Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about reforming the private rented sector.

As a father of adult children I am deeply sympathetic and aware of the challenges facing people in rented accommodation. Ministers assure me that the Renters (Reform) Bill will help create a fairer rental market in England. The legislation will see tenants protected from revenge evictions and rogue landlords, and landlords given greater powers to evict anti-social tenants.

The Bill will abolish Section 21 'no fault' evictions, which I recognise can deter tenants from challenging poor practice or unfair rent increases in fear they will be forced out of their home. To do this, the legislation will create a fairer tenancy structure where all assured tenancies will become periodic. We hope this will create more security for tenants, without compromising the flexibility which attracts many to the private rented sector.

The Bill will also introduce more comprehensive possession grounds so landlords can still recover their property, including where they wish to sell their property or move family in. The reforms will make it easier to repossess properties where tenants are at fault, as in cases of anti-social behaviour or repeat rent arrears.

These changes come in addition to new powers to create a Privately Rented Sector Ombudsman which will provide fair, impartial and binding resolutions to many issues in the sector, providing a quicker, cheaper alternative to the courts. The Government will also set up a Private Rented Property Portal to help landlords understand their legal obligations and demonstrate regulatory compliance, providing assurance to responsible landlords, and helping them to attract prospective tenants.

I hope these reforms will benefit both tenants and landlords and I look forward to discussing this legislation in more detail as it makes its way through Parliament.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

Yours ever,

EDWARD LEIGH MP