Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols says she “is proud” to see the Renters’ Rights Act come into force, the biggest increase in rights and protections for renters in over 40 years.
The Act, which came into force yesterday, Friday, will improve the current system for both the 11 million private renters and 2.3 million landlords in England. It will give renters much greater security and stability so they can stay in their homes for longer, build lives in their communities, and avoid the risk of homelessness. The Act will end the injustice of tenants being trapped paying rent for substandard properties.
What will the Renters’ Rights Act do?
- No more Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions – private landlords can no longer evict tenants without a valid reason.
- Landlords are still able to evict a tenant for valid reasons such as anti-social behaviour, rent arrears or to sell.
- Goodbye to fixed contracts – all tenancies in the private rented sector will roll on from month to month or week to week (depending on your arrangement) with no end date, giving renters more flexibility. Tenants can end them with two months’ notice.
- Fairer rent rules – landlords can only raise rent once a year and renters can challenge unfair hikes.
- No more bidding wars – landlords must stick to no more than the advertised rent price.
- One month’s rent upfront, max – landlords can’t ask for more.
- No discrimination – it’s now illegal to refuse tenants just because they receive benefits or have kids.
- Pets welcome – renters can now ask to live with a pet and landlords must reasonably consider it.
- Apply ‘Awaab’s Law’ to the sector, setting clear legal expectations about the timeframes within which landlords in the private rented sector must take action to make homes safe where they contain serious hazards.
More information can be found on the Government website gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-renters-rights-act/guide-to-the-renters-rights-act
Millions of renters in England live day in, day out with the knowledge that they and their families could be uprooted from their home with little notice and minimal justification, and a significant minority of them are forced to live in substandard properties for fear that a complaint would lead to an instant retaliatory eviction. This Act will do something about it.
Landlords and agents must provide their tenants with an information sheet on how the Renters’ Rights Act will affect their tenancy.
Charlotte Nichols, MP for Warrington North, said: “I voted for these new protections when the Renters’ Rights Bill came before Parliament last year. I am proud to support these changes that will make a real difference to the lives of thousands of renters in Warrington and help fix the broken rental system.
“I have heard from so many families in Warrington who have been unfairly evicted from their homes, so I am proud that this Labour government is taking clear action.
“Ending no fault evictions, banning bidding wars and limiting rent increases show that this Labour government is on the side of hard-working people and decent landlords, the majority of whom provide good-quality homes.”
Steve Reed, Housing Secretary, said: “Renters have been living at the mercy of rogue landlords and in fear of losing their home for too long.
“We are putting a stop to this with historic changes that give renters the security they deserve – marking the beginning of a new era for private renters.”
