Displaying items by tag: new bill

The Renters' Rights Bill, appearing in Parliament on 12 September, aims to provide the most significant shift in tenant-landlord relations since 1988. It will ban ‘no-fault’ evictions, a leading cause of homelessness, replacing them with Section 8, which allows evictions for valid reasons like unpaid rent or a landlord’s need to reclaim the property. The bill will also include longer eviction notice periods and extend an eviction-free protected period at the start of tenancies. It will target the skyrocketing cost of private renting by empowering tenants to challenge unfair rent increases and banning rental bidding wars. It will also apply the Decent Homes Standard to private rentals, ensuring that landlords maintain safe, hazard-free homes. Additionally, renters will gain the right to keep pets, and discrimination against tenants on benefits or with children will be outlawed. Both landlord and renter advocacy groups have supported aspects of the bill, though concerns remain about enforcement and local council resources.