Conservative plea - Postpone Renters Rights Act for a year
Posted on 9th January 2026
Irrespective of personal political preferences it has to be said that Conservative politician and social housing lawyer John Hulley raises valid reasons for urging the government to delay the Renters Rights Act (RRA) by one year to address court backlogs.
Hulley, a Surrey councillor and former parliamentary candidate, warns that although the Act has is well intended, it risks failure without proper court reform. He explains that abolishing Section 21 will mean all possession cases must go through the courts, increasing pressure on an already overstretched system.
Hulley criticises government claims of court readiness, describing the system as outdated and understaffed, noting that possession cases already take over 30 weeks on average, and that extra hearings, stricter evidence rules and new rights of appeal will cause further delays.
He argues that if a full delay beyond the planned May 2026 start is not agreed, the Act should at least be phased in to give private landlords time to prepare.
He also warns the RRA together with new coplicated legislations will force many landlords may leave the market, thus reduce supply and push up rents.
He concludes by saying that for the Act to succeed, ministers must properly fund the courts and delay implementation by at least 12 months, warning that without this, the reforms risk creating frustration rather than fairness.
Read his whole article here: https://conservativehome.com/2026/01/07/jonathan-hulley-the-renters-rights-act-is-a-classic-example-of-the-law-of-unintended-consequences/
Moz Stewart CEO