What’s Your View on the Renters Reform Bill White Paper?

If you are private landlord in Preston, Chorley, Leyland, Blackburn or surrounding areas please read on, this affects you.

On 16 June 2022 the Government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities released the long awaited Rental Reforms White Paper.  These changes will be the biggest the private rented sector has seen for more than 30 years.

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) is consulting with the government on the White Paper and is collecting views of landlords who let property in England.  Now, in an unusual step the NRLA is asking non-members, agents and landlords, to contribute to a consultation.

The White Paper includes a multitude of proposals – many of which are controversial and broadly thought to favour tenants over landlords.

The proposals include the removal of Section 21 banning ‘so-called’ no fault evictions that allow landlords to terminate tenancies without having to give any reason; strengthening of some mandatory grounds under Section 8 including persistent arrears and possession for the landlords extended family; the removal of fixed tenancies; limiting of advance rent payments; strengthening of the current bans under consumer protection law on not renting to tenants in receipt of benefits and families with children by making it explicit under property law; stopping landlords from unreasonably refusing a tenants request to have pets in the property; to extend the Decent Homes Standards by providing powers to tenants where the property does not meet the required standards, this expands on the current HHSRS system already used for social standards.  There will be additional duties to refurbish older properties and ensure that it is in a ‘reasonable state of repair’ and that it has ‘modern’ facilities and services.

Other proposals are a private landlords register and an ombudsmen service to try and eliminate rogue landlords; a property portal for every rented property providing tenants access to all the information and documentation related to the property.

The NRLA survey is asking:

• Which parts of the White Paper worry you the most?
• Which parts of the White Paper are you most relaxed about?
• What will happen to the property you let if the Renters’ Reform Bill progresses as outlined in the White Paper?

Feedback from the survey will be used as the basis for the future NRLA campaigning and the evidence collected will be the basis of NRLA submissions to government.

The survey will take around 30 minutes.  You can enter the consultation here.  Have your say! We encourage all private landlords in Preston, Chorley, Leyland Blackburn and surrounding areas to take part.

Download The Department for Levelling Up White Paper – A Fairer Private Rented Sector