Reform UK has pledged to scrap the Renters’ Rights Act if it wins the next General Election, in what party deputy leader Richard Tice described as part of a wider push to remove regulations he says are killing growth.
Tice, who has 30 years’ experience in property development and now serves as the party’s business, trade and energy spokesperson, argued the Act is well-intentioned legislation that is having the opposite effect on the rental market.
Landlords saying enough is enough
Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, told a press conference: “There’s a balance of risk and reward – too many landlords are saying ‘enough is enough’. The Act is well-intentioned around period of notice to quit but it’s gone way beyond this.”
He added: “If you take it too far it will have the opposite effect. Property numbers are reducing – if you reduce supply, the prices go up.”
The pledge forms part of what Tice called a “Great Repeal Bill” to remove what he described as regulations hindering growth. The party says this approach would help lower inflation and reduce costs for consumers.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claimed that private rental stock in his constituency of Clacton has fallen by 60 percent since 2020. He said: “The percentage of people’s income being spent on rent – it’s a disaster – we need more supply of property to rent.”
Tenant groups respond
The announcement drew criticism from tenant campaign groups. Ben Twomey, chief executive of Generation Rent, said: “Forcing people back into insecure and unsafe homes is not a promise, it’s a threat levelled at England’s 11 million private renters.”
Twomey added: “Our homes are the foundations of our lives, so it is disgraceful to see Reform UK pledging to roll back new and essential protections that would improve the quality of our homes and help us to stay in them for longer.”
The Renters Rights Act is set to come into force on 1 May 2026, abolishing Section 21 no-fault evictions and introducing new rules around possession, pets and rent increases.
Industry data has shown landlords preparing for the changes by increasing insurance coverage and reviewing their portfolios.
The party’s position on housing policy can be found on the Reform UK website.
Editor’s view
Whether or not you agree with the policy, Reform’s intervention injects an alternative voice into what has been a largely one-directional debate on rental regulation. With the next election several years away, the practical impact is limited – but the political battle lines over landlord policy are now being drawn.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 25 February 2026
Sources: Reform UK, NRLA, Generation Rent
Related reading: Landlords urged to serve Section 21 notices before 1 May deadline
