The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has outlined its support for several key amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill, aimed at giving landlords greater confidence in regaining possession of properties and ensuring the system remains fair and workable.
The Renters’ Rights Bill is set to return to the House of Lords on 22 April for the first of at least two days of detailed committee review. The NRLA is backing changes that would protect landlords from long-term rent arrears and improve the handling of rent disputes — issues that could have significant financial implications for landlords across England.
Protecting landlords from unpaid rent
A major amendment supported by the NRLA focuses on maintaining the existing two-month threshold for rent arrears when landlords seek to regain possession of their property.
Lord Carter of Haslemere is proposing that the two-month threshold remains unchanged when the Renters’ Rights Bill becomes law — a recommendation strongly backed by the NRLA. The amendment would also introduce a key exemption for rent arrears caused by issues with Universal Credit payments, ensuring that landlords are not unfairly penalised when tenants face administrative delays.
The NRLA argues that this change is essential to give landlords confidence in the legal process for regaining possession. “Landlords need to know they have a clear, fair route to reclaiming their property if tenants stop paying rent,” said a spokesperson for the NRLA. “Keeping the two-month threshold for rent arrears is crucial to maintaining that confidence.”
Under the current system, landlords can seek possession if tenants fall into arrears of two months or more. The NRLA believes that lowering this threshold or complicating the process could discourage landlords from continuing to rent out properties — potentially reducing the availability of rental homes at a time when demand remains high.
Improving rent dispute resolution and student tenancies
The NRLA is also backing amendments aimed at streamlining rent dispute resolution and making the system more practical for both landlords and tenants.
One proposal would introduce a system to assess rent increases before they reach a tribunal. The NRLA suggests that this should be developed in collaboration with the Valuation Office Agency, creating a consistent and transparent process for resolving disputes.
Another recommended change involves allowing landlords to require an initial rent payment as a condition of a tenancy agreement. This would give landlords greater security and help ensure tenants are financially committed to the property from the outset.
The NRLA is also pushing for changes to student tenancies. Currently, the Renters’ Rights Bill includes a student possession ground, but the NRLA wants this to be extended to cover one- and two-bedroom student properties.
“We are calling for an extension of the ground allowing it to be applied to one- and two-bedroom student homes, and to allow students to pay rent by term (rather than monthly),” the association said in a statement. “This would reflect the reality of how most student lettings are structured and give landlords more confidence in renting to students.”
The NRLA believes that aligning the payment schedule with the academic calendar would simplify the process for both landlords and student tenants, while protecting landlords from mid-term financial disruptions.
Balancing tenant rights with landlord protection
The Renters’ Rights Bill, which was introduced to the House of Commons on 11 September 2023, has been positioned by the government as a measure to improve security and stability for tenants. However, the NRLA argues that the current draft of the Bill could create unintended problems for landlords — particularly around possession rights and rent control.
Since the Bill was last discussed in the Lords on 4 February, over 50 pages of amendments have been tabled. The NRLA has been actively engaged in shaping these amendments to ensure that landlords’ interests are not overlooked.
The government has indicated that if additional time is needed to review the amendments, more committee sessions will be scheduled in the second half of April.
A spokesperson for the NRLA stressed the importance of finding a balanced solution: “We support reforms that improve tenant security, but not at the expense of landlords’ ability to manage their properties effectively. Landlords need confidence that they can regain possession of their property when tenants fail to pay rent — and the proposed amendments would help strike that balance.”
A fairer system for landlords and tenants
The NRLA’s proposed changes aim to create a more balanced rental market where landlords feel secure in offering long-term tenancies, while tenants benefit from greater protection and stability.
If the two-month threshold for rent arrears is retained, landlords would have more confidence in the legal process for regaining possession — helping to prevent prolonged financial loss. Similarly, improving the system for handling rent disputes would make the process clearer and less confrontational for both parties.
The push for student tenancy reform reflects the reality of how student rentals operate, while the option for landlords to require an initial rent payment would reduce the financial risks associated with new tenancies.
The coming weeks will be crucial as the Renters’ Rights Bill moves through the House of Lords. If the NRLA’s recommendations are adopted, the final version of the Bill could offer a more balanced framework — giving landlords the confidence to remain in the market while improving tenant protections.
