Found: Matthew Pennycook, is leading on, that there is a raft of measures being introduced through the Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: Matthew Pennycook, is leading on, that there is a raft of measures being introduced through the Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: planning system to prioritise the delivery of more social homes; and the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: Further, the Renters Rights Bill which will abolish s21 (no fault) evictions may further reduce access

Found: provision to make regulations on the application of standards to temporary accommodation in the Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: With the passing of the Renters’ Rights Bill through Parliament, the effects of the Decent Homes Standard

Found: Once the Renters’ Rights Bill is implemented, strengthening the rights of those living in the private

Found: While the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Bill will end Section 21 evictions, the reliance on TA

Found: Although the current government has proposed measures in the Renters Rights Bill to hold landlords more

Found: Do you think things like the Renters’ Rights Bill might make a difference with private renting particularly

Found: There is also a wider suite of renters’ protections, such as those detailed in the Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: There is also a wider suite of renters’ protections, such as those detailed in the Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: There is also a wider suite of renters’ protections, such as those detailed in the Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: In the future there will be the Renters’ Rights Bill, which gives us a power to extend the decent homes

Found: As a result, we support provisions in the Renters’ Rights Bill to tackle discrimination against those

Found: are taking further action on the private rented sector, as you know, not least through the Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: We have welcomed a provision in the Renters’ Rights Bill that you could look at regulation of temporary

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure housing associations provide clear and consistent communication during tenancy transitions; and what steps she is taking to support tenants facing (a) rent increases and (b) upfront payment requirements.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Under the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard set by the independent Regulator of Social Housing, registered providers must ensure that communication with and information for tenants is clear, accessible, relevant, timely and appropriate to the diverse needs of tenants.

Under the new consumer regulation regime, the Regulator proactively seeks evidence that providers are delivering the outcomes set by the standards.

In terms of support with rent increases: if eligible, tenants of housing associations can receive Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit to help pay their rent. Support is also available through Discretionary Housing Payments, which are delivered via local authorities.

The government recently consulted on a future long-term rent settlement, inviting views on a range of issues relating to social housing rent policy.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will prohibit private registered providers, as well as private landlords, from requiring or accepting any payment of rent before an assured tenancy has been entered into.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2024 to Question 18555 on Asylum: Hotels, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on the (a) first time buyer and (b) private rental market of housing asylum seekers in rented accommodation.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is determined to address the dire inheritance left by its predecessor and restore order to the asylum and immigration systems, delivering lower net migration.

The Home Office has a set of Asylum Accommodation Plans which set out the approach to the procurement and occupancy of Dispersal Accommodation across the UK. They help ensure the Home Office continues to meet its statutory responsibilities to support asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute, while also carefully considering the impact on local areas.

The plans are underpinned by an indexing tool which provides a flexible, transparent evidence-base for the dispersal of the national asylum-seeking population to ensure equity remains at the core.

The factors affecting supply and demand in the private rented sector are complex and difficult to disentangle. As well as demographic change, they include house prices, rent levels, taxation policy, interest rates, and the movement of tenants into homeownership and social rented housing. It is not possible to isolate the specific impact of each of these factors.

The most sustainable long-term method to improve housing affordability and help people into homeownership is to increase the supply of housing. That is why we have committed to deliver 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament as part of our Plan for Change.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will overhaul the experience of private renting in England, providing greater security and stability for tenants.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to prohibit landlords from requiring more than one month's rent in advance.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Renters’ Rights Bill already makes such provision. I refer the hon. Member to the Report Stage proceedings on 14 January 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to make renting easier for people with pets.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Renters’ Rights Bill will give tenants the right to request a pet, which landlords must consider and cannot unreasonably refuse.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have formulated an evaluation plan for the Renters’ Rights Bill; and if so, what are their outcome measures and evidence gaps, and how the proposed landlord database will support the evaluation plan in its design and contents.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We have set out in our Renters’ Rights Bill Impact Assessment our plans for a phased approach to monitoring and evaluating the legislation, in line with the Department’s Evaluation Strategy.

During the preparation phase we will develop further the framework for evaluating the outcomes we expect to see, and to identify and resolve any data gaps. A range of existing data, and new data generated from the reforms themselves, will be used for evaluation. This will include data from the Private Rented Sector Database.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of (a) limiting rent increases, (b) enhancing requirements for landlord entry on the Private Rented Sector Database, (c) restricting advance rent demands, (d) tightening conditions for requesting guarantors and (e) other measures to better protect renters while ensuring a balanced approach to landlord responsibilities.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Renters’ Rights Bill will transform the experience of private renting in England. It will modernise the regulation of the private rented sector, levelling decisively the playing field between landlord and tenant.

It will empower renters by providing them with greater security, rights and protections so that they can stay in their homes for longer, build lives in their communities and avoid the risk of homelessness. It will ensure that we can drive up the quality of privately rented housing so that renters have access to good-quality and safe homes as a matter of course. It will also allow us to crack down on the minority of unscrupulous landlords who exploit, mistreat or discriminate against renters.

The Bill will also provide tangible benefits for responsible landlords who provide high-quality homes and a good service to their tenants, ensuring they enjoy simpler regulation and clear and expanded possession grounds, so that they can regain their properties quickly when necessary.

The Bill will empower private rented sector tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases. This will prevent unscrupulous landlords using rent increases as a backdoor means of eviction, while ensuring landlords can increase rents to reflect market rates.

Measures in the Bill mean a landlord will only be able to require up to one month's rent between a tenancy agreement being signed and that tenancy beginning. This will end an unfair practice which can place considerable financial strain on tenants and excludes some from renting altogether.

It will also require all private landlords letting residential property in England to register with the Private Rented Sector Database. We expect these landlords will include data about the ownership and standard of their properties as part of their entries, and we are exploring the feasibility of collecting a wider range of more tenancy-focused information. We will stipulate the specific requirements in regulations.

The Bill does not limit the ability of landlords to request a guarantor. The use of guarantors can support people renting for the first time to access the private rented sector. We will continue to engage with a range of stakeholders about any barriers to entering the private rented sector.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what they steps they are taking to improve affordability of tenancies in the private rented sector.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Boosting the supply of homes of all tenures must be at the heart of any strategy to improve housing affordability which is why the government’s Plan for Change includes a hugely ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament.

The Renters’ Rights Bill empowers private rented sector tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases, with all rent increases taking place via an existing statutory process. Tenants who receive a rent increase that they feel is not representative of the market value will be able to challenge the increase at the First-tier Tribunal.

The Bill also takes practical steps to end the practices of rental bidding and landlords demanding large amounts of rent in advance. These unfair practices pit tenants against one another, encouraging them to either stretch their finances to the limit or prevent them from accessing the private rented sector altogether.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, steps her Department is taking to help improve housing standards in the private rented sector.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Renters’ Rights Bill includes provisions that will apply a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector for the first time and ensure that local councils have proportionate and effective enforcement powers. We are also introducing Awaab’s Law into the private rented sector. We will launch a consultation this year on the content of the Decent Homes Standard for social and privately rented homes.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Renters' Rights Bill on levels of inflation in (a) the next six months and (b) the six months following the commencement of the Bill's provisions.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government published a Renters’ Rights Bill Impact Assessment on 22 November 2024, which indicated that a landlords’ ability to increase rents is highly variable and depends on supply and demand as well as wider market conditions, including the quality of their property compared to others in the local area. The evidence also shows that landlords value good tenants – and are therefore less likely to raise rents for sitting tenants.

In addition, for landlords that already provide decent homes and a prompt repair service to their tenants, the costs of our reforms are estimated to be just £22 per rented property annually – only 0.2% of mean annual rents.

We have set out how we are developing our monitoring and evaluation approach for the reforms in the Renters’ Rights Bill Impact Assessment. We will continue to monitor trends across the private rented sector to understand how it is responding to our reforms.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether private landlords will be required to pay an ongoing fee to register with the (a) Private Rented Sector database and (b) private rented sector landlord ombudsman in addition to licensing fees payable to local authorities with selective licensing requirements.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Renters’ Rights Bill includes provisions for the Private Rented Sector Database to be funded through fees charged to private landlords when they register. The new service will bring substantial benefits to landlords – providing a single source of information about their legal responsibilities and helping them showcase their compliance. The fees charged will also support local councils to enforce against unscrupulous landlords who undercut the responsible majority.  Further details on fees will be set out in secondary legislation. We will take steps to make sure costs remain reasonable, proportionate, and sustainable.

Landlords will be required to pay for membership of the PRS Landlord Ombudsman. This is in line with practice across other sectors where there are ombudsmen already established, including for social landlords who currently pay £8.03 per unit annually. The Ombudsman will set the fee on the basis of their running costs and service provision and the government will ensure that the fee is proportionate and good value. We will seek to maximise operational efficiency of the database service and ombudsman, including through sharing of data.

The Private Rented Sector Database will operate alongside selective licensing to drive improvement in standards in the private rented sector, not as a replacement for these schemes. We will continue to review the use of selective licensing as we implement the Private Rented Sector Database. We are clear in guidance that local authorities should be mindful of any cost impacts to landlords, particularly those who are already fully compliant with their obligations.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support local councils to tackle antisocial behaviour within council homes.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Social landlords, including local councils, already have a range of powers and enforcement tools to tackle anti-social behaviour including powers to evict perpetrators. We expect landlords to use those powers promptly and proportionately, putting the needs of victims at the heart of their response. The government is strengthening these powers through the Renters’ Rights Bill for private registered providers.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission. We will crack down on those making neighbourhoods feel unsafe and unwelcoming by introducing the new Respect Order, which local authorities will be able to apply for and which will carry tough sanctions and penalties for persistent adult offenders. The police, local authorities and social landlords may already apply for a Civil Injunction under Section 1 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to prevent behaviour that is causing housing-related nuisance and annoyance.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to integrate the regulatory requirements for private landlords of (a) the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, (b) the Decent Homes Standard, (c) the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, (d) selective licensing and (e) landlord registration.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government recognises the importance of safe, warm homes for the millions of tenants living in the private rented sector (PRS). Through the Renters’ Rights Bill we will apply a Decent Homes Standard to the PRS to give renters safer, better value homes and remove the blight of poor-quality homes in local communities. The Bill will also apply ‘Awaab’s Law’ to the sector, which will set clear legal expectations about the timeframes within which PRS landlords must make homes safe where they contain serious hazards. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will consult shortly on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The government will consider opportunities for alignment and simplification as we implement these regulations and will support landlords with comprehensive guidance.

The Renters’ Rights Bill also includes provides to introduce a PRS Database. The new database service will bring substantial benefits to landlords – providing a single source of information about their legal responsibilities and helping them showcase their compliance. It will operate alongside selective licensing to drive improvement in standards in the private rented sector. We will seek to maximise operational efficiency of the database service and Local Authority Selective Licensing schemes, including through sharing data.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has had discussions with the President of the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) on the Renters Rights Bill.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Officials in my department hold regular discussions with colleagues at HM Court Tribunal Service (HMCTS) and the Ministry of Justice, as well as members of the judiciary, in respect of ongoing work to ensure that the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) is prepared for the introduction of the measures in the Renters’ Rights Bill.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 3 of the Renters’ Rights Bill Impact Assessment, published in November 2024, what discussions she has had with insurers on the conclusion that tenants wanting to own a pet will incur approximately £7 in discretionary costs annually per household.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government published its Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Bill on 22 November 2024, following scrutiny from the Regulatory Policy Committee. The Impact Assessment received a ‘green’ rating, indicating it is ‘fit for purpose’.

Throughout the development of the Impact Assessment, we have used evidence from a range of sources. In relation to pets, we have drawn on information from the English Housing Survey, insurance comparison websites, a number of animal organisations and discussions with industry trade bodies. All evidence and assumption underpinning the costs and benefits are detailed in the Impact Assessment, which can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 3 of the Renters’ Rights Bill Impact Assessment, published in November 2024, what her Department's evidential basis is that tenants wanting to own a pet will incur approximately £7 in discretionary costs annually per household.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government published its Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Bill on 22 November 2024, following scrutiny from the Regulatory Policy Committee. The Impact Assessment received a ‘green’ rating, indicating it is ‘fit for purpose’.

Throughout the development of the Impact Assessment, we have used evidence from a range of sources. In relation to pets, we have drawn on information from the English Housing Survey, insurance comparison websites, a number of animal organisations and discussions with industry trade bodies. All evidence and assumption underpinning the costs and benefits are detailed in the Impact Assessment, which can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) increases to (i) capital gains tax and (ii) stamp duty, (b) fixed term tenancies and evictions in the Renters’ Rights Bill and (c) requiring landlords to improve the energy efficiency of their properties to a EPC C rating by 2030 on the private rented sector by the end of this Parliament.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

There were no changes made to Capital Gains tax residential property rates at Autumn Budget and Spending Round 2024.

The increase of the higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) by two percentage points does not affect existing landlords, only those looking to enter the market or expand their portfolio. Landlords can still benefit from the lower non-residential rates of SDLT when purchasing six or more properties in a single transaction, or mixed (commercial and residential) property.

The Department published the Renters’ Rights Bill Impact Assessment on 22 November 2024. It received a ‘Green’ rating from the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC), indicating that it is ‘fit for purpose’. For landlords that already provide decent homes and a prompt repair service to their tenants, the costs of our reforms, including abolishing fixed terms and introducing reformed possession grounds, are estimated to be just £22 per rented property annually – only 0.2% of mean annual rents.

The government will consult shortly on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030. The consultation will be accompanied by an assessment of the potential impacts of the proposals.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Renters' Rights Bill on the ability of Offices of the Police and Crime Commissioner to provide accommodation for police officers.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government will continue to engage with stakeholders, including representatives of police forces and Police and Crime Commissioners, to ensure that the provisions of Renters’ Rights Bill operate effectively.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2024 to Question 15451 on Renters’ Rights Bill, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Impact Assessments (a) receive clearance from the Regulatory Policy Committee and (b) are published no later than the First Reading of a Bill.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department aims to publish Impact Assessments in a timely manner, in line with the ‘Better Regulation Framework’ guidance, which states that an Impact Assessment ‘should be published alongside relevant legislation when it is laid before Parliament.’

In exceptional circumstances this may not be possible, for example, where the legislation is urgent, further work is needed following concerns expressed by the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) or where the assessment is with RPC for review. In those circumstances, the Department works with the RPC to ensure the Bill Impact Assessment and RPC opinion is published as soon as possible.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of higher levels of immigration on (a) house prices and (b) rental costs.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is determined to address the dire inheritance left by its predecessor and restore order to the asylum and immigration systems, delivering lower net migration.

Boosting the supply of homes of all tenures must be at the heart of any strategy to improve housing affordability which is why the government’s Plan for Change includes a hugely ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will empower private rented sector tenants to challenge unreasonable within-tenancy rent increases.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the average increase in private rents in Aldershot constituency in the last 12 months; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of those increases on people in that constituency.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes data on the average increase in rent. Private rents across the UK increased by 9.1% in the 12 months to November 2024 (provisional estimate), up from 8.7% in the 12 months to October 2024.

While there is no data available on Aldershot specifically, Aldershot is located in Rushmoor. The ONS found that the average monthly rent in Rushmoor was £1,257 in November 2024, an annual increase of 6.9% from £1,176 in November 2023.

The government recognises that paying rent is likely to be a tenant’s biggest monthly expense. The Renters’ Rights Bill will empower private rented sector tenants to challenge unreasonable within-tenancy rent increases.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support students living in London, particularly in regard to (1) high housing costs, and (2) the rising cost of living.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)

The government recognises the cost-of-living pressures experienced by many students, and that those pressures may be more acute for students living in London, due in particular to higher housing costs.

To help break down barriers to opportunity for young people who want to attend university, the department is increasing maximum loans for living costs for the 2025/26 academic year by 3.1%, in line with the forecast rate of inflation, so that more support is targeted at students from the lowest income families. This will give full-time undergraduate students from the lowest income homes, who are living away from home and studying in London, an additional £414 per year in support through the higher London rate of loan for living costs.

Since universities and student landlords are autonomous and independent from government, the department has no remit to intervene directly in the student housing market. However, since 2006, the Student Accommodation Codes of Practice have protected the interests of students to ensure standards are maintained and disputes are resolved promptly. The Code sets out clearly what information relating to fees and deposits should be made available to students and offers a route for students to raise complaints about accommodation providers. Information on the Codes can be found here: https://www.thesac.org.uk/the-code.

The most sustainable long-term method to improve housing affordability is to increase housing supply, which is why the government is committing to building 1.5 million homes this Parliament. The Renters’ Rights Bill also works to strengthen tenants’ rights as a whole. Stronger powers to challenge excessive rent hikes complement the practical steps taken to help renters by ending unfair bidding wars and tackling rental discrimination.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether landlords will have to pay a fee (1) to use the proposed Private Rented Sector Database, and (2) for the purposes of enforcement of the Decent Homes Standard, under the Renters (Reform) Bill.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Renters’ Rights Bill includes provisions for the Private Rented Sector Database to be funded through fees charged to private landlords when they register. Further details on fees will be set out in secondary legislation. We will take steps to make sure costs remain reasonable, proportionate and sustainable.

The new service will bring substantial benefits to landlords – providing a single source of information about their legal responsibilities, helping them showcase their compliance. It will also support local councils to enforce against unscrupulous landlords who undercut the responsible majority.

The Bill also provides local councils with the ability to prosecute or issue civil penalties for offences linked to Decent Homes Standard failures. Income generated from civil penalties can be used to fund further housing enforcement.

In accordance with the New Burdens Doctrine, we will ensure that, where necessary, the net additional costs that may fall on local councils as a result of our proposed reforms are fully funded.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of landlords leaving the private rental market on the rate of homelessness across London.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The most recent English Housing Survey results, published on 28 November 2024, show that proportion of private rented sector (PRS) households in London which are part of the private rental market has increased from 27.4% in 2018-19 to 31.8% in 2023-24. Over the past 5 years data on dwelling stock shows that there has been an increase in the number of PRS properties in London. Live tables on dwelling stock (including vacants) - GOV.UK

Our Renters’ Rights Bill will deliver our manifesto commitment to transform the experience of private renting, including by ending Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. The most recent homelessness statistics release reported between April and June 2024, 1,100 Londoners were put at risk of homelessness because they received a Section 21 eviction notice. By implementing the long overdue abolition of Section 21 evictions, this government will give renters much greater security and stability so they can stay in their homes for longer, build lives in their communities, and avoid the risk of homelessness.

However, homelessness levels in London and across the country remain far too high. This is why the government has committed to developing a new cross government strategy, working with mayors and councils across the country to get us back on track to ending homelessness once and for all. This includes a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, bringing together ministers from across government.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of (a) regulations and (b) enforcement mechanisms to hold landlords accountable for non-compliance with housing standards in the student sector.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is committed to improving housing quality for students and will apply a Decent Homes Standard (DHS) to the private rented sector (PRS) for the first time to ensure homes are safe, secure and hazard free. This will include homes let to students on assured tenancies. The Renters’ Rights Bill is the means by which this will be done.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will also provide local authorities with effective enforcement powers for the DHS. Where a local authority serves a notice and the landlord fails to make the necessary improvements to meet the DHS, the local authority will be able to prosecute the landlord or alternatively impose on them a financial penalty of up to £40,000 – the proceeds of which it must use for future PRS enforcement action. Tenants (and local authorities, where any rent has been paid via Universal Credit) will also be able to take direct action in such instances by pursuing a rent repayment order, meaning the responsible landlord will need to pay the tenant (or local authority) up to two years’ rent.

The Bill will exempt Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) from the assured tenancy system if the landlord is signed up to a government approved code of management practice. Such accommodation will therefore not be subject to the DHS, but landlords will need to meet rigorous standards set by the codes which are tailored to the needs of PBSA. This includes maintaining the safety of the accommodation, ensuring the property is well-managed and making sure there is an effective working relationship between tenants and managers. Members of the codes must also have robust procedures in place for handling complaints and remedying issues raised by students. Failure to meet these standards will result in membership being terminated, meaning the property will then be subject to the DHS.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure that landlords who are found liable for rent repayment orders in tribunal pay back monies owed.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Rent repayment orders (RROs) are an important and effective tenant-led enforcement tool. They deter landlords from non-compliance and empower tenants to take action against unscrupulous landlords.

The Renters’ Rights Bill includes measures to significantly strengthen and expand RROs. Changes include doubling the maximum amount a landlord can be ordered to pay, extending them to new offences, doubling the period in which tenants and local authorities can apply, making superior landlords and company directors liable and requiring landlords to pay the maximum amount when they have been convicted.

When an RRO is made, the relevant landlord must pay. Where they do not, the tenant or local authority can apply to the county court for a judgment to enable enforcement of the debt through the court. If necessary, the tenant or local authority can, for example, use county court bailiffs to enforce the order and recover the debt.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to require building and health and safety standards in (a) emergency and (b) temporary accommodation provided to homeless families.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All tenants deserve a safe and decent home, and the Government is working to improving standards across all sectors with a commitment to introduce a new Decent Homes Standard.

Local authorities must ensure temporary accommodation is suitable and should keep the suitability of accommodation under review. Housing authorities should as a minimum ensure that all temporary accommodation is free of Category 1 hazards as identified by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). To enable effective enforcement, we have given local authorities strong powers, including financial penalties of up to £30,000, extending rent repayment orders and introducing banning orders for the most serious and prolific offenders.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will drive significant improvements to conditions in the private rented sector. Ensuring landlords adhere to a legally binding Decent Homes Standard and extending ‘Awaab’s Law’ to private landlords will significantly reduce the number of poor-quality privately rented homes and empower tenants to raise concerns about damp, dangerous and cold homes.

Through the Bill, the Government has introduced powers to apply the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector, which includes new powers to bring temporary accommodation into scope of the DHS. This will ensure that safe, secure housing is the standard people can expect in temporary accommodation.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will also make it possible to apply Awaab’s Law to temporary accommodation occupied under licence through regulations. We will consult in due course on how best to apply Awaab’s Law to such accommodation occupied under licence to make sure we strike the right balance by providing protections to residents while maintaining ambitions on supply.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a housing ombudsman service for the private sector.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Renters’ Rights Bill, currently before Parliament, will introduce a new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman service to provide quick, fair, impartial and binding resolutions for tenants’ complaints about their landlord. This will bring tenant-landlord complaint resolution on par with established redress practices in social housing and across the property agent sector.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress her Department has made on improving access to pet friendly properties in the (a) social and (b) private rented sectors.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government wants to ensure more tenants can experience the benefits of pet ownership – including the benefits to mental and physical health. Many social landlords set out their pet policies in their tenancy agreements and will allow tenants to keep pets where it is appropriate to do so. Consideration is given to whether the pets can be well looked after and any adverse effects on the lives of neighbours and those living nearby. We encourage all social landlords to adopt similar policies. The circumstances in which pets may be kept is, however, for social landlords to determine locally, taking account of the views of their tenants.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will give private tenants the right to request a pet and ensure that landlords cannot unreasonably withhold consent. Landlords will be required to respond to any requests by a tenant to keep a pet within 28 days, instead of the 42 that had been proposed by the previous Government. Tenants will also be able to challenge unfair decisions by either going to the courts or the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how the Decent Homes Standard is monitored and implemented.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

It is imperative that homes are decent, safe and warm. The Decent Homes Standard plays a key role in setting a minimum quality standard that all social homes should meet. The government is extending the Decent Homes Standard to apply to the private rented sector for the first time through the Renters’ Rights Bill.

In the social rented sector, landlords are held accountable for meeting the standard by the Regulator of Social Housing. Once applied in the private rented sector, local authorities will be responsible for enforcing the Decent Homes Standard.

Compliance with the Decent Homes Standard is monitored primarily through the English Housing Survey, which reports annually. The government also reviews a wider range of self-reported monitoring data provided by social housing providers.

The government will launch a consultation on an updated Decent Homes Standard next year.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have carried out an impact assessment for the Renters' Rights Bill on the supply of properties in the private rented sector.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government published its Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Bill on 22 November 2024, following scrutiny from the Regulatory Policy Committee. The Impact Assessment received a ‘green’ rating, indicating it is ‘fit for purpose’. The Impact Assessment is available at the following link.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason an impact assessment for the Renters’ Rights Bill was not published at (a) First Reading and (b) Second Reading; and if she will make it her policy to ensure impact assessments for all future Bills are published at First Reading.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government published its Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Bill on 22 November 2024, following scrutiny from the Regulatory Policy Committee. The Impact Assessment received a ‘green’ rating, indicating it is ‘fit for purpose’. The Impact Assessment can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of rental properties available.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We will build 1.5 million high-quality homes over this Parliament and deliver the biggest increase in affordable housing for a generation.

In addition, at the Budget the Chancellor set out details of an immediate one-year cash injection of £500 million to top up the existing Affordable Homes Programme to deliver up to 5,000 new social and affordable homes.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will also improve the experience of private renting in England, providing greater security and stability for tenants while ensuring that landlords can reclaim their properties when the need to.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many people have been evicted due to section 21 notices in each of the last three years for which data is available in (a) Bolsover constituency and (b) Derbyshire.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Figures relating to Section 21 eviction proceedings in individual constituencies in England are not held by the department, but we know that chronic insecurity in the private rented sector in Derbyshire has real-life consequences for individuals and families. Tenants across England will benefit from the measures in the forthcoming Renters’ Rights Bill, including the abolition of Section 21 evictions.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to prohibit a landlord from (a) demanding and (b) accepting more than one month’s rent in advance in respect of a (i) tenancy and (ii) licence of residential accommodation tenancy.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government recognise that demands for extortionate rent in advance place a considerable financial strain on tenants and can exclude certain groups from renting altogether.

We are very clear that the practice of landlords demanding large amounts of rent in advance must be prohibited.

Although it might be argued that the interaction of the new rent periods in clause 1 of the Renters’ Rights Bill, which are a month or 28 days, and the existing provisions of the Tenant Fees Act 2019, relating to prohibited payments, provide a measure of protection against requests for large amounts of advance rent, we believe there is a strong case for putting this matter beyond doubt.

The government is therefore giving careful consideration as to how best that might be achieved through the Renters’ Rights Bill.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to pay automatic compensation to all tenants when landlords and managing agents are slow to reimburse tenants after overcharging.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Since 2014, all letting and managing agents in England have been required by law to be members of one of two mandatory agent redress schemes. These schemes already have statutory powers to require agents to pay compensation in circumstances where their actions or behaviours fall short of a fair and reasonable standard. These services are independent and free for tenants to use.

Through provisions in the Renters’ Rights Bill, currently before Parliament, the government will establish a new Private Landlord Ombudsman Service. This will similarly empower tenants to seek redress – including compensation – in relation to their landlord’s behaviour or actions.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to require landlords and managing agents to pay automatic compensation to tenants when overcharging occurs.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Since 2014, all letting and managing agents in England have been required by law to be members of one of two mandatory agent redress schemes. These schemes already have statutory powers to require agents to pay compensation in circumstances where their actions or behaviours fall short of a fair and reasonable standard. These services are independent and free for tenants to use.

Through provisions in the Renters’ Rights Bill, currently before Parliament, the government will establish a new Private Landlord Ombudsman Service. This will similarly empower tenants to seek redress – including compensation – in relation to their landlord’s behaviour or actions.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to increase the (a) affordability and (b) availability of housing for young people.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

With regard to the supply of social and affordable housing, I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 11383 on 31 October 2024.

To support first-time buyers, the Government has committed to introducing a permanent, comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme and to giving first-time buyers the first chance to buy homes.

The Renters' Rights Bill will provide more security for tenants and empower them to challenge poor practice and unreasonable within-tenancy rent increases without fear of eviction.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to end rental bidding wars by landlords and letting agents (a) nationally and (b) in Beckenham and Penge constituency.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Renters’ Rights Bill will prohibit rental bidding practices.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to tackle landlords charging high up-front rent payments.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government have long recognised that demands for extortionate rent in advance place a considerable financial strain on tenants and can exclude certain groups from renting altogether. We are very clear that the practice of landlords demanding large amounts of rent in advance must be prohibited.

Although it might be argued that the interaction of the new rent periods in clause 1 of the Renters’ Rights Bill, which are a month or 28 days, and the existing provisions of the Tenant Fees Act 2019, relating to prohibited payments, provide a measure of protection against requests for large amounts of advance rent, the government believe there is a strong case for putting this matter beyond doubt. I am giving careful consideration as to how best that might be achieved through the Renters’ Rights Bill.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that private homes are safe for elderly people.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government provides the Disabled Facilities Grant, a capital grant administered by local authorities that can help pay the cost of adapting eligible disabled and older people’s homes, regardless of tenure, to allow them to live safely and independently. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide adaptations for people who satisfy a needs assessment, eligibility criteria and a means test. An additional £86 million for the DFG for 2025-26 was announced in the Budget, bringing the total to £711 million.

We are also taking action to improve standards within the private rented sector in England through the Renters’ Rights Bill, including through introducing the Decent Homes Standard to the sector for the first time. We are also applying ‘Awaab’s Law’ to the sector which will set clear legal expectations about the timeframes within which landlords in the private rented sector must make homes safe where they contain serious hazards. All elderly people should be able to live in a safe and decent home and these changes will have a positive impact on improving the health and wellbeing of older tenants.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to take steps to (a) prevent landlords from not considering prospective tenants that have pets and (b) support people with pets to find somewhere to rent.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Renters' Rights Bill will prevent landlords from unreasonably denying tenants' requests to keep pets. Once a landlord has consented to a pet, it will be an implied term of that tenancy and so consent cannot be withdrawn without agreement from both parties. We believe that by strengthening tenants' rights, we will see an increase in pet-friendly properties and a positive shift in landlords' attitudes to pet ownership.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to take steps to ensure that tenants with permission to keep pets are able to keep those pets throughout their tenancy.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Renters' Rights Bill will prevent landlords from unreasonably denying tenants' requests to keep pets. Once a landlord has consented to a pet, it will be an implied term of that tenancy and so consent cannot be withdrawn without agreement from both parties. We believe that by strengthening tenants' rights, we will see an increase in pet-friendly properties and a positive shift in landlords' attitudes to pet ownership.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6735 on Temporary Accommodation: Costs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential savings to local government in respect of temporary accommodation costs of (a) the end of section 21 evictions and (b) the wider provisions in the Renters' Rights Bill.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Renters’ Rights Bill will provide more security for vulnerable renters who face potential homelessness due to the service of a section 21 notice. Removing no fault evictions will have an immediate impact on preventing homelessness, as section 21 notices account for 8% of the reasons households became homeless in 2023-24.

The government submitted the Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Bill on 16 September 2024 to the Regulatory Policy Committee. The government will publish the Impact Assessment in due course. In line with usual practice, the government will always consider the impact of any policies when taking the legislation through Parliament.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect renters as availability of rental properties decreases.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The private rented sector has doubled in size since 2002 and is now the second largest housing tenure. 4.6 million households rent privately, which is equivalent to 11 million people and 19% of the housing market – remaining relatively stable at this level since 2013-14.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will give all renters greater security and protections, cracking down on the minority of unscrupulous landlords who exploit, mistreat or discriminate against tenants.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to publish guidance on the circumstances in which permission to keep a pet may be unreasonably refused under the Renters' Rights Bill.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Yes, the government will provide guidance to help both landlords and tenants understand the new regulations and will maintain ongoing communication with the rental sector to address any concerns.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6378 on Multiple Occupation, what plans her Department has for the future regulation of housing in multiple occupation.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities have robust powers to ensure landlords of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) comply with all relevant regulations. This includes powers to issue civil penalties, prosecute landlords and obtain banning orders.

The Renters’ Rights Bill introduces reforms to improve the regulation of private rented sector properties, including HMOs, and drive-up standards within the sector. This includes a Decent Homes Standard and new enforcement powers for local authorities.

We will keep the regulation of HMOs under review.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that landlords of houses in multiple occupancy comply with all relevant regulations.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities have robust powers to ensure landlords of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) comply with all relevant regulations. This includes powers to issue civil penalties, prosecute landlords and obtain banning orders.

The Renters’ Rights Bill introduces reforms to improve the regulation of private rented sector properties, including HMOs, and drive-up standards within the sector. This includes a Decent Homes Standard and new enforcement powers for local authorities.

We will keep the regulation of HMOs under review.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to improve accessible housing for disabled people in the private rental market.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Everyone deserves to live in a secure, decent, and accessible home in which they feel safe. The Renters’ Rights Bill, by ending Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, will also provide all tenants with greater security and stability and empower them to challenge bad practice without fear of retaliatory eviction. Disabled people in all housing tenures can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant to adapt their home to enable them to live safely and independently.

Found: Renters’ Rights Bill: HL Bill 60 of 2024–25

Found: Renters' Rights Bill 2024-25: Progress of the bill

We think RSLs exercise functions similar to those of local authorities but are not subject to the same scrutiny. We think this right could enable tenants and residents to obtain risk assessments, safety certificates, and other documents vital to holding RSLs (and their subsidiaries) to account.

Found: We think this goal can be achieved by amending the Renters' Rights Bill to designate RSLs (and their

Found: In the longer term, we expect the Tenancy Reform measures in the Renters Rights Bill, which will apply

Found: no fault’ evictions, will be abolished for new and existing tenancies through the landmark Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: Greater security for renters closer to becoming law as Renters’ Rights Bill returns to Parliament

Found: evictions, one of the leading causes of homelessness, will be abolished as part of the landmark Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will be abolished through the Renters’ Rights Bill, immediately putting

Found: From introducing our Renters’ Rights Bill and our Employment Rights Bill, and developing our Race Equality

Found: Act, through the Mental Health Reform Bill; c. strengthen tenants’ rights, through the Renters Rights Bill

Found: Renters’ Rights Bill: Impact assessment

Found: Renters’ Rights Bill: Impact assessment

Found: Act, through the Mental Health Reform Bill; c. strengthen tenants’ rights, through the Renters Rights Bill

Found: including abolishing section 21 no fault evictions and reforming grounds for possession with the Renters’ Rights Bill

Found: Renters’ Rights Bill: RPC opinion (green-rated)

Found: Renters’ Rights Bill: RPC opinion (green-rated)

Found: considered powers to make subordinate legislation within devolved competence in 2 LCMs— • Renters' Rights Bill

Found: Government, Housing and Planning Committee Report on a Legislative Consent Memorandum (LCM) for the Renters' Rights Bill

Found: Legislative Consent Memorandum: delegated powers relevant to Scotland in the Renters' Rights Bill A report

Found: Government Product Regulation and Metrology Bill 24 September 2024 Consent not recommended Renters' Rights Bill