New Prime Minister, New Government:- What Andy Burnham as PM could mean for the Private Rented Sector
On 20 July 2026, Andy Burnham was appointed Prime Minister after being elected unopposed as Labour leader following Sir Keir Starmer's resignation. It is a change of leader rather than a change of governing party — there has been no general election. But for an agency built around the private rented sector, a change of Prime Minister with as long and as specific a housing track record as Andy Burnham's is not a footnote. It is worth understanding properly, both for what is unlikely to change.
The Cabinet is already in place. John Healey, previously Defence Secretary, has been appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer; Angela Rayner, who resigned as Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary in 2025 ,, has returned to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Matthew Pennycook remains as Minister of State for Housing, providing an important thread of continuity given his role in taking the Renters' Rights Act through Parliament.
Why the PM’s Track Record matters to the property sector
As Mayor of Greater Manchester, Mr Burnham built one of the most active local housing enforcement regimes of any English mayoralty. His Good Landlord Charter, introduced to “drive up standards” in rented accommodation, combined a voluntary accreditation scheme with a dedicated enforcement fund used to employ additional officers targeting poor-quality private rental housing. Industry reporting has noted that fines issued to landlords in Greater Manchester rose sharply when he was Mayor. He has also called publicly for local and combined authorities to be given greater power over rent regulation and property standards — in 2023 writing to the then Housing Secretary to request rent control powers, and directly naming letting agents as participants in driving rent increases during the cost-of-living crisis.
At the same time, Mr Burnham has been reported as saying that he does not want to see landlords leave the sector, and he has supported grant funding of up to £30,000 to help landlords improve the energy efficiency of older properties. He is, by his own account and by press reporting, a landlord himself, letting a former council flat in Kennington — a detail that has attracted comment in the property press.
What is unlikely to change
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 itself is primary legislation passed by the last Labour government. It would take a further Act of Parliament to unwind it, and there is no indication that the PM intends to do so.
Phase 1 changes that took effect on 1 May 2026 will be unaffected by the change of Prime Minister and continue to apply exactly as before.
The planned later phases of the Act, including the PRS Database, the mandatory Ombudsman scheme, and the extension of a Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law to the private rented sector, remain government policy and are, if anything, more likely to be pursued with vigour under Mr Burnham than have been quietly delayed.
What may change, and where the industry is watching closely
Several areas of speculation are worth tracking. The new PM has previously backed proposals to replace Council Tax and Stamp Duty with a Land Value Tax, and has supported ending the sale of new leasehold houses and flats and strengthening leaseholder protections. He has also spoken about a possible “three warnings” approach to enforcement against the worst-performing landlords in the HMO sector, and has supported the principle of councils being able to use compulsory purchase powers against landlords who are unwilling or unable to bring properties up to standard.
It is far too early to predict the detail of housing policy under Any Burham.. What can be said with confidence is that the direction of travel set by the Renters' Rights Act is very unlikely to reverse, and enforcement and further reform of the private rented sector are, if anything, more likely to accelerate than to ease.