New renter rights act is a bloody good thing!

[Pineapplewhip]

Naturally landlords have some justifiable concerns/questions but those that are up in arms about the whole thing are completely bloody immoral. The slum landlords have spoilt it for the good ones and the decent landlords should blame them and not the government for protecting people.

If you arent aware of the actual points of the bill - I've listed them below. I cant see how any reasonable person can disagree that it's just enforcing the most basic human decency and regulation.

• End to no fault evictions: landlords can only evict renters if they want to sell, move in themselves, move their family into the property or there are serious rent arrears. They have to prove they are selling too - they cant just say they are!

• Rent can only rise once a year, any rise above market rate can be disputed fairly and 2 months notice is given.

• Landlords can't refuse you for having children or being on benefits (if you prove that benefits/finances make the property affordable). This isnt about being on full benefits either. Many single parents need benefits to top up income.

• Landlord ombudsman - tennants can raise fair disputes and repair issues for free online and landlords cannot just ignore it/grey rock. Repeat offenders will be visable in the database. Landlords legally must act on the complaints.

• Faster action must be taken on damp and mould. Basic human rights! No more shitty emails from a middle man letting agent just blaming the tennant for not opening a window - when actually (for example) a house needs its brickwork repointing.

The only legitimate thing I have empathy for is the concern that it will be more of a process to evict non paying tennants as it will need to go through a court. However - this is why landlord insurance exists!!

Please ask yourself - if your child was renting - wouldn't you want them protected like this?

You're going to get your wish, but be careful what you wish for.

The previous government decided that only the large pension funds were capable of building the large numbers of homes required by the nation. They asked the pension industry to do that, but they refused on the basis that they 'couldn't compete with small scale private landlords' (i.e. they wanted higher rents to get a higher return on their investments).

The government is now forcing smaller scale landlords out of the market.

Brace yourselves for higher rents and aggressive corporate legal teams that enforce evictions.

Well, i never said its not happening, LLs have been leaving the sector for many years, started by Tory changes to private LLs and the costs these have caused.

The RRA adds no additional costs, unless you think sending a copy of the RRA info leaflet will send LLs into bankruptcy?

So your data is of a few forums, where LLs say they will sell up.

No actually data that these sell offs are due to the RRA ? which makes no difference to a rentals profitability, higher interest rates caused by the Iran war will though.

Thankyou for calling me bonkers though, simply because i want to see the data first.

Of course the RRA will add costs, every piece of legislation has added costs one way or another. Often transferred on to rents, hence soaring rents in many towns and cities.

All the stories and press coverage I read were of LLs selling off ahead of the May deadline due to the RRA, many down to a possibly unfounded fear that bad tenants will now be far harder to evict. There were even threads on here of people being evicted because of the ‘new laws’.

Your point being? At least the OP has clearly stated different valid points. Msybe you're a landlord and can't be bothered to explain your views.

There is a world of difference in cost terms of having 5k in the bank to cover a new boiler or having enough to cover a years mortgage.

Do you have capacity to cover a years mortgage?

Unless these landlords are mortgage free which not everyone is hence btl mortgages.

I'm not disagreeing with you. I think the sector needs to move to large corporate type modules where the landlords have this as a main career and multiple properties from now on. That's what all of these changes are driving to. Esp when Labour start talking about rent freezes a few months ago. A corporate type can preempt and factor in so many things. If a rent freeze was imposed corporate can factor that in by increasing every property they own by market rate every year. They can apply everything across their portfolio on mass so nothing ever gets overlooked. Things are just easier on scale.

Actually most mould is caused by condensation which can be avoided by ventilating the property. I don't have mould because I line dry my clothes and open my window when I'm asleep and after a shower.
And if I did have mould that would be on me.

If you'd bothered to read the thread you would see that I gave my views so get back in your box.

Here's some advice for those of you landlords who think that just opening the window is going to solve all your damp problems. I'm sure you all do a very thorough inspection, as you're supposed to, making sure that the heating systems work, the windows are in good repair, the building is properly insulated, and the ventilation systems you've installed are working properly when your tenants tell you about the mould in your property.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/damp-and-mould-understanding-and-addressing-the-health-risks-for-rented-housing-providers/understanding-and-addressing-the-health-risks-of-damp-and-mould-in-the-home--2

What specific costs does current the RRA add?

I'm a LL and its added none, zero, zilch, as i said up thread, proposed changes, very much will do (most due in AFTER the next GE, so probably will not happen) EPC changes, LLs register, home standards rules.

I didn't realise anonymous forums, LL associations and Tory press articles are now "evidence" i'm not saying some LLs haven't left the market but LLs leaving has been on going for many years.

Rents are higher because of Tory changes in mortgage interest payments no longer can be set against tax, various regulatory regs, a general increase in interest rates after the Truss mini budget and, most importantly, the total failure of Government to build council housing, one reason why our housing welfare is so high.

How much council housing needs to be built?

All legislation adds costs. The RRA will most likely add costs in the form of non-paying tenants taking longer to evict along with the other things you mention of which there is no certainty they will not happen. I'm also a LL. It's only come in this month so the idea the costs are going to happen immediately is a little silly; it's over the long-term that legislation adds costs.

I agree with your last paragraph. S24 has been ruinous for some LLs and many have exited the market due to this, coupled with recent increases in interest rates which has created the perfect storm for many who are over-leveraged.

You seem reluctant to accept online commentary from LLs and tenants referencing the RRA as a reason for evictions. I'm not sure why. I'm not claiming it's 'evidence', I referred to it in my last post as anecdata. It doesn't mean it's not happening.

And in response to your repeated 'Tory press' digs... here's an article from the Guardian - I assume that's not a Tory rag?

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/may/10/tenants-no-fault-eviction-notices-just-before-ban-england-section-21?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawSIKWtleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE2dHZ6Zkx0YVpOekJPNEJpc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmHdtIq6WwisTUtI0ddiD5RX7tSN_RUjaNBWW0adCaOg7o3p9WqI961gERPl_aem_nqNpsJJk7Tj-sxDjwAmifQ#Echobox=1778420014

Why would non paying tenants leave when they dont have to? Nothing has changed for those, needed section 21 court order to get rid of them before, need section 8 version instead now - but with all the section 21s gone from the court system.

Some would leave with a S21, I’ve experienced it myself. Some may still leave with a S8, you could be right. But the notice period is longer, that in itself may add costs. Many LLs used to use S21s even when ‘fault’ was involved because it was in theory a more straightforward process than S8 and in general took up far less court time. They just accepted that they would not see recompense for rent arrears, damage etc. Again, I’ve experienced it myself. The idea that they were all no fault evictions is for the birds.

The RRA is not designed to make life easier for landlords so the idea that it will be cost neutral for all landlords is just not one I agree with.

Yes, and the mould, which hadn't happened before or since was caused by my tenants drying all their washing indoors and not using a humidifier, or ventilating.
It was picked up during an inspection and explained to them. I also bought them a condensing tumble drier which helped solve the clothes drying issue.
If they had notified me they were struggling to dry washing (this was the winter) I would have helped earlier. Unfortunately it's a problem in apartments where the headlease doesn't allow laundry to be dried outside, but that's a leasehold issue for many.

It will lead to only large soulless rentals in purpose built blocks that will charge the earth. There’s already a shortage of rentals. This will massively drive prices up. Three of our close friends have now left their properties empty rather than risk renters. Those properties had been rented out for years. It’s a huge risk to not be able to get tenants out and lots will be ‘mothballed’.

I agree with you that a good tenant should be allowed to live in their home without worry but that view flies in the face of the general MN opinion on social housing where tenants should be moved on regularly to make way for those 'in need'.

I've not read the whole thread but as landlords with a mortgage on the property, it's highly likely we may have to sell up in the near future.

We rent to family members at 35% under the market rate for the house. They can't afford anymore rent, so we are stuck with rent that is just covering the mortgage but leaving no extra to do any upgrades to the property.

The area of concern to us is the 2030 deadline to get the property from a D rated to C rated in efficiency. We simply can't afford to add solar panels, heat pump, new windows or whatever solutions the government are saying we must implement. A £10,000 price cap on this is ridiculous. We can't afford anymore loans or pay monthly schemes. The only option maybe to sell.

Its a no win for all involved really because our current tenants are happy with how the house is currently, but they may have to find somewhere else to live, and find an additional £400 a month for market rate.

Quote
"Shorter notice periods agreed previously, or after the change, are all valid. Two months is the default and max. Not the only possible option."

Have you seen that shorter notice periods agreed previously (to the legislation) are valid in official guidance? I assume you have decided that shorter notice periods agreed previously in the tenants favour are valid but in the landlords favour are not? Do you have any official documentation that proves that to be the case?

As far as I'm aware the legislation overwrites what was in a tenancy agreement. No more fixed term tenancies. 2 months notice for tenants. 4 months notice for landlords and landlords can't give notice in the first year I believe.

@nevernotmaybe
Also student lets are hardly niche and should have been exempt from this (no fixed term) legislation. This will cause a lot of uncertainty and anxiety for students.

I agree that this is the next big challenge for the sector but I think it is going to need some serious thinking before it comes into law. There is so much older rental housing stock that would never meet the current C standard. That said, there is a lot of criticism about the EPC rating system and I think they will need to start with a review of that.

It may be that the current C is re-rated and your property is able to meet it.

I agree I can't see this going ahead as it is - perhaps it will be that the property is ok for the existing tenancy but must be a "C" for a new tenancy (before being relet) If the rule is pulled at the last minute many houses will already be lost to rental stock as landlords are already factoring it into their decision whether to relet when a tenant leaves now.