Round up of housing law and news: April 2025
Renters' Rights Bill
The Renters' Rights Bill has been brought forward by the government to introduce major private rented sector reforms, including abolishing section 21 and assured shorthold tenancies.
The Bill is progressing through Parliament and returned to the House of Lords for the committee stage on 22 April.
Track the progress of the bill
Track the progress of the bill and read the latest version on the UK Parliament site.
Legislation
New code of practice for student accommodation.
Code of practice for student accommodation
Under schedule 14 Housing Act 2004, buildings occupied by full-time students at specified educational institutions are excluded from HMO licensing requirements. The Secretary of State can require the accommodation providers to follow a prescribed code of practice.
New regulations update the code of practice to include the Universities UK/Guild HE Accommodation Code of Practice for Student Housing. These changes came into force on 1 May.
Case law
Possession proceedings against tenant with a disability, equality assessors, and a starter tenancy extension.
Possession against tenant with a disability was proportionate
The High Court upheld a possession order issued against a disabled tenant. The claim was based on rent arrears, antisocial behaviour by the tenant's son, refusal to allow access, and the deterioration of premises due to the tenant's hoarding. The tenant's behaviour was linked to her disability.
The court ruled that the social landlord had taken reasonable steps to support the tenant to tackle hoarding. The landlord was not required to refer to specialist services or apply to the Court of Protection to meet its Equality Act 2010 duties.
Thiam v Richmond Housing Partnership [2025] EWHC 933 (KB)
Disclosure of equality assessor's contribution
The Court of Appeal upheld the refusal to disclose Equality Act assessor's evidence relied on in a possession trial.
The defendant challenged the fairness of the possession proceedings after the trial judge refused to disclose the assessor’s evidence. As the assessor had only helped the judge evaluate the evidence, rather than providing formal evidence, disclosure was not required. The appeal was dismissed.
Laidley v Metropolitan Housing Trust Ltd [2025] EWCA Civ 448
Starter tenancy extension valid despite date error
A landlord sought possession using section 21 for a starter tenancy due to antisocial behaviour and rent arrears. The tenant argued the starter tenancy extension notice was invalid so the tenancy was assured. The starter tenancy was extended one day beyond the permitted six month period. The tenant, who has a disability, also raised defences under the Equality Act 2010.
The County Court ordered possession, finding the section 21 valid despite the date error in the starter tenancy extension notice. It ruled the extension’s intent was clear and not misleading. The court found that the landlord had met its obligations and ruled the possession proportionate.
Yorkshire Housing Limited v Scott (County Court Scarborough)
News and guidance
New guidance on Afghan resettlement, fire safety advice for landlords, and temporary accommodation conditions.
Afghan resettlement schemes
The government published new guidance on the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP), setting out its approach to Afghan resettlement from 1 March 2025.
The ARP brings together the two existing resettlement schemes, the Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy. It also includes any relevant instances where leave outside the rules has been granted.
Gov.uk: Afghan Resettlement Programme: policy guidance
Fire safety advice for landlords
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors published fire safety advice for landlords and building managers. It includes information about the role of the designated 'responsible person' and what fire safety equipment landlords should provide.
RICS: Fire safety for landlords – rented and shared accommodation
Unsafe temporary accommodation
The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee called for urgent action to improve unsafe temporary accommodation for families, particularly children. Its report highlights that in the last five years temporary accommodation has contributed to the deaths of at least 74 children.
UK Parliament: England’s Homeless Children: The crisis in temporary accommodation
Cost of temporary accommodation
An investigation has found local authorities in England are being forced to pay well above market rates to house homeless people. Over 100,000 households live in temporary accommodation, fuelling a £2bn unregulated industry.
The Guardian: Private landlords and hotels ‘cashing in’ on England’s hidden homelessness crisis
Financial pressure on supported housing
Over 150 organisations warn that funding cuts and rising costs are pushing the supported housing sector to breaking point, risking homelessness for tens of thousands of vulnerable people. Public bodies, charities, and housing associations have urged the government to take urgent action.
The Guardian: Supported housing in England on brink of financial crisis, charities warn
Data and trends
Tenancy deposits, affordable rentals, and social housing waiting lists.
A quarter of renters struggle to get their tenancy deposit back
New research from Generation Rent suggests one in four renters struggle to get their tenancy deposit back at the end of their tenancy. The research also shows:
almost a quarter of tenants experienced deposit deductions they did not think were reasonable
around a fifth of tenants (18%) did not dispute deductions because they were unaware of their rights
one in four renters had to borrow money from friends and family to cover costs at the start of their tenancy
Generation Rent: One in four renters struggles to retrieve full deposit after tenancy
Fewer than 3% of private properties affordable on housing benefit
Crisis, in partnership with Health Equals, released a report examining the housing affordability crisis. The research shows:
fewer than 3% of private rentals listed in England are affordable on housing benefit
in London, where rents are highest, only 1.6% of private rentals listed are affordable on housing benefit
the average monthly shortfall between local housing allowance and the lowest 30% of rents in England was £350 for a one bed, £335 for a two bed, and £508 for a three bed
Health Equals: Campaigning for affordable rents with Crisis
Some council housing waiting lists over 100 years long
Analysis from the National Housing Federation, Crisis and Shelter shows that some local authorities have waiting lists longer than a hundred years for a family sized social home.
The analysis also shows that:
the number of families on social housing waiting lists in England has increased by 37% since 2015
in 32 local authorities in England, the waiting list is longer than 18 years
a record 164,040 children are homeless and living in temporary accommodation
National Housing Federation: Over a hundred years’ wait for a family-sized social home
Recent articles
April round up
Service family accommodation
Renters' Rights Act
The monthly round up of legislation, cases, news and data from Housing Matters