Millions of landlords and tenants are facing significant changes as new regulations take effect starting today. The Renters’ Rights Act, which prohibits “no fault” evictions and mandates landlords to consider allowing pets, was implemented on May 1. The Mirror interviewed a tenant who shared the traumatic experience of nearly being evicted under Section 21.
Adrian Fletcher, 55, received a no-fault eviction notice after raising concerns about severe dampness, mold, and water issues in his residence. Another tenant described being evicted from a home where their family had lived for nearly a decade, causing emotional distress.
According to Citizens Advice, in March alone, they assisted 2,335 individuals facing Section 21 cases, along with aiding over 1,800 people with housing repairs and safety concerns, and more than 1,000 individuals dealing with rent hikes.
Amy Hughes, Advice Manager at Citizens Advice, emphasized the significance of the Renters’ Rights Act in rebalancing power dynamics in the private rental sector, providing tenants with the necessary security in their homes. The act restricts evictions to specific reasons like rent arrears, antisocial behavior, or property sale.
Key changes include the ban on Section 21 “no fault” eviction notices, the transition of fixed-term tenancies to rolling periodic tenancies, compulsory provision of basic rental information by landlords, and the requirement for tenants to give a two-month notice before leaving.
Additionally, landlords are now limited to one rent increase per year, must justify any pet refusal, cannot demand more than a month’s rent upfront, and are prohibited from discriminatory rental terms. Exceptions may apply in cases of legal constraints like overcrowding.
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