Every protection you will get in the Renters’ Rights Act
How the Renters’ Rights Act will impact those renting a property and what it means for rent and eviction notices
Hailed as "Britain's most overdue reform," the Renters' Rights Act is set to come into force this week, strengthening the protections to those who are renting their property.
Labour passed the bill through the Parliament last autumn after campaigns from renters who have told of their struggles in being evicted through no fault of their own, or dealing with frequent rent increases.
LBC's property expert Dean Dunham KC wrote: "What it has done is bring the rights of 11 million private renters in this country broadly into line with what citizens of comparable European democracies have taken for granted for decades.
"If you are a tenant, on Friday morning you will wake up with rights you did not have on Thursday night. That is worth recognising. It is also worth remembering: rights you do not know about are rights you cannot exercise."
The Renters' Rights Act comes into force on Friday, May 1.
What is in the Renters' Rights Act?
No more section 21 evictions
The biggest change is that landlords will no longer be able to serve a section 21 ‘no-fault’ eviction notice, which currently allow two months' notice to be given for no reason.
Tarun Bhakta, policy manager at Shelter, said: “We know from our work in our services that we provide across the country, but also from our research, that this is simply not enough time for people to find a new place to live, and leads to families ending up in temporary accommodation, and can dip people over into homelessness.”
No more fixed-term contracts
Another change is towards a system of open-ended or rolling tenancies without an end date.
This applies to all existing and new contracts, and existing tenancies will switch to the new system on May 1.
If you currently have a fixed-term contract, your end date will no longer apply.
This is a welcomed change because the current system can lock people into properties that are not suitable for them or are in a poor condition, or have become unaffordable because their circumstances have changed.
Rental bidding will become prohibited
The Act requires landlords to advertise a starting rent and to not accept or solicit bids above that rate.
Mr Bhakta said: “The idea is to do away with ‘bidding wars’, which can pit tenants against each other, and, at times, inflate rental prices based on false competition between renters looking for properties.“
"What will really be crucial is how this is implemented, and how well it’s enforced.”
Introduction of a limit to rent-in-advance requests
From May 1, renters can only be asked to pay a maximum of one month’s rent in advance once they have signed the tenancy agreement.
"Landlords often ask for very large sums of rent in advance and we know that this is something that impacts low-income renters, particularly those claiming benefits,” Mr Bhakta said.
“The current system locks renters out of homes that they could afford and should be able to access, in an unfair way, so it’s brilliant that the government have taken action on this.”
Rent increase limit of once per year
Landlords will only be able to increase the rent once per year under the new rules, but will not be able to do so in the first year of tenancy.
The landlord must use Form 4A and give tenants at least two months’ notice, according to the government’s website.
If a tenant believes the proposed rent increase exceeds market rate, they can then challenge this at the First-tier Tribunal, who will determine what the market rent should be.
Protections for pets and children
Renters will have the right to request a pet, and landlords will have to provide a reason to not let to a renter have a pet.
Additionally, it will be illegal for landlords and agents to discriminate against prospective tenants in receipt of benefits or with children
Additional reporting by PA.