The Consideration of Amendments Stage, known informally as “ping-pong”, is now underway for the Renters’ Rights Bill. This is the final phase of the legislative process, where the House of Commons and House of Lords exchange the bill back and forth until they agree on the exact wording. Once both Houses agree, the bill will be sent for Royal Assent to become law.
What Happens in “Ping-Pong”?
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Lords’ amendments go back to the Commons.
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The Commons can agree, reject, amend, or propose alternatives.
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The bill then returns to the Lords for their response.
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This continues until both Houses agree on a final text.
Key Issues Under Debate
Several amendments where the government was defeated in the Lords are now being reconsidered. However, the Government have announced they won’t be supporting any non-Government amendments and will be whipping MPs to vote against – i.e. they won’t happen. These include:
- Expand the possession ground 4A to also apply to one-bedroom and two-bedroom properties let to students.
- Extend possession ground 5A to other types of agricultural workers, regardless of their employment status.
- Introduce a new possession ground 8A which would allow a landlord to seek possession of their property where it was needed to house a carer for the landlord or for a member of the landlord’s family.
- Allow a landlord to require a “pet deposit” of up to three weeks’ rent as a condition for consenting to a tenant keeping a pet in the property.
- Reduce from 12 months to six months the restricted period during which landlords cannot relet their property (after using possession ground 1A Renters’ Rights Bill 2024-25: Consideration of Lords amendments
8 Commons Library Research Briefing, 2 September 2025 when they wish to sell their property). And exempt shared owners from the 12-month restriction. - Enable a primary authority to give assured advice to lettings agents on achieving compliance under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.
- Require local authorities to meet the criminal rather than civil standard of proof when imposing financial penalties for breaches of the rental discrimination and rental bidding requirements.
- Extend the Decent Homes Standard to Ministry of Defence service family accommodation.
The House of Commons Library has released a brief for MPs to consider the amendments tabled in the Lords. It can be seen here, and in summary says:
Key Provisions of the Bill
The original bill, as introduced, contained several significant provisions:
- Abolishing Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions and reforming the grounds for possession.
- Strengthening tenants’ rights, such as the ability to challenge above-market rent increases and the right to request a pet.
- Introducing a new ombudsman service and a private rented sector database.
- Strengthening enforcement powers for local authorities.
Substantive Amendments from the House of Lords
The Lords made several key changes to the bill, both from the government and non-government members.
Government Amendments
- Transitional Provisions: Landlords who serve a possession notice before the act’s commencement would have up to three months to initiate possession proceedings.
- Rent Increases: A new power was introduced enabling the Secretary of State to create regulations to backdate the date from which tenants would pay a new rent if they challenged a proposed increase at a tribunal. This was intended to prevent the tribunal from being overwhelmed by challenges.
- Pet Insurance: Provisions that would have allowed landlords to require insurance to cover potential pet damage were removed from the bill. The government decided that the existing tenancy deposit arrangements were sufficient.
- Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA): The exemption for university-managed PBSA from the new assured tenancy system was extended to private PBSA that are members of a government-approved code of practice.
- Local Authority Powers: The requirement for local authorities to give prior notice to a landlord before entering a property without a warrant for certain enforcement actions was removed
Non-Government Amendments
- Student Rentals: An amendment was agreed to extend the new possession ground for student houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) to also include one-bedroom and two-bedroom properties let to students.
- Pet Damage Deposit: Landlords would be allowed to require a “pet deposit” of up to three weeks’ rent as a condition for consenting to a pet.
- Possession Grounds: New grounds for possession were introduced, including one that would allow a landlord to regain their property to house a carer for themselves or a family member
- Reletting Restrictions: The restricted period during which landlords cannot relet a property after using a possession ground to sell it was reduced from 12 to six months
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