Tenants welcome changes to law on renting

The renters rights act has been described as the biggest shake-up to renting in England for more than 30 years

Tenants have welcomed an end to section 21 evictions, also known as no fault evictions, after the Renters' Rights Act came into force.

The government still needs to confirm how - and when - each of the changes will happen but the new rules aimed at benefitting tenants will affect more than 11 million people.

Cheltenham resident Joanna - not her real name - said she had been the subject of three section 21 evictions.

She said the experience made her ask "what kind of a parent am I not being able to keep a roof over my child's head?".

Joanna said her first section 21 eviction came when her daughter was just nine months' old.

"The landlord had decided he wanted to let his daughter and her boyfriend move into the house and we received a section 21 notice which expired just before Christmas. I was just devastated," she said.

Joanna and her husband found a bungalow but a few years later the family were told the landlord's mother was moving into the bungalow, so they had to move out.

Hearing this news caused her to have a panic attack, Joanna said.

The final section 21 eviction came when her landlord died after she had lived in a property for six years.

The family now live in social housing and Joanna said the experience of being secure in their home has changed things massively for them.

"So much of this stress comes not just from the section 21s as well, but also having to navigate it around whatever else may be going on," she added.

What's changing?

One change in the new act means a landlord will not be able to sell or move into a property in the first 12 months after a tenancy begins.

After this, they will need to give four months' notice.

However, it will still be possible for landlords to evict tenants in certain circumstances.

If they damage the property, commit antisocial behaviour, or fall significantly behind paying the rent - known as rent arrears - the landlord can give notice at any point.

Shôn Douglas (pictured) said he had to outbid others interested to secure his property

Shôn Douglas, who rents a property in Cheltenham, said he welcomed the changes.

"I've got a good landlord [but] I did have to pay over the odds in a bidding war to secure the property initially - which this bill is seeking to prevent," Mr Douglas said.

Some groups representing landlords have reported concern about what the changes will mean.

"It's true that the announcements have unsettled some landlords," said managing director of CGT Lettings Nick Devonport. "But the reality is there's still a lot of positivity."

CGT Lettings also said it had found tenants are staying in properties longer, compared to 2020.