24/10/2025
๐ฅ ๐ฅ RENTERS RIGHTS BILL MOVE CLOSER TO BECOMING LAW ๐ฅ ๐ฅ
๐ Twist That No One Saw Coming ๐
So, the Renters' Reform Bill is finally done โ we're now just waiting for Royal Assent, which should land in the next couple of weeks. And to be honest, itโs come as a bit of a shock to those of us whoโve been following it closely and trying to predict the outcome.
Now, for us here just over the border in Wales, the Bill doesnโt directly affect Welsh properties. But if you're a landlord with buy-to-let properties in England โ especially in places like Bristol, where we manage many for our clients โ this is very relevant.
Letโs get into it...
The Big Shocker: Section 21 Is being abolished immediately ๐ญ
After all the back-and-forth, debates, and delays โ itโs finally happening. Section 21 is being abolished. And the big twist? Itโll be abolished immediately once the Bill becomes law.
This has caught a lot of people off guard. Matthew Pennycook, who spoke on behalf of Labour in Parliament, said this is a win for renters โ and we agree with the need to protect tenants and raise standards. No one wants bad landlords in the industry.
But the Conservatives raised an important point: this move could reduce rental stock at a time when we desperately need more properties. Research backs this up, and itโs a valid concern.
Whatโs the Plan?
Mr Pennycook said two key things worth noting:
1. There are no clear timelines for implementing most parts of the Bill โ though a couple of elements do have dates.
2. Labour wants to give landlords time to adjust to the changes.
But hereโs the problemโฆ saying Section 21 will be scrapped immediately doesnโt give landlords time at all.
This will lead to a wave of Section 21 notices being issued in the run-up to Christmas โ which is terrible timing for tenants and worrying for the sector overall.
Rolling Tenancies โ Also Immediate
This oneโs less of a drama and pretty much expected. Once the Bill becomes law, all new and renewed tenancies in England will become periodic (rolling) by default. Existing tenancies will stay as they are. Itโs a fairly simple switch and shouldnโt cause too much disruption.
Shared Ownership Changes
A smaller update โ but still helpful for some landlords. If you own a shared ownership property and want to rent it out because you canโt sell, you wonโt have to wait a full year. You can let it straight away.
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When Will All This Go Live? ๐
Weโre expecting Royal Assent within the next few weeks, and then the wider rollout to take place by April 2026.
Still, the immediate removal of Section 21 is the one thatโs rattled the industry. Many landlords were hoping for time to plan and adjust their strategies โ now it feels like that window has vanished.
The Conservatives are warning that the courts simply arenโt ready to handle a flood of disputes, and even Labourโs own data supports that concern. Will it all backfire? Possibly. Will things change again? Maybe.
Right now, itโs a waiting game.
Need Help Navigating This Upcoming Changes?
If you're a landlord with properties across the border in Bristol, and you're worried about how these changes will affect you, please get in touch. ๐ฒ๐ฉ
We're here to help โ and we always do our best to guide landlords through the ups and downs.
Itโs not easy being a landlord right now, but you donโt have to face it alone.
