The Renters’ Rights Bill returned to Parliament for debate last week and included some new changes.
Cap on advance rent payments
A new rule is proposed that will cap advance rent payments at one month’s rent. Currently, there is no limit on the upfront rent a landlord can ask for. This is being used to exploit potential tenants in some places and particularly disadvantages renters on lower incomes.
Landlords will still be able to take a security deposit of up to 5 or 6 weeks rent alongside a one month’s rent in advance.
Safeguards for bereavement
Another proposed change will mean that bereaved guarantors will no longer be forced to pay rent for the rest of the tenancy where a loved one has died. This will make it easier to end a tenancy agreement in unforeseen and tragic circumstances.
Reducing early commitments
Currently students can feel pressured to sign a lease many months in advance. Therefore, it is being proposed that students cannot be locked into an agreement more than six months in advance of moving in.
Further changes proposed include closing potential loopholes in rent repayment order and using fees paid by landlords to directly fund the creation and work of a private rented sector Ombudsman.
See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-law-to-protect-renters-one-step-closer-to-becoming-a-reality
HMRC have proposed a new criminal offence for making reckless, untrue statements or declarations about what's known as 'direct taxes' - Income Tax, National Insurance and the like. For Customs and Excise and VAT ('indirect taxes'), it is already possible to prosecute individuals who make untrue statements or submit incorrect documents either knowingly or recklessly, without the need to prove dishonesty. The penalties for such offences can be severe, including substantial fines and imprisonment. The direct tax regime does not currently contain an equivalent offence.
A new Freedom of Information (FOI) request has discovered that health and safety violations cost British employers over £44 million per year. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that serious breaches have resulted in an increasing number of prosecutions between 2023 and 2025.