The PRS & the Intentions of a Labour Government

Since 2019, many landlords have been concerned that Section 21 would be abolished, but the call for a General Election six weeks ago, put an end to the Renters Reform Bill, one of the fallen bills, progressing through the House of Lords and reaching a point where it would receive Royal Assent.

Now that a Labour Government is in place and Angela Rayner has been appointed Secretary of State for Levelling up, Housing and Communities, Labour will need to start the process again, and take a new Bill through the House of Commons and the House of Lords which will take time.

Will Labour introduce a new version of the Renters Reform Bill?

Keir Starmer made reference to overhauling regulation of the Private Rented Sector, but no concrete details have been provided on what this overhaul will look like.

It is likely that there will be reference to rental reform in the King’s Speech on 17 July 2024. and the following could be included:-

• The intention to abolish Section 21 is at the forefront of reform, however, it is not clear whether the proposed changes to Section 8 are still on the cards.

• Giving tenants the ability to challenge rent increases in the First-tier Tribunal is important to Labour as there intention has always been to redress the balance between landlords and tenants

• Blanket bans on discriminating against applicants who are in receipt of benefits or who have children is still of upmost importance

• Labour tabled an amendment in the Renters Reform Bill that would prevent landlords or letting agents from encouraging ‘bidding wars’ between tenants.

• Extending Clause 42 (Awaab’s Law) of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 to the private rented sector was in Labour’s manifesto. 

As the new government gets to work, only time will tell how quickly housing reform will be put into action.

“Changing a country is not like flicking a switch… “ Keir Starmer, Prime Minister - July 2024