Advice for landlords

The renters’ reform bill, was introduced to Parliament in May 2023, and aims to deliver a fairer, more secure, and higher quality private rented sector for both tenants and landlords.

Key elements of the bill include:

• Apply the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector for the first time, giving renters safer, higher quality homes and remove the blight of poor-quality homes in local communities.
• Strengthen councils’ enforcement powers and introduce a new requirement for councils to report on enforcement activity – to help target criminal landlords.
• Make it illegal for landlords and agents to have blanket bans on renting to tenants in receipt of benefits or with children – ensuring no family is unjustly discriminated against when looking for a place to live.
• A new Ombudsman will be established to resolve disputes and a new digital property portal will enable landlords to understand their obligations and help tenants make better decisions when signing a new tenancy agreement. 
• Tenants will also be given the legal right to request a pet in their home, which the landlord must consider and cannot unreasonably refuse. Landlords will be able to require pet insurance to cover any damage to their property.
• It is expected the bill will come into force in mid 2024. 

We'll update this section as more information is published.