The Renters’ Rights Bill is set to return to the House of Lords on 14 October, marking its final stage before becoming law.
As expected, progress on the Bill was delayed until after party conference season. It now enters the “ping pong” phase, where the Commons and Lords exchange the Bill until all outstanding disagreements on amendments are resolved.
While peers may suggest further changes, it is widely anticipated that no major amendments will be accepted. The government has already rejected all previous revisions from the Lords, signalling that the core framework of the Bill will remain intact. If there are no further setbacks, Royal Assent is expected before the end of October.
Rejected Amendments
Several proposals supported by landlords, agents, and industry bodies have been dismissed, including:
- No additional pet deposit – the government confirmed the current five-week cap on deposits remains, rejecting calls for a separate allowance to cover pet-related damage.
- No mandatory pet insurance – tenants cannot be required to take out insurance; while they may choose to, landlords cannot enforce it.
- No reduction in re-letting restriction – landlords must still wait 12 months before re-letting a property if repossession was sought for the purpose of sale.
- No wider student exemption – the use of student possession grounds will remain limited to HMOs, excluding smaller one- and two-bedroom properties.
What Happens Next?
Once passed, the Bill will become the Renters’ Rights Act this autumn. Most of the reforms will take effect immediately, including:
- Abolition of Section 21 “no fault” evictions
- Introduction of new possession grounds
- End of fixed-term tenancies
- Restrictions on rent-in-advance payments
Other elements, such as the landlord database and a possible Ombudsman scheme, will follow after a transition period to allow time for systems and infrastructure to be put in place.
What This Means for Landlords and Agents
Industry leaders have voiced concern that the government’s refusal to adopt pragmatic, proportionate amendments leaves some practical challenges unresolved. These include:
- Managing pet ownership without a clear safeguard for landlords
- The risks associated with long re-letting restrictions after failed sales
- Navigating tenancy enforcement and compliance under the new framework
Despite these concerns, the sector is preparing for the most significant change to rental legislation in decades. With the Bill expected to pass into law within weeks, landlords and agents should begin making final preparations now.
