From recess to Royal Assent – Retaining key wins in the Renters’ Rights Bill

With Parliament now in recess and Royal Assent round the corner, our campaign ramps up to ensure key wins are retained in the Renters’ Rights Bill.

The Renters’ Rights Bill’s progress through the House of Lords ended with just two minor amendments accepted at Third Reading – tidying up previously agreed provisions on pet damage deposits and marking the start of the critical final phase.

The Bill is scheduled to return to the House of Commons from 8th September, where it will enter “ping pong”, during which only the changes made to the Bill by the Lords will be considered, and when both Houses must agree on the final wording.

Key amendments at risk

The Bill will go back to the House of Commons with some key changes. Some of these are changes introduced by the Government – these are known as government amendments. They include new measures clarifying that for existing tenancies (those in place before the Bill comes into force), advance rent can continue to be taken and provisions to give the Secretary of State powers to backdate rent determinations.

But throughout its time in the Lords, the Bill was also amended in ways contrary to the Government’s original intentions. These changes include:

• The introduction of a new pet damage deposit.
• The reduction of the restricted period for Ground 1A (allowing landlords to recover possession to sell or move in) from 12 to six months.
• The extension of Ground 4A to cover 1- and 2-bedroom student homes, ensuring these properties are also captured by the student ground for possession.

These changes reflect concerns raised by us and supported by stakeholders across the sector, But unless the Government formally supports them, there’s a real risk they could be overturned when the Bill returns to the Commons.

No recess for rental reform

With Parliament in recess, you might expect things to slow down, but for us, this is where the work really ramps up.

Our focus now is on building cross-party support to retain these vital amendments. Over the last two weeks alone, we’ve held meetings with officials at both the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department for Education, ensuring that your concerns continue to be recognised and are top of the agenda when Parliament returns.

We are also continuing to engage with higher education stakeholders to amplify our message – that the battle is not yet won on Ground 4A.

Encouragingly, in a letter to the NRLA, Baroness Smith acknowledged the importance of the student housing amendment, stating that the proposed extension of Ground 4A to all off-street student properties “would allow all student landlords and tenants to be confident in the flow of the student letting cycle.”

The final back-and-forth

The Bill is due to return to the Commons from 8th September. “Ping pong” involves scrutiny of the changes to the Bill, and the Government can also propose modifications, meaning the process can take some time. However, there is increasing pressure on the Government to get the Bill over the line before conference recess in mid-October, leaving a clear window for it to reach Royal Assent.

In addition to securing the key amendments made in the Lords, we are also urging the Government to set out a clear implementation timeline ahead of Royal Assent. The sector needs a minimum of six months between Royal Assent and implementation to give landlords, agents, and tenants the time they need to prepare for such wide-reaching reforms.

This all means that this summer’s activity will be critical. The amendments won so far were hard fought, but without continued pressure, there’s a real risk they could be lost. Our job now is to ensure parliamentarians across both Houses understand why these changes matter, and to secure the support needed to see them through to the final version of the Bill.

As ever, we’ll keep members updated and continue to represent your interests at every stage of the legislative process.

Register for our Royal Assent webinar

While we don’t yet have a date for Royal Assent, we’ll be holding a webinar as soon as possible afterwards, giving members a deep dive into the legislation.

Register here to be at the head of the queue on what the Bill entails for the sector so you’re ready to act when the new rules come into effect.