Sunak and Gove accused of caving in to lobbying in favour of landlords

Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove have been accused of caving in to Tory MPs lobbying in favour of landlords’ interests after it emerged that significant aspects of the renters’ reform bill are to be watered down.

Changes will include an amendment to prevent tenants ending contracts in a tenancy’s first six months, and another casting doubt on the removal of no-fault evictions, a minister told MPs in a leaked letter.

The government also came under fire for apparently casting doubts over a commitment to getting rid of so-called no-fault evictions, known as section 21 notices, by saying in the same letter that another amendment would require the lord chancellor to publish an assessment on the “readiness” of the courts before such a ban.

The letter was sent out on Wednesday by Jacob Young, a communities minister who told parliament earlier this month: “We are absolutely committed to the abolition of section 21.

Matthew Pennycook, the shadow housing minister, accused Sunak and Gove of “putting the interests of party management ahead of what is right for the British people”.

ADepartment for Levelling Up, Housing and Communitiesspokesperson said:“Our landmark renters’ (reform) bill will deliver a fairer private rented sector for both tenants and landlords.