Renters’ Rights Bill

Lord Leong Excerpts

Monday 21st July 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hacking (Lab)]

My Lords, traditionally, Third Reading is an occasion to give thanks and congratulations to all those involved in the Bill, whether inside this Chamber or outside. My noble friend the Minister has led us well, as the noble Baronesses, Lady Scott and Lady Thornhill, who is leader of the Liberals on this, have kindly done. At this stage, our Companion makes it plain that the debates of previous stages of the Bill should not be reopened and speeches should be brief. I hope that my noble friend Lord Leong is noting that I am saying this. I intend to abide by these requirements.

[Lord in Waiting/Government Whip (Lord Leong) (Lab)]

Good.

[Lord Hacking (Lab)]

I am now getting congratulations from my noble friend, which are very warmly felt. We cannot, however, leave the Bill without giving profound thanks to my noble friend the Minister for her pioneering of the Bill through all stages of its passage through this House. I think I echo the words of the noble Baroness, Lady Scott, in that regard.

Throughout, the Minister has been a paragon of patience and courtesy. She has also been enormously conscientious, holding meetings right up to the third day on Report and sending letters—even though the letter to the noble Lord, Lord Carrington, was somehow in transit on the third day of debate. Not wishing to leave anybody out, she recently thanked and congratulated a Peer on a speech he had not made, but nobody was left out as a result.

A special reason to thank and congratulate the Minister is the sheer length and complexity of the Bill. I also congratulate the noble Baronesses, Lady Scott and Lady Thornhill, on dealing with the length and complexity of the Bill, as well as the noble Lord, Lord Jamieson—I am sorry that I did not bring his name to the fore until now. The Bill itself—this is somewhat alarming—stretches over 258 pages but still has to be spliced into earlier statutes, most particularly the Housing Act 1988.

I have in my hand the annotated current edition of the Housing Act 1988. It stretches over 383 pages but, by the time the provisions of this Bill have been spliced into it, it will be 600 or 700 pages long. I do not wish to introduce this debate now, but I believe the length of these Bills is a subject that should have attention on another occasion. For example, the Housing Act 1988 can be read in its completion. It tells you the state of landlord and tenant law in 1988. When I first came to the House 54 years ago, legislation was not run in this direction. As I said, this is a matter for another debate on another occasion.

I will just end on a personal note. I am aware that it must have been difficult for my noble friend the Minister to have me sitting right behind her and muttering from time to time, but I ask her forgiveness. I am very lame. I always used to sit at the back, but I am afraid my lameness has taken me to immediately behind the Minister. I apologise, but I hope that she will accept that my many interventions were made in a genuine attempt to improve the Bill: to focus more clearly on the rogue landlord and to protect the honest landlord.