New eviction protections welcomed, but concerns over missed opportunities on rent control

The government is set to introduce the Renters' Rights Bill in parliament this week. The bill seeks to give renters greater protection and crack down on exploitative landlords, including a ban on evicting tenants without reason. The draft law will also give renters the right to request permission for pets.

The ban on no-fault evictions, known as section 21, was first announced by the Conservative government in April 2019 but has faced repeated delays, with the previous government running out of time. Ministers are expected to debate the bill in the autumn.

What will the Renters' Rights Bill contain?

The legislation is expected to include:

• new protections for tenants whose landlords plan to sell or move into the property
• restrictions on bidding wars, stopping agents from asking or encouraging renters to offer above the listed price, though renters will still be allowed to make higher offers if they wish
• no plans to cap rent increases to match inflation or wage growth

Reaction to the forthcoming bill

The announcement the bill will have its first reading in the House of Commons this week and no-fault evictions could be outlawed within months has been broadly welcomed by renters’ groups.

Dan Wilson Craw, deputy chief executive at Generation Rent, which campaigns against unfair evictions, praised the government’s commitment to act quickly on the legislation amid a rise in evictions in recent years.  

“The abolition of section 21 evictions is long overdue and requiring landlords to provide a valid reason for eviction will give tenants more confidence to challenge disrepair and poor treatment by landlords and letting agents,” Wilson Craw said in a press release.

But he noted that under the last government’s proposals, landlords could still evict tenants if they wished to sell or move into the property just six months into the tenancy, with only two months' notice, and offer no support in helping a tenant find a new home.

“Renters will be reassured that the government is planning longer notice periods and other protections in these cases. These should include more time in our homes without fear of losing them, and support with the costs if we are asked to move for reasons beyond our control,” he added.

Wilson Craw also expressed concern that the government’s position on bidding wars does not go far enough. He warned that allowing renters to 'voluntarily' offer more than the asking price could normalise the practice, given the power imbalance when renters are desperate to find a home.

He described the absence of rent caps as a “missed opportunity,” arguing that landlords will be able to continue rising rents to unaffordable levels.

Similarly, the Renters' Reform Coalition (RRC), which campaigns for changes to the private rented sector, welcomed the news. Tom Darling, director of the RRC, said:

“The renting crisis in England is as bad as it's ever been, with soaring rents and homelessness, so we're pleased the government are to introduce the Renters' Rights Bill. Some of the key details we've heard so far, such as an immediate end to section 21 when the bill passes, and longer notice periods, will have a real impact.”

Darling called the bill a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix a broken system and improve quality of life for 12 million private renters”. He spoke of the need for comprehensive reforms, including limits on rent increases during tenancies, to prevent unfair price hikes that force people out of their homes.

Polly Neate, chief executive of the homelessness charity Shelter, also praised the government’s plans to abolish section 21 evictions, saying it will bring much-needed relief to renters.  

But she cautioned that to make renting genuinely safer, more secure and affordable, the bill “must limit in-tenancy rent increases, extend notice periods and root out discriminatory practices that drive homelessness”.