Round up of housing law and news: January 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 third reading in the House of Commons on 14 January. The first reading in the House of Lords took place on 15 January, and a second reading in the Lords is scheduled for 4 February.
The Bill is expected to become law in the middle of 2025.
House of Commons Library briefing
This House of Commons Library briefing covers the progress of the bill so far.
Renters' Rights Bill 2024-25: Progress of the bill - House of Commons Library
UK Parliament
Track the progress of the bill, and read the latest version on the UK Parliament site.
Legislation
Leasehold ownership changes.
Changes to rules on leasehold purchases
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 (Commencement No.2 and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2025 bring into force section 27 of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. The change removes the requirement for leaseholders to have held a lease for at least two years before they can extend their lease or buy the freehold.
Case law
Local connection and special circumstances, fresh homeless applications on new facts, service of section 21 documents.
Local connection and special circumstances
A homeless applicant challenged an authority's local connection referral, arguing that his need to access support from a refugee centre in the borough gave him a local connection under special circumstances. The authority upheld its decision on review, noting that the applicant did not actually need to reside in the borough to access support.
The Court of Appeal held that while a need to live in the area was not essential for a local connection under special circumstances, it was reasonable for the authority to take account of whether it was an actual requirement to be resident to access support. The applicant's appeal was unsuccessful.
Hussaini v Islington London Borough Council [2025] EWCA Civ 22 (17 January 2025)
Fresh homeless application after new facts
A homeless applicant was found to be intentionally homeless, and later made a fresh homeless application accompanied by a new report from a consultant psychiatrist.
The local authority found that this was based on the same facts as the earlier application. The Court of Appeal held that the psychiatrist report did contain new facts, and that the authority should accept a fresh application.
Service of section 21 documents
The Court of Appeal held that the service of a gas safety certificate, energy performance certificate, and How to Rent guide by post is valid as long as the tenancy agreement permits it. If the tenant denies receiving the documents, a court does not have to treat them as having been served.
Khan & Anor v D'Aubigny [2025] EWCA Civ 11 (17 January 2025)
News and guidance
Civil legal aid fees, Public Accounts Committee report on homelessness, rough sleeping in England, pets in rented accommodation
Civil legal aid consultation
The government has launched a consultation on reforming civil legal aid fees for housing, debt, immigration and asylum work. The consultation is open until 21 March 2025.
Gov.uk: Civil legal aid: Towards a sustainable future - GOV.UK
Public Accounts Committee report on homelessness
The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee has published a report detailing how record levels of homelessness are putting unsustainable pressure on local authority finances. The report warns of an overreliance on temporary accommodation due to decreasing social housing stock.
Rough sleeping in England
Recent House of Commons library briefings on rough sleeping explore the causes and statistics, and steps taken by local and national government.
House of Commons Library: Rough sleeping in England: Causes and statistics - House of Commons Library
Rough sleeping in England: Local and national government action - House of Commons Library
Funding for rough sleepers increased
The government has announced increased funding for emergency accommodation for rough sleepers. The Rough Sleeping Winter Pressures Funding is to be increased from £10 million to £30 million and will provide extra support to local authorities to help frontline homelessness workers.
Gov.uk: Emergency cash tripled for rough sleepers this winter - GOV.UK
Pets in rented accommodation
The House of Commons Library has published a briefing on the rules for pets in rented accommodation. The briefing covers when tenants are allowed to keep pets, including guide and assistance dogs.
House of Commons Library: Can my landlord prevent me from keeping a pet? (England)
Data and trends
Child deaths in temporary accommodation
Child mortality in temporary accommodation
Data from the National Child Mortality Database shows that between 1 October 2023 and 30 September 2024, of 3,605 child deaths in England:
80 of these were children in temporary accommodation
72% of those children were from families in the most deprived groups
38% of those children were from non-white families
Households in Temporary Accommodation APPG: Child Mortality in Temporary Accommodation 2025 - Households in Temporary Accommodation APPG
The monthly round up of legislation, cases, news and data from Housing Matters