenants
- The introduction of a property portal to help landlords understand and comply with their obligations as well as providing councils and tenants with the information they need to tackle rogue operators
Terhi Sygrove, Recoveries Manager at Rothera Bray said: “We gladly acknowledge these measures. Any intervention to assist with the delays in court proceedings is clearly welcomed and very much needed, as court proceedings continue to suffer from considerable delays”.
The government describes the measures as part of a wider reform agenda to improve lives and level up the country, delivering more housing and greater protection for tenants and homeowners. By 2030 the government aims to have halved the number of poor-quality rented homes, across both private and social tenures.
The government also recently introduced the Social Housing Regulation Bill, meaning that failing social housing landlords could face unlimited fines and Ofsted-style inspections.
