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Thousands of renters could be forced from their homes if a promised government ban on no-fault evictions in England is delayed, Labour has warned.
A new law would end the right of landlords to evict tenants for no reason with only two months’ notice.
It was a Tory manifesto pledge and is due to be debated by MPs on Monday.
Ministers maintain the bill will be passed but Labour say they fear it will be watered down, amid reports of a backlash among pro-landlord Tory MPs.
The Conservatives promised “a better deal for renters” – including a ban on no-fault evictions under Section 21 of housing legislation – in its manifesto ahead of the general election in 2019.
In May, the Renters Reform Bill was introduced with this measure, but the delay in bringing it back to Parliament has caused unease among MPs and housing charities.
Last week, housing charities warned delays risked causing “more avoidable hardship and suffering” and a “greater cost to the taxpayer”.
However, Housing Minister Rachel Maclean said the Conservatives would deliver on their manifesto pledge to end no-fault evictions and strengthen landlords’ rights of possession on issues like anti-social behaviour.
She said “only the Conservatives are taking the long-term decisions needed to deliver a more secure rental market for tenants and landlords”.
And a former Conservative cabinet minister told the BBC he would fully support the bill – “as will a vast majority of colleagues”.
Ministry of Justice data show no-fault evictions in England between April and June this year increased by 41%, compared to the same period in 2022.
Labour says its analysis shows another 30,840 households face being threatened with homelessness through no-fault evictions if the government does not pass the bill by the last possible date for a general election (28 January, 2025).
There are concerns the bill will not have time to pass through Parliament before the next election, which is expected to take place next year.
Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, accused the Tories of “foot-dragging” and said “there can be no more dither and delay in ending no-fault evictions”.
“At the height of a cost-of-living crisis, tenants have been left paying a heavy price for the government’s inaction, with tens of thousands threatened with homelessness and receiving visits from the bailiffs,” Ms Rayner said.
While strengthening protections for tenants, the Renters Reform Bill would also make it easier for landlords to repossess properties from anti-social tenants.
The government says it wants to reform and speed up the courts process so landlords can quickly regain possession of their property if a tenant refuses to move out.
In response to a report by the Levelling-Up Committee this week, the government said it would “not commence the abolition of Section 21 until stronger possession grounds and a new court process is in place”.
That response caught the attention of shadow housing minister, Matthew Pennycook, who said “court improvements could take years” and could amount to “an effective deferral of the abolition of Section 21”.
But in its report, the Labour-chaired committee did recommend that the government should “agree how quickly the courts need to be processing possession claims before landlords can have confidence in the system, and then commit to meeting this target before abolishing section 21”.
A report in the Telegraph suggested Tory MPs who owned rental properties were considering rebelling against the government over the bill.
Research by 38 Degrees found 87 MPs earned an income from residential property, of which 68 were Conservatives – about one fifth of Tory MPs.
The Telegraph report said the bill had angered a large number of Tory MPs, who believed it would reduce the supply of private rented accommodation.
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) warned that “uncertainty” over the future of the bill had made it “difficult for landlords and renters to plan for the future”.
“As they consider the bill, MPs and peers will need to make sure it secures the confidence of responsible landlords every bit as much as tenants,” NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle said.
“Should the bill fail to secure the confidence of landlords, the shortage of homes will only worsen, ultimately hurting renters.”
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