The government will introduce legislation to protect renters and leaseholders, it was said in the King’s Speech today.
Speaking to both Houses of Commons to introduce the new government, King Charles said: “Legislation will be introduced to give greater rights and protections to people renting their homes, including ending no-fault evictions and reforming grounds for possession 9. Draft legislation will be published on leasehold and commonhold reform.”
These changes will be part of an upcoming Renters’ Right Bill and a draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill.
The last government managed to rush through its Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Act before Parliament was dissolved, with measures to make it easier and cheaper for leaseholders to extend their leases.
However, it did not include a mooted cap on ground rents.
In its election manifesto, the Labour Party said it would review how to protect leaseholders from costs associated with improving building safety and speed up the pace of remediation.
It also pledged to make commonhold the default housing tenure.
More rights for renters
The government said it would “give more rights to people renting their homes, including putting an end to unfair no-fault evictions, and reforming grounds for possession”.
The last government failed to pass its Renters Reform Bill before it was dissolved.
Despite the Conservative Party promising to ban Section 21 evictions – otherwise known as no-fault evictions – in its 2019 election manifesto, the bill was held up over a dispute to bring in the measure after the Lord Chancellor produced a report on the readiness of the court system to manage this.
Ahead of this year’s general election, the Labour Party said it would scrap the practice and prevent private renters from being “exploited and discriminated against”.
Source : Mortgage Solutions – Date: 17/07/2024 – By: Shekina Tuahene
