The Renters’ Rights Bill is set to progress to the Committee Stage in the House of Lords today, as lawmakers continue to debate sweeping changes to the rental sector across England.
The legislation, which aims to bolster protections for tenants, has drawn both praise and calls for further revisions.
Key proposals include the abolition of Section 21 no-fault evictions, regulation of short-term lets, and new standards for the professionalisation of letting agents.
As the bill proceeds through detailed scrutiny in the Committee Stage, all eyes will be on whether the Government takes on board recommendations from industry professionals and peers alike.
Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, said: “The UK Government must listen to Peers and act on amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill to strike a fair and workable balance for letting agents, landlords and tenants.
“It is positive to see amendments which Propertymark have campaigned on included within the proposed new legislation, such as mandatory qualifications for letting agents, retaining fixed term tenancies as an option, court capacity for when no fault evictions are abolished and extending the deposit cap for renting with pets.
“It’s also vital that measures to register short term lets come in alongside these regulations to level the playing field.
“It remains imperative there is adequate support for landlords to plan and implement all necessary changes, and that all new legalisation is kept under full review ensuring it remains relevant, evidence-based and fit for purpose moving forwards.”
