Your say / Renters' Rights Bill
‘The Renters’ Rights Act is a once-in-a-generation opportunity – but only if people understand what it means for them’
On May 1, one of the most significant changes to private renting in a generation will come into force.
The Renters’ Rights Act will introduce new protections for tenants across England, including the abolishing of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, bidding wars and fixed term tenancies.
For around 125,000 private renters in Bristol – 280,000 across the West of England – and their landlords, it’s a major shift in how the system works.
But legislation alone doesn’t change people’s lives – awareness of how it impacts them can. Awareness of the rules, how to access support when they aren’t followed, and where to go to get trusted advice at the right time.
If tenants and landlords don’t understand both their rights and responsibilities, the opportunity for meaningful engagement and change could easily be lost.
“The Renters’ Rights Act will introduce new protections for tenants across England”
That’s why the next few weeks and months matter so much.
At Housing Matters, where I’m director, we’ve worked on around 1,200 housing cases in Bristol in the last year. Our clients include people in social housing, people renting privately, and people who are currently homeless or rough sleeping.
We see how a lack of understanding plays out in real time and one of the biggest challenges is that many people simply don’t realise support exists. People often leave their homes too early after receiving an eviction notice because they think they have no choice.
Others try to represent themselves in court, or don’t attend at all, because they don’t know advice services are available.
And housing insecurity can happen much more easily than people think.
One case that has stayed with me involved a woman with three children who had been renting the same home for more than a decade. Then she received a Section 21 notice.
Even with a full-time job, she couldn’t afford to re-enter the rental market. In the end, she had to move into temporary accommodation.
That kind of disruption affects everything – children’s schooling, mental health, employment, and someone’s sense of stability. It shows how quickly housing security can unravel.
Section 21 was a big part of that instability. It meant landlords could evict tenants without needing to give a specific reason.
But this isn’t simply a story of bad landlords or vulnerable tenants. Section 21 existed within a system that made eviction relatively straightforward, and people can only operate within the systems they’re given.
The Renters’ Rights Act is an attempt to rebalance that system – strengthening tenants’ ability to challenge decisions and stay safely housed, while still allowing landlords to regain their property when they need to.
The response from landlords to the Act has been mixed. Some are preparing practically for the changes, while others remain uncertain. But in some cases, initial misunderstanding or frustrations – for example around student lets – have eased once landlords have looked more closely at the legislation.
At Bristol City Hall we have discussed the new law and underlining this isn’t about taking sides. It’s about making sure both tenants and landlords understand what the changes mean for the benefit of everyone.
In preparation for the Renters’ Rights Act, we’re working with partners across the city – from MPs and the council to frontline organisations – to make sure accurate information reaches people through trusted local networks.
These are often the places where people first talk about housing concerns – at community centres, schools, GP surgeries and foodbanks.
In the long term, success will be about stability.
When tenants feel secure, they are more likely to stay long term, look after their homes, and feel part of their communities. Housing stability underpins employment, education, mental health and family life.
In the West of England, that work is already underway.
Alice Tibbert is the director of Housing Matters
On Monday people from housing organisations, local authorities, letting agents and community partners gathered together at City Hall to prepare the region to spread the word.
Through a coordinated regional awareness campaign focusing on the last week of April, ahead of May 1, our aim is simple – making sure people understand what the Renters’ Rights Act means for them.
Because this legislation will only deliver on its promise if people know about it and are equipped to use it – which starts with clear, trusted information reaching the people who need it most.
This is an opinion piece by Alice Tibbert, director of Housing Matters
All Photos: Housing Matters
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