With the announcement of a General Election scheduled for July 4, the future of the Renters Reform Bill, which has been mired in controversy for years, is now uncertain as it progresses through Parliament.
The Bill has successfully passed through the House of Commons and has had its first reading in the House of Lords. The next step is the committee stage in the Lords, a process that typically takes several weeks. If the Bill emerges from the committee without major amendments that conflict with the version passed by the Commons, it could then swiftly proceed through the remaining stages in the Lords before receiving Royal Assent to become law.
However, can this realistically happen before Parliament is dissolved?
When an election is called, there are usually several days before Parliament, including the Lords, is dissolved. During this period, known as the 'wash-up', Parliament rushes to complete any pending business. Any bills not finalized by the end of the 'wash-up' will fall, meaning they will not become law and cannot be carried over into the next Parliament, regardless of the election outcome.
In theory, there could be an attempt to expedite the Renters Reform Bill through its remaining stages. This would require cooperation from the Labour Party, which has stated it will not oppose the Bill in its current form. Nevertheless, the time constraints make it uncertain whether the Bill can complete all necessary stages before the election.
As of now, no formal announcements have been made regarding the Bill's status. More information is expected in the coming days.
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