Labour’s Renters’ Rights Bill is yet more half-baked hand wringing from Rayner and Starmer

The Labour Party government has introduced its Renters’ Rights Bill. Supporters of Keir Starmer have hailed the proposed legislation as somehow revelatory. However, in reality much of it is just tinkering around the edges of a broken system.

The UK government introduced the Renters’ Rights Bill on 11 September 2024, aiming to overhaul the private rental sector which affects around 11 million renters. As one user on X summed up neatly:

We're undertaking one million social housing units, and to fund it we're abolishing the Royals and Lords' taxing the rich, and stopping funding to Nazis and child murderers. No?
Ah well.. https://t.co/xysusphNpy

— Larkin ☭ 🔻 (@stonefish1234) September 11, 2024

Of course, the Labour government couldn’t possible do any of that. So instead, we have the Renters Rights Bill, which – much like Starmer – is bland, MOR, and doesn’t really do much for anyone on either side of the private rental market.

Renters’ Rights Bill: the good, the bad, and the meh

One of the most significant changes is the abolition of Section 21 “no-fault” evictions, which currently allow landlords to evict tenants without providing a reason. This reform is expected to give tenants more security and protect them from retaliatory evictions, a concern that has plagued renters for years.

Another key provision in the bill is the extension of Awaab’s Law to the private sector, ensuring that landlords fix hazardous conditions like damp or mould within strict timeframes. Previously, this law only applied to social housing.

The Renters’ Rights Bill also introduces the Decent Homes Standard for private rentals, which mandates that landlords maintain safe, well-maintained properties. The government estimates that more than 20% of privately rented homes currently fall below acceptable living standards.

To further protect tenants, the bill bans mid-tenancy rent increases and prevents bidding wars, where tenants are pressured to offer higher than the listed price. Rent increases will be limited to once a year and must align with the market rate. Moreover, landlords will be prohibited from blanket bans on renting to families with children or tenants on benefits, ensuring fair access to housing for all.

The government has also announced the creation of a new database to provide greater transparency about landlords’ responsibilities and enable councils to enforce compliance more effectively. This will be accompanied by the introduction of a Private Renters’ Ombudsman to resolve disputes without the need for costly court proceedings.

Blah, blah, blah

Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner emphasised that the bill aims to “rebalance the relationship between tenant and landlord” and protect renters from being “stuck in disgraceful conditions” with little recourse. Housing minister Matthew Pennycook echoed these sentiments, underlining the importance of giving renters peace of mind and long-term security in their homes.

Reactions from housing experts and landlords have been mixed. Polly Neate, CEO of housing charity Shelter, praised the bill – saying it offers a “fresh start” for renters, particularly the abolition of Section 21 evictions, which she called a victory for the millions of tenants living in fear of sudden eviction. However, Ben Beadle, head of the National Residential Landlords Association, expressed concerns about how the changes might overwhelm the courts with possession claims and called for sufficient time for landlords to adapt to the new regulations.

Of course the commentary from the government and talking heads from the housing sector is masking the lackluster reality of the Renters’ Rights Bill. For example, as one person pointed out on X, there is little to stop landlords passing on the costs of fine to tenants:

Fining landlords for failures is absolutely right, but without a way to limit their ability to just extract the cost of the fines back from their tenants, renters will just end up paying the price of poor landlords. We need rent controls too. https://t.co/i5rQ6KkAJB

— Phineas Harper (@PhinHarper) September 11, 2024

While Labour’s bill promises to increase tenant protections, it still falls short of addressing the issue of rising rent prices.

Renters’ Rights bill: tinkering

Private sector rents in the UK have increased significantly since 2010. The average rent in England increased from £153 per week in 2009 to £231 per week in 2023. In London, rents have increased even faster. They rose by 31% since 2009/10, compared to 28% in the rest of England. In March 2024 alone, the average monthly rent in England was up 9.1% from the previous year. That was the highest annual increase since 2006.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will not stop this profiteering from landlords. As London Renters Union said on X:

Today, the Renters Rights Bill finally banning no-fault eviction is published.

As a result of pressure from our movement, this bill is better than the failed tory bill.

But it will still not protect us from the massive rent hikes pushing us out of our homes and communities.

Labour has introduced what is undoubtedly an improvement on anything the Conservative Party did. However, the Renters’ Rights Bill is little more than half-baked window dressing for a broken housing system in the UK. Unless Starmer commits to a mass programme of social housing coupled with strict rent controls on private landlords, then anything else is tinkering at the edges.

Featured image via the Canary