In a surprise move today, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that he has asked King Charles to dissolve Parliament on May 30th, paving the way for a general election to be held on July 4th.
This decision has thrown a wrench into the government’s plans for the long-awaited Renters’ Reform bill, as a result this bill in its current form will never see the light of day.
What is the renter’s reform bill?
The Renters’ Reform bill had been making its way through Parliament with the aim of improving rights and protections for millions of renters across England.
Some of its key proposed measures included abolishing “no-fault” evictions, providing more secure tenancies, and cracking down on rogue landlords.
However, the timing of the snap election call means there is now insufficient time for the bill to be passed before Parliament is dissolved on May 30th.
The Renters Reform now dead in the water
With the announcement of the dissolution of Parliament set to happen today, May 30th 2024, the government and members of Parliament had to decide a set of bills which would be included in the wash-up period, a period of time in which ongoing bills in the two chambers would be rushed before dissolution. As it stands now, the Renters Reform bill has not been included in this wash-up.
Unfortunately, it marks the end of months of negotiations between members of parliaments, tenant associations, landlord associations and the rest of the property industry.
Why are we in this situation?
The reasons come down to the recency of the next election. This Friday (May 25th) is the last sitting day for Parliament before it breaks for the Whitsun recess next week.
Parliament will then be dissolved on May 30th to allow for the general election campaign to take place and with no further Parliamentary time available, the bill cannot complete its remaining stages and receive Royal Assent before dissolving.
So, what happens now?
As a result, whenever the new Parliament convenes after the general election, the whole legislative process for rental reform would have to start from scratch – going through multiple readings and committee stages in both the Commons and Lords over many more months.
Many argue this is a devastating blow for renters who have been waiting years for proper reform of the rental market riddled with insecurity. All of the scrutiny from the current system, many of which come from Generation Rent, now seems wasted thanks to the Prime Minister’s decision to go to the polls early.
The shelved legislation was meant to allow renters to ‘confidently settle down and make their house a home’. But those words will now ring hollow with many of the estimated 11 million households who rent privately in England.
While the Conservatives and Labour both committed to rental reform in their 2019 manifestos, it remains to be seen whether a new government after July 4th will revive the stalled legislation as a priority.
For now, long-suffering tenants and landlords, apprehensive and poised to make changes to accommodate these new laws, are being left in limbo yet again over their rights and housing security.
Latest udpate
Since the wash up period following the call for a snap election, the Labour party has put forward a new bill: the Renter’s Right bill.
Last Updated on March 30, 2026
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