A Closer Look At The Renters Reform Bill

• Published date: 07 June 2023
• Subject Matter: Real Estate and Construction, Landlord & Tenant - Leases
• Law Firm: Weightmans
• Author: Joshua Stolberg

How will the proposed reforms affect social landlords' ability to take action against anti-social behaviour?

The Renters Reform Bill promises to make the most significant changes to housing law for decades. In this update, we consider how the proposed reforms will affect social landlords' options and ability to take action against anti-social behaviour.

Abolition of starter tenancies and fixed term tenancies

The Bill proposes to abolish assured shorthold tenancies. In doing so, starter tenancies and fixed term tenancies will become a thing of the past. This will remove much of the flexibility afforded by such agreements and the ability to serve a section 21 notice on a tenant at the end of a starter period or fixed term. As tenancies will be assured, any claim for possession issued because of anti-social behaviour will need to be issued on Grounds 7A and/or 14.

Notice period reduced for Ground 7A

The notice period for Ground 7A will be reduced from 28 days to not before the date of service of the notice (in line with Ground 14). This means that social landlords will be able to act more promptly where the mandatory ground is made out, and will be of particular help where a landlord wishes to, for example, move possession proceedings as far forward as possible during the period of a closure order.

Ground 14 amended

The wording for Ground 14 will be amended, so that rather than the tenant or person residing or visiting the property having been guilty of conduct causing or 'likely' to cause a nuisance or annoyance, it will be conduct causing or 'capable' of causing a nuisance or annoyance.

In theory, this will reduce the threshold for the ground to be...