Amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill including one making it easier for student landlords to reclaim properties have been controversially rejected.

The House of Lords requested Ground 4A to be extended to all student properties, meaning all student landlords would have been able to reclaim properties in time for the next cohort of students in the academic year. Now that will only apply to student HMOs of three or more bedrooms.

Secondly, housing minister Matthew Pennycook rejected an alteration that would have allowed landlords to re-let a property six months after evicting a tenant for the purpose of selling up. Landlords in that situation will instead have to wait 12 months.

Thirdly, calls for landlords to be able to charge tenants an extra three weeks’ deposit for keeping pets were rejected.

One amendment that did go through was allowing agricultural landlords to evict tenants to house employees and non-employees involved in farming.

Meanwhile, in times where tenants appeal against a rental increase at a tribunal, Pennycook agreed to introduce a delegated power to enable the backdating of rent rises.

In total, around 20 non-government amendments were rejected.