Renters’ Rights Bill: When Will The Renters’ Rights Bill Become Law?

For several years, the UK government has been working on draft legislation that will make significant changes to the rental sector once passed, with implications for both landlords and tenants. So – when will the Renters’ Rights Bill become law?

Back in June 2022, the Conservative government shared the policy paper A Fairer Private Rented Sector arguing why the rental sector needed major changes.

It reported that 1.6m people were living in dangerously low-quality rental accommodation and that 22% of renters did not end their tenancy by choice, among other claims.

The government introduced the Renters Reform Bill to parliament in May 2023 but it didn’t pass before the general election in 2024. Now under a Labour government, a new Renters’ Rights Bill is going through the parliamentary stages at the time of writing.

But with the draft legislation facing scrutiny from industry bodies representing the interests of both landlords and tenants, what is in the Renters’ Rights Bill and when will it pass?

Key takeaways: When will the Renters’ Rights Bill become law?

• While the bill could pass by 22 July 2025, it will likely take longer – with September 2025, after the summer break for Parliament, more likely but there could be further delays

• Once the bill becomes UK law, it could still take several months for the measures to come into force

• The Renters’ Rights Bill aims to provide stronger protections and rights for tenants, including an end to Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions

• Several industry bodies continue to campaign for further amendments in the interest of both tenants and landlords

What is the Renters’ Rights Bill?

The Renters’ Rights Bill aims to provide stronger protections and rights for tenants. Its key measures include but are not limited to:

• Abolishing Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions: Landlords will no longer be able to evict a tenant using Section 21 which requires two months’ notice but no specific reason.
• Ending fixed-term assured tenancies: All new and existing tenancies will become periodic (rolling, typically month-to-month), theoretically giving tenants more flexibility and security.
• Stronger eviction protections: Landlords must use specific, legally defined grounds to regain possession – such as selling the property or moving in themselves – with increased notice periods.
• Limiting rent increases: There will be more restrictions on rent increases and these can be challenged by tenants. Landlords cannot ask for or accept offers above the advertised rent, ending rental ‘bidding wars’.
• Decent Homes Standard: The bill extends the Decent Homes Standard to the private sector and includes Awaab’s Law, requiring landlords to address hazards like damp and mould within a set timeframe.
• Ban on rental discrimination: Landlords and agents cannot refuse tenants on the basis of receiving benefits or having children, for example.
• Right to keep pets: Tenants have the right to request permission to keep a pet and landlords can only refuse with a good reason.

There are also set to be new powers and penalties to enforce standards. The draft legislation also restricts tenant fees and raises the threshold for mandatory eviction due to rent arrears.

Concerns about the Renters’ Rights Bill

Among those representing the perspective of landlords, some argue that their concerns remain unaddressed.

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has argued that a lack of clear answers is causing concern among good landlords – for example:

• The government has not set out how long the courts will take to consider and process legitimate possession claims.
• The government has not explained how proposals to make it more difficult for landlords to repossess a property where rent arrears are due to delayed benefit payments will work.
• Plans which will make it easier for tenants to challenge above-market rent increases at a tribunal are unworkable, because there is no reliable single source of data to determine what market rents are in any given area.

Overall, there is a concern that strict legislation could drive landlords away from the market, reducing supply and raising prices for tenants, according to LandlordZone.

While the legislation would provide many benefits for tenants, some groups argue that the bill does not go far enough.

For example, the charity Shelter is campaigning for amendments on rent stabilisation, limiting guarantor use and a detailed national landlord register.

Parliamentary stages so far

After over two years of debates, it looks as though the Renters’ Rights Bill will pass soon. But how did we get here?

• May 2023 – the Conservative government introduced the Renters Reform Bill
• May 2024 – within a year, the bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons and reached its second reading in the House of Lords
• July 2024 – Labour won the general election, but the Conservative government had not passed the legislation in time before parliament closed
• September 2024 – the new government introduced the Renters’ Rights Bill
• July 2025 – The bill has passed its third reading in the House of Commons and is currently at the ‘report stage’ in the House of Lords

At the time of writing, different groups have proposed several amendments to the legislation. Among these, property sector professional body Propertymark is claiming several campaigning wins including:

• Approval of pet damage deposits instead of the original pet insurance proposal
• Strengthened student tenancy protections, expanding Ground 4A, to preserve student housing supply
• Requirement for the government to review tribunal capacity to handle potential increases in rent challenge cases
• Reduced re-letting ban on unsold properties from 12 to six months where landlords serve notice to sell but the sale doesn’t happen
• Assured advice for letting agents on compliance to meet Tenant Fees Act regulatory requirements (passed in 2019) 
• Joint tenants must all agree with the landlord to withdraw a notice to quit

Next, the House of Lords will debate further amendments on 15 July, with bodies including Propertymark continuing to campaign for additional changes.

When will the Renters’ Rights Bill become law?

While there is a chance that the already heavily delayed legislation could pass before Parliament closes for the summer on 22 July, there may not be enough time for that to happen.

Remaining stages at the time of writing include a third reading in the House of Lords, before consideration of amendments back in the House of Commons and ultimately, Royal Assent.

The next potential date the government would likely aim for is September 2025 – when Parliament resumes and before the Labour annual conference. However, there could be further delays depending on the level of support for the bill in its current form.

Once passed, it could still take several months for the new rules to take effect, the NRLA argues. In which case, it may take until late 2025 or early 2026 for the measures in the Renters’ Rights Bill to come into force.

FAQs: Renters’ Rights Bill

Renters Reform bill update: When will the Renters Reform bill become law?

It is no longer called the Renters’ Reform bill. The legislation previously known as the Renters’ Reform Bill is now officially called the Renters’ Rights Bill.

This change occurred after the original Renters’ Reform Bill, introduced by the Conservative government, was dropped ahead of the July 2024 general election.

The incoming Labour government then introduced a new bill, building on the previous proposals but with additional reforms, under the new name – the Renters’ Rights Bill.

What is the new Renters’ Rights Bill 2025?

The new bill retains most of the core measures of its predecessor, such as abolishing Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions, but also introduces further changes.

These include a ban on rental ‘bidding wars’ and immediate application of new rules to all existing and new tenancies.

Has the Renters’ Rights Bill passed?

At the time of writing in July 2025, the government has not yet passed the Renters’ Rights Bill. We will update this article once it does.

Final thoughts: Renters’ Rights Bill

While waiting for the Renters’ Rights Bill to become law and its measures to take effect, Fine Living has a wide range of free guides that can help both tenants and landlords understand their rights and obligations.

For other detailed guides, take a look through the full Fine Living blog. Recent articles in 2025 include:

• What Is Property Flipping? Pros And Cons Of Flipping Houses
• What Is A Link-Detached House? Link-Detached House Meaning
• How Long Does It Take To Buy A House? Estimated Timelines
• What Is A Deed Of Variation?

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