The Renters’ Rights Bill will return to parliament on 14 January, signalling that the government is looking to hit the ground running when it comes to passing the bill.

The report stage is next in the Commons, which gives Members of Parliament the opportunity to make amendments to the Bill.

That is then followed by the third reading, which is usually a discussion without amendments.

After that the bill goes through various stages in the House of Lords, before finally being granted Royal Assent.

In September Matthew Pennycock, minister of state for housing and planning, told BBC Breakfast: “We hope [the bill] will make very quick progress through the House of Commons and that we have that new tenancy system in place within the first half or around summer next year.”

Renters’ Rights Bill summary

The UK’s creaking court system already struggles to cope with Section 8 evictions, a type of eviction where landlords have to give a reason for evicting the tenant.

There is also a proposal to cap in-tenancy rent increases to once per year, while tenants will be able to challenge unjust increases via tribunal.

Meanwhile fixed term tenancies are set to be abolished, to be replaced by periodic tenancies that continue indefinitely.

Worryingly for landlords, they won’t be able to terminate a periodic tenancy until a tenant has fallen into arrears of more than three months, while they have to give four week notice – meaning it will be a four-month process as it stands.

Via @PropertyWire