The Section 21 eviction ban is expected to be in place by the summer of 2025, according to housing minister Matthew Pennycock.
The Renters’ Rights Bill was published and introduced to parliament on Wednesday.
Pennycock told BBC Breakfast: “We hope [the bill] will make very quick progress through the House of Commons and that we have that new tenancy system in place within the first half or around summer next year.”
The main issue with the Section 21 eviction ban is it would leave landlords relying on Section 8 evictions, where you’re faced with a lengthy court process to evict a tenant.
Paul Shamplina, founder of Landlord Action, reiterated that something needs to be done to solve these issues, or many landlords will rush to issue a Section 21 before the ban comes into force.
He said: “We already have cases where landlords are owed two years of rent but can’t reclaim their properties, with one of our cases dragging on for 19 months without a hearing date yet.
“Landlords aren’t banks, and many rely on rent to cover mortgages or fund retirement. Nearly a fifth of properties for sale are from landlords leaving the market, forcing tenants to find homes in an already tight market.
“Without landlords, the private rental sector (PRS) collapses. As more landlords exit, rents will rise, and housing will become scarcer, ultimately harming tenants. Protecting tenants is crucial, but without fixing the court system, the entire rental market faces chaos.”
The bill would also ban bidding wars amongst tenants, as well as stop landlords from blocking tenants on benefits or with children.
Awaab’s Law would be extended to private housing, meaning landlords would have to respond to hazardous conditions more quickly.
The bill would also abolish fixed tenancies and replace them with periodic tenancies, while tenants would be given the power to challenge rent increases by tribunal.
Polly Neate, chief executive of homeless charity Shelter, was positive about the bill.
She said: “The Renters’ Rights Bill is a watershed moment for England’s 11 million renters. By extending notice periods and ridding the country of the gross injustice of Section 21 evictions, renters will no longer live in fear of being booted out of their homes for no reason, with too little notice.
“This Bill will do far more to protect tenants than previous failed attempts, but renters shouldn’t be forced out by colossal rent hikes once the government pulls the plug on Section 21. More than 60,000 renters were walloped with extortionate rent hikes that cost them the roof over their head in the past year alone.
“To truly deliver the stability England’s renters need, the bill must limit in-tenancy rent increases so they’re in line with either inflation or wage growth. It must also protect renters from eviction for two years and stamp out discriminatory practices like demands for huge sums of rent in advance that drive homelessness.”
However, Trevor Abrahmsohn, Glentree International, expressed concerns that some tenants could abuse the new rules.
He said: “What we do need to anticipate is a wily tenant using any new rights to allow them to remain indefinitely in the landlord’s property, without paying rent and claiming either ‘poverty’ or a spurious reason, which on any moral level must be unacceptable.
“The eco-culture of the rental sector has a delicate balance and over-zealous governments, fuelled by political soundbites, should be wary of the consequences of their actions.”
