With a general election likely looming in 2024, what would the Labour party's plans for the private rented sector look like?
A recent Ipsos Political Monitor opinion poll found that 37% of respondents are expecting a Labour majority in the next General Election, and 22% are expecting a hung parliament with Labour as the biggest party.
The latest that a General Election can occur is in January 2025, meaning it is likely that people will be heading to the voting booth in the very near future.
Here's an overview of what a Labour government could mean for the UK's private rented sector (PRS), if Labour were to be voted into power.
Abolishment of Section 21
In September 2022, Labour revealed its plans for rental reform through a renters' charter, which was then built on further in October 2023.
A central part of Labour's plans for the private rented sector is the commitment to abolish Section 21 eviction notices. Section 21 allows a landlord to evict a tenant without providing a specific reason - hence being dubbed "no fault" evictions.
When the Renters (Reform) Bill was debated in parliament during the bill’s second reading in October 2023, the Conservative party said that the courts needed to go through significant reform before Section 21 would be abolished, leaving timelines unclear.
In terms of Labour's timelines, Angela Rayner, deputy Leader of the Labour party and shadow housing secretary, recently stated that the party will scrap Section 21 on their first day in office.
The party also aims to “close loopholes that disreputable landlords might use to exploit tenants” following the abolition of Section 21.
Driving up standards
As well as abolishing Section 21, Labour has signalled its commitment to a legally-binding Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector.
The Decent Homes Standard outlines the minimum standard for social housing in England and Northern Ireland. It was originally planned to be part of the Renters (Reform) Bill, and then delayed. The government has subsequently agreed to implement the Decent Homes Standard during the bill's committee stage debates in parliament in November 2023.
Housebuilding boosts
The Labour party has committed to building more houses and increasing supply of available properties. This includes putting construction of social and “genuinely affordable homes” at the centre of its plans, and working with local government, the housing industry and investors to build houses.
In Goodlord and Vouch's State of the Industry report, which surveyed more than 2,000 landlords, tenants, and letting agents, 58% of letting agents saw fewer homes available for tenants in 2023 - while 77% saw increased demand.
Warm homes plan
The Labour government has committed to numerous green energy projects and initiatives, including upgrading every home to EPC standard C “within a decade”. It is not currently clear if the private rented sector will need to deliver this update earlier.
Under the Conservatives, the original plan for just the private rented sector was to have all properties reach EPC band C by 2035. Newly-rented properties were top of the priority, with an aim to EPC band C by 2025, followed by all tenancies in 2028. However, in September 2023, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced intentions to water down these targets.
Meanwhile, Labour aims to “cut energy bills for good”.
What else would be included in the Labour’s renters’ charter?
The charter is also expected to cover some new measures and variations on the existing proposals, including:
- A plan to end "automatic evictions for rent arrears"
- Introducing a four-month notice period for landlords
- Including the right for renters to have pets as well as making "reasonable" alterations to a property
- Schemes to make tenancy deposits "more portable"
Want to know more?
- 📜 Take our free, CPD-accredited Renters (Reform) Bill course
- 🎥 Watch the webinar: 'Are landlords selling up? And how agents can win landlords when supply is low.'
- 🎧 Listen to our podcast on reactions to the bill's second reading
This article is intended as a guide only and does not constitute legal advice. Visit gov.uk for more information.
