The Housing Minister has confirmed that the government has not conducted any review on the effects of the rule preventing landlords from re-letting their properties for 12 months if a sale collapses.
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords who remove tenants in order to sell their homes are now required to wait an entire year before they can rent the property out again should the sale fail to complete.
This issue was brought up in Parliament through a written question from Conservative MPs, who asked whether the government had evaluated how this restriction might affect the number of empty properties across the country.
In response, Shadow Housing Secretary James Cleverly questioned the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government about what analysis had been done on the possible impact of this policy, especially in cases where homes are left vacant after failed sales.
In his official reply, Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook admitted that no such assessment had been made by his department. He explained that the new rule, outlined under mandatory possession ground 1A, is designed to ensure that landlords genuinely intend to sell their properties once tenants are asked to leave.
According to Pennycook, the aim of the 12-month re-letting ban is to stop landlords from exploiting the rule by evicting tenants simply to re-let their homes at a higher rent. By enforcing this restriction, the government hopes to prevent misuse of the possession grounds and ensure fair treatment for renters.
He clarified that landlords who use this rule are expected to sell their homes with vacant possession, as originally intended, and not re-enter the rental market for financial gain.
However, some members of the House of Lords expressed concerns that the 12-month waiting period might be too long, particularly in cases where sales fall through unexpectedly. An amendment was proposed to reduce the ban to six months, but it did not pass.
The Renters’ Rights Act has since received Royal Assent, confirming it will become law. Nonetheless, the government has yet to set a clear date for when the rule will take effect.
Critics argue that without an official assessment, it remains unclear how this policy could affect housing availability, particularly if large numbers of homes remain empty for extended periods due to failed sales.
Others suggest that the measure could unintentionally contribute to housing shortages by reducing the number of properties available to rent in the short term.
Supporters of the Act, on the other hand, believe that the rule is necessary to discourage landlords from misusing eviction powers and to strengthen tenant protections across England.
The absence of an impact assessment has raised concerns among housing experts and industry groups, who warn that such policies should be carefully monitored to prevent unforeseen consequences.
While the government maintains that the rule is meant to promote fairness, some fear it could introduce further complications into an already strained rental market.
Until a formal review is undertaken, the long-term effects of the 12-month re-letting ban on both landlords and tenants remain uncertain.
For now, the housing sector continues to await further guidance and clarity on how the new regulations will be implemented and enforced once the Renters’ Rights Act officially comes into force.
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