The eagerly anticipated Renters’ Rights Bill has successfully completed its Third Reading in the House of Lords on July 21, 2025, marking a significant milestone in its journey to becoming law. This development signals a clear message to property owners and managers across both the social housing and Private Rented Sector (PRS): change is imminent, and proactive preparation is no longer an option, but a necessity.
What’s Happened So Far: The Journey Through the Lords
The Bill, which seeks to transform the landscape of rented homes in the UK, now moves to the “ping pong” stage with the House of Commons, scheduled to commence on September 8th. This final back-and-forth between the two Houses will iron out any disagreements on amendments before the Bill receives Royal Assent, likely in mid-September 2025.
“We are now edging closer to the Renters’ Rights Bill being enforced, and for anyone responsible for rental properties – be it in the social housing sector or PRS – getting ahead is paramount,” states James Auger, Head of Sales at ResiSure. “Non-compliance simply isn’t an option. The new legislation will bring significant changes, and leveraging technology to ensure proactive compliance will be key to mitigating risks and providing safe, well-maintained homes for tenants.“
Key Amendments Passed by the House of Lords
The passage through the House of Lords has been a thorough process, with the Report Stage concluding on July 15th, during which the government faced defeats on various amendments. These include:
- Burden of Proof for Rental Discrimination and Bidding (Amendment 87): The Lords voted to raise the burden of proof for civil penalties in these areas from “a balance of probabilities” to “beyond reasonable doubt,” aligning it with other breaches in the Bill.
- New Pet Damage Deposit (Amendment 53A): A notable amendment allows landlords to request a “pet deposit” of up to three weeks’ rent, replacing the previously proposed mandatory pet insurance.
- Reduction of Restricted Period for Reletting (Amendment 58): The period during which landlords cannot relet a property after obtaining possession to sell (Ground 1A) has been reduced from 12 months to 6 months, with safeguards against abuse.
- Exemption for Shared Ownership Leaseholders (Amendment 59): An amendment now enables shared ownership leaseholders to relet their property if a sale falls through.
- All Student Lets Under Ground 4A (Amendment 5): Landlords of all student properties, regardless of HMO status, will now be able to use Ground 4A to end a tenancy between June and September.
- Wider Ground for Agricultural Workers (Amendment 8): The agricultural workers’ Ground for Possession has been expanded to include “seasonal or permanent employee, worker or self-employed.”
- New Ground for Carers (Amendment 21): A new ground for possession has been added for when a property is required to house a carer for the landlord or their family.
Despite these debates and amendments, the core principles of the Bill, including the abolition of no-fault evictions (Section 21) and the shift to periodic tenancies, remain steadfast. As Baroness Sharon Taylor, representing the government, aptly stated:
“I believe that we are in broad agreement that this bill is long overdue and are looking forward to it making a real difference to the people who rely on the sector to live and work. While there may be disagreement on some of the issues that we’ve debated, I know we all share the same aim of ensuring the private rented sector continues to work for all.“
Key Provisions for Enhanced Tenant Safety: Awaab’s Law
Beyond the fundamental changes to tenancy agreements, a significant and deeply impactful element of the Renters’ Rights Bill is the inclusion of Awaab’s Law. Named in tragic memory of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died due to prolonged exposure to mould in his home, this law mandates strict new legal timeframes within which landlords must investigate and fix serious health hazards, particularly damp and mould. Initially applied to the social housing sector, the Renters’ Rights Bill will extend these vital protections to the private rented sector.
This means landlords will no longer have the luxury of addressing such issues within a vague “reasonable timeframe”; instead, clear, legally binding deadlines will ensure swift action is taken to guarantee safe and healthy living conditions for all tenants. What’s more, digital monitoring will be more important than ever when it comes to meaningfully tracking the presence of potentially deadly and damaging damp and mould, not just from a tenant safety standpoint, but from a legal standpoint.
How ResiSure Can Help You Stay Compliant
The Renters’ Rights Bill’s impending enactment signifies a monumental shift in tenant rights and landlord responsibilities, making robust, transparent, and proactive property management solutions more crucial than ever.
The inclusion of Awaab’s Law, in particular, elevates environmental monitoring technology from a helpful tool to an absolute necessity. With strict, legally mandated timeframes for investigating and remediating hazards like damp and mould, guesswork and reactive measures are no longer sustainable. Real-time environmental monitoring provides the vital data and undeniable audit trails required to not only identify issues at their earliest stages – often before they become visible to the naked eye or even reported by tenants – but also to demonstrate immediate, proactive compliance with the new regulations. This proactive approach isn’t just about avoiding penalties; it’s about fundamentally transforming how properties are managed, ensuring healthier, safer homes for all tenants.
ResiSure is committed to supporting landlords and property providers through these changes. Our innovative technology allows you to monitor the condition of your portfolio for signs of disrepair in real-time, providing immediate alerts and data-driven insights that empower you to act swiftly and decisively. This isn’t just about staying compliant; it’s about becoming a leader in responsible property management. We equip those in charge of properties and tenants with the essential tools to meet these new legislative demands head-on, protecting both your assets and your residents’ well-being.
Uncover more about how ResiSure can help you stay ahead of this pending legislation by exploring our innovative environment monitoring technology here, or get in touch with the team below.