Policy paper

A fairer private rented sector

This white paper sets out our plans to fundamentally reform the private rented sector and level up housing quality in this country.

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Applies to England

Documents

A fairer private rented sector

A fairer private rented sector (web accessible)

A fairer private rented sector (print PDF)

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Details

The ‘A fairer private rented sector’ white paper sets out the government’s long-term vision for a private rented sector (PRS) that is fit for the 21st century and delivers a better deal for tenants. This includes plans to:

  • abolish Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions and introduce a simpler tenancy structure
  • apply the Decent Homes Standard to the PRS for the first time
  • introduce a new Property Portal to help landlords understand their obligations
  • introduce a housing ombudsman covering all PRS landlords and providing redress for tenants

Alongside this white paper we will also be publishing 6 other documents including:

  • the government response to ‘Considering the case for a Housing Court’ call for evidence which sets out why we don’t think we need a separate housing court and how we will be improving the possession process
  • the government response to ‘A new deal for renting’ consultation which covers the removal of section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 and improving landlord possession grounds
  • the government response to the ‘Tenancy deposit reform’ call for evidence which sets out support for the Tenancy Deposit Working Group’s consideration on deposit system improvement
  • Local authority enforcement in the private rented sector: headline report which explores local authority enforcement in the private rented sector
  • Property guardian: headline report is a study that explores property guardianship in the private rented sector
  • A segmentation analysis of private renters is a research report that groups privately rented households based on economic and family circumstances that impact their ability to access high-quality housing

Updates to this page

Published 16 June 2022
Last updated 2 August 2022 + show all updates
  1. Added easy read version of the white paper "A fairer private rented sector".

  2. First published.

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