News

As a result of pressures from the government to make a series of amendments, the Renters’ Reform Bill finally returns to the House of Commons for its third reading on 24 April 2024. But what are these amendments and what does it mean for you?

Proposed New Amendments

The Government is planning to bring a number of amendments at the upcoming reading, some of which include:

1. A full assessment on the operation of the County Court possession system before abolishing Section 21 notices.

Whilst the Bill had originally proposed to abolish Section 21 notices straight away, the Lord Chancellor must now prepare a full assessment on the operation of the process and Court system before Section 21 notices are abolished. 

2. Creation of a six-month tenancy by default

This new clause would prevent a tenant from giving a notice to quit until they have been in a property for four months.

3. Enhancing the power of Rent Repayment Orders 

This proposed amendment will make it possible to make rent repayment orders against more entities, even against limited companies and their directors now.

4. Expanding the grounds for possession of student tenancies 

The new amendment would remove the requirement in the previously proposed ground for possession of a student house for the house to be an HMO. In turn, this would mean landlords are able to evict students from HMOs of any size.

5. Widening the homelessness prevention duty and support

As it stands, a local authority owes a tenant the homelessness prevention duty if they are evicted with a Section 21 notice.

A list of the mentioned and further proposed amendments can be found here to get a clearer understanding of the proposals.

The new amendment means that the prevention duty would be owed to all tenants given a valid Section 8 Notice. As such, this tenant will be classed as “threatened with homelessness” and can seek further homelessness support from a local authority.  Subject to the Bill passing through the House of Commons on 24 April 2024, it is predicted that the Bill will receive Royal Assent by a general election later this year and become an Act of Parliament around autumn 2024. However, until more details emerge in the coming weeks, we will have to see how the Bill progresses and whether there are any further amendments.

If you are, or know anyone who is, having any difficulties with evictions or possession circumstances, Duncan Lewis Solicitors stand by and are ready to assist you.  Contact Amandeep for advice or assistance on a housing matter via email AmandeepB@duncanlewis.com or via telephone on 020 7275 2843

About the Author

Amandeep Bains is a housing solicitor at Duncan Lewis. He acts for both landlords and tenants, privately and publicly funded, in a range of cases, including possession proceedings, homelessness cases, suitability reviews, housing litigation, eviction proceedings, disrepair claims, harassment issues, injunction proceedings, and judicial review applications.

Amandeep works under housing and property litigation director Manjinder Kaur Atwal, who has more than 15 years’ experience in her field. She is recommended in the Legal 500 directory and tackles a wide variety of housing and property law dispute cases including possession claims and eviction matters, landlord and tenant disputes, homelessness, housing disrepair, appeals relating to local authority housing decisions, boundary disputes, property nuisance/negligence claims and much more.

About Duncan Lewis Solicitors

Duncan Lewis Solicitors, listed as one of the Times 250 Best Law Firms and regularly recognised, as an ‘outstanding firm’ for diversity and inclusion, is a long-established leading law firm with multiple offices across London and throughout England and Wales. Headquartered in the City of London, the company is well known for its excellence in people management; it holds the Investors in People Gold Standard Accreditation and is a paperless company that embraces employee hybrid working. Duncan Lewis was recently crowned Law Firm of the Year at the LexisNexis Awards 2024.