Millions of landlords and tenants will be impacted by significant new regulations that are now in effect as of today.
The Renters’ Rights Act, which was implemented on May 1, prohibits “no-fault” evictions and compels landlords to consider allowing tenants to have pets. One tenant, Adrian Fletcher, 55, faced a no-fault eviction following complaints about severe dampness, mold, and water intrusion in his residence. Another tenant, James Coleman, shared how receiving a Section 21 notice left him in tears and necessitated his family to relocate further away from their children’s schools.
Citizens Advice assisted 2,335 individuals with Section 21 issues in March. Additionally, the organization supported over 1,800 people with housing repairs and safety concerns, along with more than 1,000 individuals facing rent hikes.
Amy Hughes, Advice Manager at Citizens Advice, emphasized the significance of the Renters’ Rights Act in rectifying the power imbalance in the private rental sector and offering tenants the stability they deserve in their accommodations. The Act limits evictions to specific reasons such as rent arrears, antisocial behavior, or property sales.
Key changes under the new regulations include the ban on Section 21 “no-fault” eviction notices, the transition of fixed-term tenancies to rolling periodic tenancies, and the requirement for landlords to furnish tenants with essential details like rent amounts and contact information. Tenants must now provide two months’ notice before leaving, while landlords can only raise rent once annually, subject to market rates.
Furthermore, tenants now have the right to request permission to keep pets, with landlords having a limited period to respond. Other changes include restrictions on advance rent payments, prohibitions on rent bidding wars, and the elimination of discriminatory practices in rental listings.
Landlords are no longer permitted to specify restrictions like “no children” or “no benefits” in rental advertisements or agreements, except in cases where accommodating children leads to legal overcrowding or breaches licensing conditions.
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