The Renters (Reform) Bill has just finished its main discussions in the House of Commons and will soon be reviewed by the House of Lords. During earlier stages, it was heavily edited to correct issues from past changes.

There’s been some confusion about when the new rules will start. Some people thought the government hadn’t decided when to end section 21 notices, which let landlords evict tenants without a stated reason.

Actually, the government has chosen to introduce the changes gradually, rather than all at once.

Before any of the changes can happen, the bill needs to become law, which requires something called Royal Assent. Once it has this, it won’t change things immediately. Instead, it’ll first be used to set up new rules. This kind of delay is normal because it takes time to get everything ready.

The government had earlier said it would give six months’ warning before it stops section 21 notices. They plan to stick to this by choosing a date six months from now to end these notices for new renting agreements. After this date, any new or renewed rental agreements won’t be affected by section 21, and this will also apply to any rental that switches from a fixed term to an ongoing basis. Most rental agreements last from six to twelve months, so it’s expected that most existing rentals will change to the new system within a year without needing to do anything else.