Property Week quotes Emma Humphreys on the Renters (Reform) Bill

The Renters (Reform) Bill, introduced to Parliament yesterday (17 May 2023), delivers the government’s 2019 manifesto commitment to abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions.

According to the government, it is set to be "the biggest shake-up of the private rented sector in a generation".

Emma Humphreys, Partner, says:

”Reform of the private rented sector has been on the government’s agenda for several years, but it will need to strike a fair balance between landlords and tenants to avoid unintended consequences.

“For tenants, the proposed abolition of ‘no fault’ evictions via the Section 21 process will provide them with greater security. For landlords, they will want reassurances that they will be able to readily evict problematic tenants – for instance, in cases of antisocial behaviour or other lease breaches.

"Whilst reform could address certain issues in the private rented sector, there is a real risk that such measures will lead to additional burdens on court time.  The implications of this for landlords and tenants should not be under-estimated, given that the courts continue to struggle with significant backlogs and delays following the pandemic.

"In our experience, most landlords and tenants want their relationship to work.  Rather than introducing new laws, real assistance for the private rented sector could start with better resources to reduce the courts’ backlog and to educate tenants about their existing rights."

Read the full article in Property Week here.