Comments from David Smith on House of Commons debate - Renters' Rights Bill
Author - David Smith
September 8, 2025
I did not watch the House of Commons debate on the Lords' amendments to the Renters' Rights Bill live but I was reviewing the transcript in the Commons' Hansard.
Leaving aside how awesome it is that the Hansard is available with a detailed transcript so soon after the debate, I think the Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook, said a number of important things.
First was on rent increases. The Minister re-iterated the possibility of changing the rules to allow some backdating of rent increases to the date of a s13 notice. However, he was very clear that this is not something the government is intending to do as a matter of course and it will not be used "unless and until it is considered necessary to avoid lengthy delays for genuine cases to be heard" where the tribunal is "overwhelmed". Given that the government thinks the civil courts are going to be fine, I wonder what will count as overwhelm.
On the same topic the Minister also stated that the Government has "concluded that there is a compelling case for the use of an alternative body or mechanism to make initial rent determinations" and it will "establish such an alternative body or mechanism as soon as possible".
Strategic Planning and The Renters’ Rights Bill
What a wonderful week. Mondays and Fridays are always admin days unless we need to train clients in-house.
This week we’ve been in London in person and on-line delivering our Strategic Planning Training for the Renters’ Rights Bill.
The difference between this course and other courses we’ve developed is that the Strategic Planning focuses on the practical implementation of the legislation. The training is Solution Focused which translates into ‘let’s put a plan together’ and set out what needs to be done.
The Importance of Water
As the UK continues to experience severe heatwaves, access to a safe, consistent water supply has become very important.
Access to clean, running water is a given not only for drinking but also for regulating body temperature, food preparation and sanitation. It is something we take for granted.
Tenants, especially those who are elderly, disabled, or medically vulnerable, are particularly reliant on water supply.
Landlord Obligations
Several pieces of legislation impose statutory responsibilities on landlords to ensure proper water supply in residential premises:
Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 requires landlords to keep in good repair installations for the supply of water, sanitation, and heating. This duty applies throughout the duration of the tenancy.
Under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), under the Housing Act 2004, failures in water supply systems or sanitary facilities is considered a Category 1 Hazard. Local authorities may serve improvement notices or take enforcement action if a property poses a health risk to the tenant.
The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, makes it unlawful for a Landlord to let a property that is unfit for habitation, which includes failure to maintain an adequate water supply during occupancy.
Final Stage - House of Lords propose further amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill
During the Lords Committee stage in May 2025, Lords tabled and debated a comprehensive set of amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill. Before the Bill goes moves to Report Stage and the 3rd Reading in the House of Lords on the 1st July 2025, further proposals have been put forward to seek to preserve existing protections where they work well, fill in perceived gaps, and ensure the Bill is fit for purpose. Set out below is a summary of the most recent proposed amendments, The Marshalled List for Report includes the following and a lot more:-
1. Rent-Arrears Thresholds
Possession MAY still be sought after eight weeks’ arrears in weekly or fortnightly tenancies and two months’ arrears in monthly tenancies, rejecting longer grace periods.
2 . Proposed Additional Grounds for Possession
Ground 8A (Carer Ground) – permits possession where the dwelling is required to house a carer for the Landlord or a close family member.