The Renters’ Reform Bill has cleared its final stage in the Commons despite concerns that approved amendments undermine the government’s promise to protect renters.
In a series of votes on Wednesday, the House of Commons rejected outlawing the so-called “no-fault” Section 21, until a review of the courts system had taken place.
Under the provision of Section 21, landlords can repossess their properties without having to establish fault on the part of the tenant. Part of the 2019 Conservative manifesto commitment, abolition of “no-fault” evictions would provide greater security of tenure for tenants.
However, MPs moved to approve an indefinite delay to removing Section 21 by a majority vote of 124. A new clause 30 was also backed, allowing the government to assess whether the UK court system has the capacity to handle the caseload, set in motion by the abolition of “no-fault” evictions.
Housing Minister Jacob Young told the Commons that the government has invested £1.2 million in courts to ensure the system is “efficient” and ready to deliver the provisions of new tenancy arrangements.
“Government new clause 30 therefore requires the Lord Chancellor to prepare an assessment of the operation of possession proceedings for rented properties, and for that assessment to be published before section 21 can be abolished for existing tenancies,” Mr. Young said.
The government couldn’t say when the court system would be ready.
“If we don’t have a ready court system when we make this change, the biggest change in 30 years, if the courts aren’t ready for these changes that will not benefit tenants, it won’t benefit landlords, but it certainly won’t benefit tenants either,” Mr. Young added.
Delays and Damage
A number of both Conservative and Labour MPs were critical of the voting outcome. Tory MP Natalie Elphicke called the new clause 30 “a delaying tactic to benefit landlords.”Labour shadow housing minister Matthew Pennycook said that the government was apparently determined to “further tilt the playing field toward the landlord interest.”
“The end of no-fault evictions cannot be made dependent on an unspecified degree of future progress in court improvements subjectively determined by Ministers,” Mr. Pennycook told the House.
Campaigners for tenant rights in the UK, Shelter, said that the legislation, making its way through parliament, has been “watered down” and refused to support it.
“Five hundred renters are given a section 21 ‘no-fault’ eviction every day. Genuine change is desperately needed. Yet thanks to self-interested landlord MPs this version of the Renters Reform Bill, which has its third reading, will fail to protect them,” the charity said.
MPs also voted 283 to 143 in favour of the government’s new clause 15, which prevents renters from serving a notice to quit in the first six months of tenancy unless the landlord agrees otherwise.
Mr. Pennycook said the proposed six-month initial period would be “extremely damaging.”
Changes to the bill risk leaving tenants vulnerable in serious circumstances, such as domestic abuse, the death of a tenant or a serious hazard being present in the property, the minister added.
Ahead of the House vote on Tuesday, Mr. Gove told the BBC that it was up to the House of Lords “to decide the rate of progress that we can make.”
