Renters will be protected from “no fault” evictions under proposals confirmed today in the Queen’s Speech.
The Renters Reform Bill, announced today in the State Opening of Parliament, will abolish so-called Section 21 notices.
Under Section 21 of the 1988 Housing Act, your landlord can ask you to leave your home in just two months, and without reason.
The Renters Reform Bill will be put forward to Parliament before becoming law, in a move that would protect around 11 million households in the private renter sector.
A private renter in England is handed a "no fault" eviction notice by their landlord every seven minutes, research from Shelter shows.
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The homelessness charity had called for the Renters Reform Bill to finally be included in the Queen's Speech after years of delays.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson first vowed to abolish Section 21 orders back in 2019.
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Today’s Queen’s Speech shows the government has listened to the voices of renters, who have been fighting for a long time to be heard.
“For years private renters have said they need more security, so they don’t have to live in constant fear of a no-fault eviction.
“And for years social renters have tirelessly campaigned to be taken seriously when they say something is wrong.“
The Government’s own figures also suggest more than one fifth of private renters in 2019 and 2020 did not end their last tenancy by choice, and faced an average of £1,400 in moving costs.
A briefing document said abolishing Section 21 notices will empower renters to “challenge poor practice and unfair rent increases without fear of retaliatory eviction”.
Other proposals included in the Queen's Bill today included a Social Housing Regulation Bill, which will strengthen the rights of social tenants after the Grenfell tragedy.
This will include better handling of complaints and decency of homes, and making sure landlords are inspecting to make sure they are providing tenants with "quality of accommodation and services that they deserve".
Prince Charles today unveiled the Queen’s Speech in place of his mother the Queen, who missed the State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years due to mobility issues.
Her Majesty, 95, has missed only two state openings — in 1959 and 1963 when she was pregnant with the future princes Andrew and Edward.
The Opening of Parliament sets out the Government’s agenda for next year.
The bills have to be debated before becoming law.
