Propertymark has pleaded with MPs to consider the potential consequences of the Renters’ Rights Bill on fixed-term tenancies and the private rented sector’s supply as the proposed legislation is delayed until at least autumn.
The Bill has completed its passage through the House of Lords but will not return to the House of Commons for review until after the summer recess.
Nathan Emerson, Propertymark’s CEO, said his organisation’s lobbying had helped to secure more practical outcomes for the sector, but warned that the Bill still carries significant risks for the sector.
He commented: “Throughout the passage of the Renters’ Rights Bill through the House of Lords, Propertymark’s campaigning has made a difference in ensuring that the Bill is more practical for letting agents, landlords, and tenants. These include securing pet damage deposits and student tenancy safeguards.
“However, before the Bill heads back to the House of Commons to be reviewed after the summer recess, as it is due to deliver some of the biggest changes to the private rental sector in decades, Propertymark urges MPs to consider the implications this Bill could have on fixed-term tenancies and the impact it could have on the shrinkage of supply in the private rental sector,” Emerson added.
With the Renters’ Rights Bill now officially delayed until autumn, further scrutiny is expected when MPs return to Westminster. Industry bodies and campaigners are likely to maintain pressure on the government to address unresolved concerns and ensure that reforms support both tenants and landlords.
For example, fears have been raised that measures such as powers for local authorities to conduct unannounced inspections could lead to increased compliance burdens, legal uncertainty, and landlords exiting the market.
