The eagerly anticipated Second Reading of the Renters Reform Bill, which was expected several weeks ago, is now poised to be delayed until the autumn. With the House of Commons set to close its doors for the summer on July 20, a recently released government business timetable for the pre-recess period has raised eyebrows as the Bill is conspicuously absent.
While progress on the much-awaited Bill remains stagnant, the government has revealed a few additional details. Housing Minister Rachel Maclean and her team from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities recently addressed a Select Committee responsible for scrutinizing the Bill. They suggested that the proposed Private Rental Sector Ombudsman would likely function as a non-profit entity and could potentially encompass a comprehensive redress scheme for agents, tenants, and landlords.
Neil Cobbold, Managing Director of PayProp UK, expressed his concerns over the lack of clarity surrounding crucial aspects of the Bill. “A lot of the important details are still up in the air,” Cobbold stated. He further emphasized that with the Bill’s Second Reading now delayed until September at the earliest, the summer break offers agents an opportunity to organize themselves and share their perspectives with Members of Parliament.
As part of their efforts to advocate for the interests of lettings professionals during the government’s reform of the industry, PayProp hosted an informal roundtable discussion. The event included Andrew Lewer MP, a member of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee, as well as senior representatives from prominent lettings agencies such as Belvoir, Dexters, Foxtons, Knight Frank, Leaders Romans Group, LSL Property Services, Savills, and The Property Franchise Group.
To gather a comprehensive range of opinions, PayProp is conducting a survey to collect the views of all letting agents. The company intends to present the survey results to the government, MPs, and peers. Cobbold underscored the importance of diverse voices, noting that the government has already made adjustments based on industry feedback. He concluded, “The more voices we have, the better the chance lettings professionals will be consulted on this bill and future changes to the industry.”
In the midst of this prolonged wait for the Second Reading, Michael Cook, Group Managing Director of Leaders Romans Group, speculates that there may be a deeper motive behind the delay—a potential attempt to appease opposition. “Despite some big announcements recently from the Government, it’s unsurprising that the second reading of the Renters Reform Bill is delayed until at least the autumn,” Cook remarked. He further voiced concerns shared by the industry, emphasizing the need to clarify several elements of the Bill to ensure its practicality.
Of particular concern to both landlords and tenants is the impact of removing fixed terms, and doubts loom over the effectiveness of the proposed new housing courts, as no clear plan has been presented. Cook suggested that many Members of Parliament might share these concerns, and he speculated that the delay could be a strategic move by the government to address these issues.
As the Renters Reform Bill faces an uncertain timeline, the industry awaits further developments and hopes for the necessary amendments to create a workable and fair legislation that addresses the concerns of all stakeholders involved.