A much-delayed ban on no-fault evictions in England and Wales will continue its passage into law later amid fears it will be watered down.
The new law would end the right of landlords to evict tenants for no reason with only two months’ notice.
But campaigners says the government has dragged its feet on the ban, which was first promised in 2019.
They say tens of thousands of tenants have been kicked out of their homes since then.
And Labour fears the ban on no-fault evictions, in the Renters Reform Bill, could be delayed for years even if the law passes, as the government plans to make changes to the court system first.
Housing Minister Rachel Maclean said the Conservatives would deliver on their 2019 manifesto pledge to end no-fault evictions and strengthen landlords’ rights of possession on issues like anti-social behaviour.
She said “only the Conservatives are taking the long-term decisions needed to deliver a more secure rental market for tenants and landlords”.
And a former Conservative cabinet minister told the BBC he would fully support the bill – “as will a vast majority of colleagues”.
Ministry of Justice data show no-fault evictions in England between April and June this year increased by 41%, compared to the same period in 2022.
Labour says its analysis shows another 30,840 households face being threatened with homelessness through no-fault evictions if the government does not pass the bill by the last possible date for a general election (28 January, 2025).
There are concerns the bill will not have time to pass through Parliament before the next election, which is expected to take place next year.
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayners accused the government of a “grubby deal with the Tory backbenches,” adding the ministers would act as “judge and jury in deciding when the courts have been sufficiently improved”.
“Having broken the justice system, they are now using their own failure to indefinitely delay keeping their promises to renters,” she added.
While strengthening protections for tenants, the Renters Reform Bill would also make it easier for landlords to repossess properties from anti-social tenants.
The government says it wants to reform and speed up the courts process so landlords can quickly regain possession of their property if a tenant refuses to move out.
In response to a report by the Levelling-Up Committee this week, the government said it would “not commence the abolition of Section 21 until stronger possession grounds and a new court process is in place”.
That response caught the attention of shadow housing minister, Matthew Pennycook, who said “court improvements could take years” and could amount to “an effective deferral of the abolition of Section 21”.
But in its report, the Labour-chaired committee did recommend that the government should “agree how quickly the courts need to be processing possession claims before landlords can have confidence in the system, and then commit to meeting this target before abolishing section 21”.
A report in the Telegraph suggested Tory MPs who owned rental properties were considering rebelling against the government over the bill.
Research by campaign group 38 Degrees found 87 MPs earned an income from residential property, of which 68 were Conservatives – about one fifth of Tory MPs.
Tom Darling, campaign manager of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, accused the Conservatives of “holding up this legislation”, which he described as the “bare minimum” renters needed to see.
He said his campaigned wanted to see the legislation strengthened to include “longer notice periods, more security, more requirements on landlords to provide decent quality homes”.
The Telegraph report said the bill had angered a large number of Tory MPs, who believed it would reduce the supply of private rented accommodation.
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) warned that “uncertainty” over the future of the bill had made it “difficult for landlords and renters to plan for the future”.
“As they consider the bill, MPs and peers will need to make sure it secures the confidence of responsible landlords every bit as much as tenants,” NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle said.
“Should the bill fail to secure the confidence of landlords, the shortage of homes will only worsen, ultimately hurting renters.”
