The House of Lords rejected three key amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill:

1. Student Possession Ground – Proposal to extend this to one- and two-bedroom properties was rejected.
2. Reletting After Sale – Lords wanted to reduce the wait time from 12 months to 6 months; this was also rejected.
3. Pet Deposit Amendment – A proposal to allow landlords to take an additional deposit for pet-related damage was vetoed again.

Additionally, a fourth amendment to allow landlords to recover a property to house a carer was also rejected.

The Bill will return to the House of Commons for final approval before receiving Royal Assent, with a date expected to be confirmed shortly.

Once granted, Royal Assent will bring the Renters’ Rights Bill into law. This effectively finalises the primary legislation, with any remaining provisions and clarifications to be introduced through secondary legislation in due course.

What happens next?

Following Royal Assent, all attention will turn to the Government to confirm an implementation date. This is when key provisions of the new Act – such as the transition to periodic tenancies and the end of Section 21 “no-fault” evictions – are expected to come into force.

The Government may announce this date at the point of Royal Assent, or it could be deferred. While officials have stated that landlords will be given sufficient time to prepare, no specific timeframe has yet been provided.

Other measures, including the introduction of a landlord database and the new ombudsman service, are likely to be rolled out at a later stage.