Round up of housing law and news: February 2025
Renters' Rights Bill
The Renters' Rights Bill has been brought forward by the government to introduce major private rented sector reform, including abolishing section 21 and assured shorthold tenancies.
The Bill is progressing through Parliament and had its second reading in the House of Lords on 4 February.
The Bill is expected to become law in the middle of 2025.
UK Parliament
Track the progress of the bill and read the latest version on the UK Parliament site.
Legislation
Leasehold ownership changes and disregarded compensation payments for housing benefit and universal credit.
Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act
The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 allows leaseholders of flats in qualifying premises to form a right to manage company.
Under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act (Commencement No.3) Regulations, leaseholders cannot use this right where more than 50% of the building is used for non-residential purposes. This is an increase from the previous threshold of 25%.
The regulations bring the change into effect from 3 March 2025.
Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 (Commencement No.3) Regulations 2025 S.I. 2025/131
Ministry of Defence LGBT compensation scheme
The Social Security (Income and Capital Disregards) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amend which payments are disregarded from income and capital assessments for housing benefit and universal credit. Compensation payments made under the Ministry of Defence's LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme are now disregarded for HB and UC calculations.
The regulations bring the change into effect from 28 February 2025.
The Social Security (Income and Capital Disregards) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
Case law
Challenging homelessness decisions, council tax in HMOs, intentional homelessness from tenancy obtained by deception.
Method to challenge homelessness decision
The local authority discharged its main housing duty by offering the claimant a private rented sector offer. The Court of Appeal held the main duty ended automatically when the claimant refused the offer, and the claimant should have used a section 202 internal review rather than a judicial review to challenge the decision.
Bano, R (On the Application Of) v London Borough of Waltham Forest [2025] EWCA Civ 92
Intentionally homeless from fraudulent tenancy
The County Court held that a homeless applicant who obtained a tenancy by deception could not be intentionally homeless if they lost that accommodation. The applicant would not have been entitled to occupy the property and it cannot be said the accommodation was reasonable to continue to occupy.
Munemo v City of Wolverhampton Council [2025] EWCC 4 (31 January 2025)
Service charges for assured tenancy
The Upper Tribunal held that assured tenants were not liable to pay service charges where the charges were unreasonable or not clearly stated in the tenancy agreement.
Uddin & Ors v Notting Hill Genesis [2025] UKUT 56 (LC) (19 February 2025)
Council tax in HMOs
The High Court held that a six bedroom house in multiple occupation (HMO) should be assessed as six separate dwellings for council tax purposes.
Stanuszek v Bunyan (Listing Officer) (No. 2) [2025] EWHC 255 (Admin) (07 February 2025)
News and guidance
Implementation of Awaab's law, energy efficiency in the private sector, emergency homelessness funding.
Awaab's law timeline
The Secretary of State has confirmed the implementation timeline for Awaab's law. Awaab's law will require social landlords to fix reported health hazards within specified timeframes.
From October 2025, social landlords must address damp and mould issues within prescribed timescales. From 2025, the duty extends to cover more hazards, including excess cold or heat. From 2027, the duty applies to all hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, except overcrowding.
Gov.uk: Improving the quality of social housing
Energy efficiency of private rentals
The government has launched a consultation which proposes raising the minimum energy efficiency standard for private rented homes from E to C. The paper proposes the change would initially apply to new tenancies from 2028, and to all tenancies from 2030.
The consultation period ends on 2 May 2025.
Gov.uk: Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes
Emergency homelessness funding
The government has announced an additional £30 million in Rough Sleeping Winter Pressures Funding for local authorities to tackle rough sleeping. The funding aims to help people stay in their homes and support people at risk of rough sleeping.
Gov.uk: Emergency homelessness fund boosted to £60 million
Complaints about rented housing
This House of Commons Library constituency casework report details how a tenant can complain about problems in rented housing, and the redress schemes available, including the Housing Ombudsman.
House of Commons Library: How to complain about rented housing
Domestic abuse and housing support
This House of Commons Library constituency casework report explores options available for people fleeing their home because of domestic abuse. It includes information about applying to the local authority and how to find a refuge space.
House of Commons Library: Domestic abuse and housing support
Leasehold reform
This House of Commons constituency casework report discusses the implementation of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 so far. It also summarises further proposed changes.
House of Commons Library: Leasehold reform: what's happening and when?
Data and trends
The latest data on homelessness and section 21 notices.
15% increase in homeless children within one year
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has released the latest homelessness statistics for England covering July to September 2024. The figures show there are:
164,040 children in temporary accommodation, an increase of 15% from last year
126,040 households in temporary accommodation, up 16%
24,360 households living in B&Bs and hostels, up 17% from last year
Gov.uk: Tables on homelessness - GOV.UK
Shelter: Children in TA hits another shameful record as rough sleeping soars - Shelter England
Over 32,000 households served with a section 21 notice last year
The Ministry of Justice released its mortgage and landlord possession statistics, covering October to December 2024. Analysis of the figures by Crisis shows that:
32,287 households in England were served with a section 21 eviction notice last year
2,947 households were evicted following a section 21 notice between October and December last year
37,684 households have been evicted following a section 21 notice since April 2019, when the government announced its plan to ban no-fault evictions
Gov.uk: Mortgage and landlord possession statistics: October to December 2024 - GOV.UK
Crisis: Over 32,000 households in England served with a no-fault eviction last year
The monthly round up of legislation, cases, news and data from Housing Matters