Member webinar: Second reading unpacked

We held the latest in our Renters’ Rights Bill webinar series this week, reflecting on the Bill’s Second Reading on 9 October. The session provided an opportunity to hear from experts and catch-up on the Bill’s latest developments, as well as our ongoing efforts to secure the best outcomes for the sector. Our senior campaigns and public affairs officer Eleanor Bateman explains more.

The Bill at Second Reading 

Hosted by our Chief Executive, Ben Beadle, we considered the Bill’s Second Reading debate, which was MPs’ first opportunity to discuss the legislation. Meera Chindooroy, our Deputy Director for Policy and Public Affairs, provided an overview of the debate, in which Secretary of State, Angela Rayner MP, acknowledged the 'important role of landlords' and dismissed rent controls.  

The Government also committed to digitising the courts 'to create a modern, efficient service', though this is unlikely to happen ahead of the Bill’s implementation. Nevertheless, Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook MP, did reconfirm the Government’s intention to 'give the sector as much notice as possible' of commencement. 

Likely impact and next steps 

James Wood, our Head of Policy, provided a detailed look at the Bill’s provisions, including transitional arrangements for Section 21 and recommendations for student landlords, who are already in the process of agreeing tenancies for the 2025/26 academic year. 

Carly Jermyn, chief executive and solicitor of Woodstock Legal Services, then highlighted the likely practical impact of the Bill as drafted, stressing the need for landlords to have robust systems and processes in place to navigate the new legislative landscape.  

We are now preparing for the next stage of the parliamentary process, when the Bill Committee examines the legislation line by line. Ben will be one of the first to give evidence to the Committee on 22 October and will forcefully make the case for change in several key areas.  

These include:

• the retention of landlords’ right to serve notice once two months of arrears have built up – rather than three months as the Bill presently requires
• the extension of the student ground for possession to all private rented student housing – not just HMOs and
• the need for a more efficient rent increase procedure that will avoid unnecessary complexity and delay.  

Boost our campaign to support a balanced rental sector  

Alongside our evidence to the Bill Committee, we are continuing to engage with parliamentarians to ensure they understand the legislation’s likely impact. With more than 300 new MPs elected in July, many are unfamiliar with the challenges landlords face, and we need your support at a local level to call on them to support a balanced private rented sector. Our new toolkit provides everything you need to write to your MP, share your experiences, and ask then to take action to ensure the Bill is workable and fair.  

In case you missed it… 

If you missed the webinar, you can watch the recording here. Our next webinar takes place on 1 November and will unpack the key announcements from the upcoming Budget. Alongside industry experts, we will reflect on what the Budget means for landlords and the sector more widely and will also bring you the latest on the Renters’ Rights Bill, which will be well into Committee stage by then. You can register for this webinar here.