Renters Rights Bill
Renters Rights Bill - proposals:
- The Renters Rights Bill, at the time of writing 14 July 2025, is proceeding through parliament and expected to receive Royal Assent by early 2026
- This is the most significant legal housing proposal since the Housing Act 1988.
- Section 21 (Notices to Quit) of the Housing Act 1988 will abolish the right to evict tenants without a valid legal reason.
- Fixed term tenancies will be permitted in Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA)
- Fixed term tenancies will be abolished in the Private Rented Sector (PRS)
- Periodic Tenancies will become the norm.
- Tenants will be permitted to end a tenancy with only 2 months’ notice after two months of tenancy expires.
- Landlords must provide 4 months’ notice to tenants and only after a minimum of six months has expired.
- A new ground 4A of Section 8 of the HA'88 permits PRS student landlords to grant academic students with a notice to quit a tenancy, provided the tenancy was signed less than six months prior to the start of the tenancy/occupation. So, if the tenancy was granted in say November prior to a tenancy start date due the following July, then this clause cannot be invoked as 8 months will have elapsed.
- Reasonable rent increases will be restricted to one per 12 months and only via issue of a Section 13 Notice under the Housing Act 1988 two months prior to the increase taking effect. This can be challenged by tenants and any final agreed appeal will be the date for the proposed rent increase start date. So rent increases are likely to be delayed longer than the 12 months minimum and likely to add to the cost burden of administering such increases.
- Pets may not be unreasonably refused with the possibility of pet insurance cover to protect landlord properties.
- The Decent Homes Standard is likely to feature new rules. Previously used as a local authority standard this will now become the new standard. Presently this Housing Health and Rating System (HHSRS) addresses 29 points with a range of risk categories addressing: temperature, moisture, mould, fire safety, electrical hazards, trip hazards, viral infection, water contamination, poison, intruder entry, etc.
- New EPC rules are imminent from 2028 and 2030