The government has refused to release a key piece of evidence on the impact of the Renters’ Rights Bill just weeks before it could be signed into law – preventing property professionals from scrutinising the biggest change to their industry in decades.
The Justice Impact Test for the Renters’ Rights Bill assesses its likely impact on the court system, including the projected number of court and tribunal cases it will lead to. This is expected to be high, as all evictions will have to go through the courts after Section 21 evictions are scrapped.
However, when Reapit requested access to the report, the government refused, saying that Justice Impact Tests are internal documents that are not normally published.
According to Dr Neil Cobbold, Reapit’s Commercial Director, “The government’s decision not to share the Renters’ Rights Bill Justice Impact Test raises serious questions about transparency and accountability. The estimate of changes in the number of court and tribunal cases is a vital tool for understanding how the legislation will affect the property sector – including case volumes – and whether the justice infrastructure is in place to support the change.”
In her reply to Reapit, Baroness Taylor, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, said that the government expects the Bill to reduce the number of court cases in the long term. However, landlords report they are already facing long waits for hearings even under the current system.
Renters’ Rights Bill could be law in weeks
The House of Lords has scheduled the Renters’ Rights Bill’s report stage for 1-15 July. This is a chance for all members of the House of Lords to debate the bill in detail and vote on any amendments. After this, it will receive its third reading in the Lords.
If the Lords make significant amendments, this could kick off a round of ping-pong with the Commons. However, if they don’t, the Bill could be sent for Royal Assent before Parliament’s summer recess begins on 22 July.
