The UK’s housing minister has defended the country’s plans to strengthen renters’ rights by saying that not all renters are “bad people” who smoke weed and are in gangs. Rachel Maclean explained that the UK government is committed to the Renters Reform Bill, which would ban landlords in England from evicting tenants without sound justification. The bill has met opposition from some within the Conservative Party, who are worried that the changes will lead to more landlords selling their properties, which would result in reduced availability and an increase in rental prices.
The Renters Reform Bill was introduced in May to Parliament, but its second reading has not yet been scheduled. It needs to be approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords before it becomes law. Housing Secretary Michael Gove believes that the bill should have its second reading during the autumn. Beadle, the chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, is concerned that there could be unintended consequences to the bill, including a lack of clarity on how possession cases will be processed.
Weighing in on the debate, former housing minister Brandon Lewis expressed his support for the “fundamental principle” of the bill while emphasizing that the government needs to get the balance right between landlords and renters. Critics also worry that renters could face further delays in their rights becoming law, and campaign groups claim that over 20,000 households have been evicted since 2019, despite the Conservative Party promising to ban no-fault evictions.
Those in support of the Renters Reform Bill argue that it will end the fear renters experience when faced with a sudden notice, prevent bullying and enable tenants to know where they stand. Under the current version of the bill, landlords will still be able to evict tenants in specific circumstances, such as wishing to sell the property or move in themselves after six months
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