Renters' Rights Bill enters Lords report stage

The Renters' Rights Bill seeks to abolish fixed term assured tenancies and assured shorthold tenancies. It will also impose obligations on landlords and others in relation to rented homes and temporary and supported accommodation.

Detailed scrutiny

Report stage is a further chance for members to closely scrutinise elements of the bill and make changes.   

Three days of report stage have been scheduled so far:

• Tuesday 1 July
• Monday 7 July
• Tuesday 15 July*

(*schedule is subject to change and additional dates may be added)

Proposed changes

Members speaking on day three of report stage have put forward amendments  (changes) to the bill on subjects including:

• standard of proof where local housing authorities impose financial penalties
• review within three years to assess impact on renter security
• review on how well tenants understand their rights and obligations
• using licence schemes to imporve housing conditions.

How to follow

• Watch on Parliament TV from 3.15pm.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript (from three hours after the debate)

Explore further information 

Find out more about the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

What's happened so far?

Report stage day two: Monday 7 July

Members speaking on day two of report stage put forward amendments (PDF) (changes) to the bill on subjects including:

• permissions for home adaptions
• guarantors
• a review within 3 years to assess the legislations impact on renter security and stability.
• pets.

Votes

There were three divisions (votes) on proposed changes to the bill regarding:

• pet damage deposits
• protections for shared leaseholders whose sales fall through
• prohibitions on renting out an unsold property.

Members voted to agree to all the amendments, so the changes were made.

Catch up

• Watch on Parliament TV
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.

Report stage day one: Tuesday 1 July

Members speaking on day one of report stage put forward amendments (PDF) (changes) to the bill on subjects including:

• properties for workers housed by employers
• tenancies for carers of landlords or their families
• repossession of properties for non-residential purposes
• a report on financial assistance to local housing authorities
• a restriction on landlord’s ability to require tenants to provide a guarantor
• home adaptions.

Votes

There were six divisions (votes) on proposed changes to the bill.

The first division was an amendment that would extend the scope of a section of the bill, which currently gives student-let landlords the right to regain control of properties of four or more tenants, to include houses of three or fewer occupants. 

The second division was on an amendment that would enable landlords to gain possession of dwelling-houses to house their agricultural workers, who will be working at least 35 hours per week for the landlord, regardless of the worker’s employment status (i.e. seasonal or permanent employee, worker or self-employed).

The third division was on an amendment that would allow landlords to seek possession of a dwelling house where it is needed to house a carer for the landlord, or a member of the landlord’s family.

Members voted to agree to the above amendments, so the changes were made.

There were also three more votes on the redevelopment and regeneration of private rented homes, tribunal rulings, and six-month advance rent payments. Members voted against these amendments, so the changes were not made.

Catch up

• Watch on Parliament TV: part one and part two
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript: part one and part two

Committee stage

Line-by-line examination of the bill took place during committee stage over seven days between Tuesday 22 April and Thursday 15 May.

Second reading 

Second reading, a full debate on the key principles of the bill, took place on Tuesday 4 February.

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