New Renters’ Rights Bill Announced in King’s Speech

The King, today, announced that his new Government will put in place a Renters’ Rights Bill, which is essentially a modified version of Michael Gove’s Renters (Reform) Bill which didn’t make it through Parliament before the Conservative’s lost power.

Details of the bill currently are:

* The end of Section 21, so called “no fault” evictions;
* Increasing tenants rights, including giving them the power to challenge rent increases, to request a pet, and making discrimination against tenants in receipt of benefits or with children illegal when choosing to let;
* Preventing agents and landlords from encouraging bidding wars;
* Introducing a ‘Decent Homes Standard’ to the Private Rental Sector;
* Extending Awaab’s Law to the sector – i.e. fining agents or landlords who fail to fix damp and mould problems quickly enough;
* Creating a digital national database of landlords and their properties – i.e. a national portal;
* Strengthened local council enforcement powers – making it easier for councils to identify rogue landlords and remove them from the sector;
* Set up a new ombudsman service that will provide fair, impartial and binding resolution to both landlords and tenants, reducing the need to go to court.