Key Facts

• Amendment 159 would allow tenants to recover costs if landlords increase rents improperly.
• Amendments 197 and 201 require tribunals to consider original rents, housing allowance, average market rents, CPI, and median income growth when determining new rents.
• Amendments 198 and 199 limit rent increases based on the lower cap of CPI or medium income growth.
• New clause 58 requires landlords to state the amount of rent in advertisements for residential properties.
• New clause 59 would prevent landlords or letting agents from encouraging bids that exceed advertised rent.
• New clause 62 limits advance rent requests to five weeks for annual rents under £50,000 and six weeks for higher amounts.
• Amendment 199 and new clause 66 require the Secretary of State to issue guidance on in-tenancy rent increases.
• The Government’s reform package lacks robust means of redress for tenants facing unreasonable rent rises.
• An analysis by Generation Rent indicates that only 341 cases were heard between January 2019 and August 2021, out of approximately 4.4 million privately renting households in England.
• Amendment 160 would ensure the tribunal process does not increase rent beyond what landlords initially asked for.
• Amendments 161 and 162 aim to provide a two-month grace period after a tribunal determination before a rent rise becomes payable.
• Shelter research shows that 59% of tenants were asked to pay rent in advance, with some needing to take out loans or use credit cards.
• AXA Insurance is carrying out a major refurbishment of Dolphin Square in Pimlico.
• Tenants facing relocation are being asked to take on new tenancies with a 40% increase in rent.
• The Bill amends section 13 and 14 of the Housing Act 1988 to protect tenants from excessive rent increases.
• The tribunal cannot currently take into account alterations made by tenants at their own expense.
• There is no requirement for landlords to accept the tribunal's final outcome regarding rent levels.
• Bidding wars are not illegal, according to the Minister.
• Amendments ensure landlords respond within 14 days.
• Additional time can be granted if information is provided within 14 days.
• Superior landlords must also respond within 14 days.
• The Secretary of State will publish guidance on reasonable grounds for refusal within 180 days after the Act passes.
• The new clause applies to contracts entered into or whose duration was extended on or after its implementation date.
• Clause 7 aims to strengthen tenants' rights to keep pets.
• Nearly half of all landlords are unwilling to let to tenants with pets.
• Amendment 183 seeks to reduce the landlord's consideration period from 42 days to 14 days.
• Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and the Dogs Trust support these amendments.
• Clause 8 amends section 1(4) of the Tenant Fees Act 2019.
• The current take-up rate of tenant’s contents policies is between 10% and 15%.
• Shelter mentioned that insurance products are often one of the first things to be cancelled during financial shocks.
• The new clause introduces a duty for landlords and contractors to give tenants a statement of terms and other relevant information.
• This is intended to increase transparency in the rental process.
• New clause 3 will replace existing clause 9 in the Renters (Reform) Bill.
• The written statement must include terms such as start date, rent level, landlord’s address, and rights and responsibilities of both parties.
• Landlords are required to specify when they may use certain grounds for eviction.
• Amendments 132 and 133 seek to extend from three months to six months the period before which a property can be re-marketed.
• Amendment 134 clarifies that a landlord cannot let a property as a short-term or holiday let for at least three months after taking ownership of the property.
• Amendment 135 would clarify that a landlord cannot market a property as a short-term or holiday let for at least three months after taking ownership of the property.
• Fovargue supports amendments 140 and 141 to extend the no-let period from three months to twelve months.
• Amendment 142 aims to ensure that tenants can seek redress if they are wrongfully evicted through court proceedings.
• New clauses 3 and 4 raise questions about how assured tenancies transition and when new duties kick in.
• Amendments seek to extend the three-month period to six or 12 months.
• Local councils have powers to fine landlords up to £5,000 for minor breaches and up to £30,000 for serious offences.
• Government new clauses replace clause 10 but retain the policy intent in the original drafting.
• Amendment 163 would increase the penalty from £5,000 to £30,000.
• Amendment 164 would increase the penalty from £30,000 to £60,000.
• The amendments target contraventions of clauses 9 and 10 inserted into the Housing Act 1988.
• Clauses 11 and 12 give local housing authorities the power to fine landlords who break rules.
• Clause 13 allows fines of up to £5,000 for less serious breaches.
• Fines can be increased to £30,000 for repeated or serious offences.
• The government is issuing guidance and exploring a national framework for setting fines.
• Amendments propose increasing the maximum fine to £30,000 for initial breaches and up to £60,000 for serious offences.
• Clause 11 introduces financial penalties of up to £5,000 for contraventions and £30,000 for serious offences.
• Amendments 163 and 164 propose raising the maximum penalties from £5,000 to £30,000 and from £30,000 to £60,000 respectively.
• Clause 12 requires local authorities to issue a notice of intent before imposing financial penalties.
• Amendments are made to clause 11 of the Renters (Reform) Bill.
• They include updates to section numbering, insertion of new provisions for financial penalties and offences related to unlawful possession notices.
• Amendment 50 clarifies that certain sections apply only in England.
• Landlords of assured tenancies are currently required to pay tenants’ reasonable removal expenses under grounds 6 and 9 of the Housing Act 1988.
• Clause 16 restricts this requirement to registered providers of social housing only.
• The Government argues that it is an unfair burden on private landlords to cover moving costs for redevelopment or financial difficulties.
• Amendment 178 aims to maintain and extend homelessness prevention duties.
• Amendment 179 ensures the continuation of these duties while a valid section 8 notice has expired or will expire within 56 days.
• The amendments refer to section 8 of the Housing Act 1988.
• Over 640,000 households have been prevented from becoming homeless or supported into settled accommodation since the 2017 Act came into force in 2018.
• According to Government data, 298,000 people are currently homeless, marking a rise of 6.8% on the previous year.
• The end of a tenancy in the private rented sector is a leading cause of homelessness in England, accounting for over a quarter of households seeking support.
• The Bill removes fixed-term tenancies and section 21 evictions.
• Clause 18 amends section 193 of the Housing Act 1996 to refer to an assured tenancy instead of a fixed term.
• Amendments 178 and 179 are opposed due to potential resourcing pressures on local authorities.
• Government new clause 7 delivers a technical change in the Housing Act 1996.
• Clause 18 was ordered to stand part of the Bill.
• Further consideration is ordered to be adjourned till Tuesday 28 November.