The Renters’ Rights Bill returned to the House of Commons on 8 September 2025 for final consideration and approval of the amendments proposed by the House of Lords. Although it is possible it could technically ‘ping pong’ back and forward, it is expected that Royal Assent will be granted later this month, which would need to be before Tuesday 16 September, which is the final day the Commons sits before recess.

Amendments in discussion included the following:

Government amendments

The following substantive government amendments were agreed:

• Transitional provision: landlords who serve a possession notice before the act is commenced would have up to three months to initiate possession proceedings.

• Rent increases: introduce a power to enable the Secretary of State to make regulations to change the date from which tenants would be required to pay a new rent following an application to the First-tier Tribunal to challenge a proposed rent increase.

• Rent in advance: tenancy agreements in place before commencement and which require rent payable in advance would not need to be amended.

• Pet insurance: remove the provisions in the bill which would enable landlords to require insurance to cover potential property damage by pets.

• Notice to quit by joint tenants: require the consent of all joint tenants to have a shorter notice to quit or to withdraw a notice to quit.

• Purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA): ensure the exemption of PBSA from the new assured tenancy system would work effectively and as intended.

• Local authority investigatory powers: remove the requirement for local authorities to give prior notice to the property owner or landlord before entering premises without a warrant for the purposes of certain enforcement action.

Non-government amendments

At report stage, the following substantive amendments proposed by Conservative, Liberal Democrat and crossbench members of the House of Lords were agreed:

• Expand the possession ground 4A to also apply to one-bedroom and two-bedroom properties let to students.

• Extend possession ground 5A to other types of agricultural workers, regardless of their employment status.

• Introduce a new possession ground 8A which would allow a landlord to seek possession of their property where it was needed to house a carer for the landlord or for a member of the landlord’s family.

• Allow a landlord to require a “pet deposit” of up to three weeks’ rent as a condition for consenting to a tenant keeping a pet in the property.

• Reduce from 12 months to six months the restricted period during which landlords cannot relet their property (after using possession ground 1A when they wish to sell their property). And exempt shared owners from the 12-month restriction.

• Enable a primary authority to give assured advice to lettings agents on achieving compliance under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.

• Require local authorities to meet the criminal rather than civil standard of proof when imposing financial penalties for breaches of the rental discrimination and rental bidding requirements.

• Extend the Decent Homes Standard to Ministry of Defence service family accommodation.

Many amendments tabled by members of the House of Lords were withdrawn or not moved following debate. In some cases, the government committed to take action to address concerns raised by members, including to:

• monitor and evaluate the private sector reforms and publish reports two years and five years after the bill’s implementation

• work closely with the Ministry of Justice to assess the effects of the reforms on the courts and tribunals, and to lessen these wherever possible

After receiving Royal Assent, implementation may require secondary legislation and further consultation. The government has announced an intention to “introduce the new tenancy system for the private rented sector in one stage”.  It is intended that this new system “would apply to all private tenancies: existing assured shorthold tenancies would be converted to periodic assured tenancies, and any new tenancies would be governed by the new rules”. A suite of guidance is also planned.