The long-awaited Renters Rights Bill has officially been delayed until autumn, after the Government failed to allocate time for further debate before MPs break for their summer recess. The delay offers a temporary reprieve for landlords still grappling with the potential implications of the legislation—but many are calling for a clearer, more balanced path forward.
Leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell confirmed the Bill will not be discussed before Parliament rises this week. Instead, it will return to the Commons on 8 September, shortly after the summer break ends.
Lords reading goes ahead
While the House of Lords is still expected to conduct its Third Reading of the Bill on Monday, it’s widely viewed as a procedural box-tick rather than a substantive debate. The real decisions now rest with MPs, who will consider the numerous amendments suggested by peers when the Bill returns in the autumn.
If the process moves smoothly, the Bill could still receive Royal Assent before 16 September, just ahead of the party conference season. However, this timeline is tight—and recent delays suggest nothing is guaranteed.
The pause has been met with cautious optimism from landlords and letting professionals, many of whom feel that the Bill, in its current form, still lacks crucial protections for those providing homes across the private rented sector.
Landlords still in limbo
The Renters Rights Bill has sparked intense debate since its first draft, particularly surrounding the abolition of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions and proposals to introduce open-ended tenancies. Critics within the landlord community argue that these changes, though well-intended, risk making it harder to manage rental properties and maintain professional standards—especially for small-scale landlords already hit by tax, compliance and regulatory changes.
With more than 2.8 million landlords in the UK, many are left wondering how they’re expected to plan for the future in such an uncertain legislative landscape. As one Midlands-based landlord put it last week:
“We’re not against reform, but we need practical policies—what we’ve seen so far feels rushed and very one-sided. This delay might give the Government time to get it right.”
Letting agents and mortgage brokers also want clarity. Several warned that without a stable regulatory environment, lenders may grow wary of the sector, tightening financing options and reducing investment in much-needed rental housing.
An opportunity for improvement?
Some in the sector are hoping the delay might signal a rethink. Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), has previously called for the Government to use the time wisely to ensure the Bill is workable and fair. “The private rented sector needs certainty and confidence,” he said earlier this year. “We urge ministers to engage fully with landlords before this legislation is finalised.”
Others are more sceptical, seeing the delay as political posturing in the run-up to party conference season. As one South London landlord remarked: “If this is just being kicked into the long grass again, it helps no one—landlords or tenants.”
With housing likely to be a major theme ahead of the next General Election, the future of the Renters Rights Bill could become a political football. But for now, landlords at least have a few more weeks to assess, prepare, and—crucially—be heard.
The message from the sector is clear: reform is needed, but it must be proportionate, considered, and sustainable. Whether Westminster will take that on board when the Bill returns in September remains to be seen.
