The Renters Rights Act has now come into force, with stricter regulation for private landlords.
I’m proud to have voted for this landmark law in Parliament, improving tenants’ legal rights for so many here in Birmingham Yardley.
So what does this mean for renters?
The first changes came into affect from the 1st May. Firstly, Section 21 “no fault” evictions have now been abolished.
Landlords can now only evict you with specific legal grounds (like selling the property, if you fail to pay the rent, etc).
All tenancies are now “rolling tenancies”, meaning you can stay in your home until you decide to move, or until the landlord serves a valid notice and obtains a possesion order.
Rent increases are now limited to once per year. Landlords must follow new legal processes and give you at least 2 months notice. If you think the increase is above the market rate you can challenge this at first-tier tribunal.
Discriminating against tenants with children or who claim benefits is now illegal. Landlords must also consider written requests to keep a pet and provide valid reasons if they choose to refuse it.
If your landlord isn’t following the rules you can report them to Birmingham City Council, and they may be fined £7000 for an initial or minor non-compliance. Serious or repeated non-compliance by a landlord can lead to a £40,000 fine or a criminal prosecution.
Find out more about your new rights at:
www.gov.uk/assured-periodic-tenancies-tenants