The current status as of 9 September 2025, is the Bill as returned to the House of Commons where MPs are reviewing amendments made in the House of Lords before progressing toward Royal Assent. It is indicated from Officials the Bill is expected to become law soon, with no immediate major changes anticipated. Once both Houses agree it will be submitted for Royal Assent, likely before the Labour Party conference recess in mid-September. Let’s run down some of the key developments and amendments:
Key developments and amendments:
Awwab’s Law
Awwab’s Law has been extended, it is now imposed for health hazard repairs such as damp and mould to be under strict timelines in the private rented sector.
Pet Ownership
Landlords are no longer able to refuse a tenant’s pet request to keep a pet without a fair reason, by earliest October 2025. This could significantly spark a rise in pet ownership across England.
Ground 4A
The Bill introduced abolishing fixed-term tenancies, however for student housing, landlords needed a way to make sure they can get the property back at the end of the year. To solve this the Bill introduced a new legal reason for eviction called ‘Ground 4A’. When the Bill was initially drafted Ground 4A only applied to larger, shared student houses (HMOs with 3+ bedrooms). This is a notable shortcoming as there are many student rentals in smaller 1-2 bedroom properties. They now propose to extend the ground to include smaller properties.
Upfront Rent Restrictions
Landlords are no longer able to ask tenants moving in for more than one month’s rent in advance.
Roundup on the current Bill:
Abolition of Section 21 - Landlords have clearer grounds to repossess, for example, if they are moving in, selling or due to anti-social behaviour.
Periodic Tenancies - All tenancies will roll on monthly unless ended by tenant or landlord due to legal grounds.
Rental Bidding Wars - Landlords are banned from asking tenants to outbid each other, they must advertise a set rent.
Anti-Discrimination - Landlords cannot refuse applicants solely because they are on benefits or have children.
Private Rented Sector Ombudsman & Portal - Both are going ahead, providing a single place for disputes and a national landlord register.
Rent Increase - Landlords can only increase the rent once a year and tenants are able to challenge a rental increase if they believe it’s an unfair amount at tribunal.
The Renters’ Rights Bill is currently in its final stages in Parliament, having passed the House of Lords in July 2025. The new tenancy system is not anticipated to come into fill effect until 2026.
