Which party is best for renters?
England's renters just got the biggest legal upgrade since the 1980s — the end of Section 21. The parties now split on whether to go further on rents, or bet everything on building more homes.
What's already changed
The Renters' Rights Act abolished Section 21 'no-fault' evictions: landlords now need a legal ground (selling, moving in, arrears, antisocial behaviour), rent rises are limited to once a year and challengeable at tribunal, bidding wars are banned, and discrimination against families or benefit claimants is unlawful. Whoever wins the next election inherits this as the baseline.
Where the parties stand
- Labour — delivered the Act; pairs it with a 1.5-million-homes housebuilding target on the argument that only supply cuts rents long-term.
- Greens — would go further: rent controls in high-pressure areas, plus a mass insulation programme that targets the cold, damp homes renters disproportionately occupy.
- Liberal Democrats — backed abolition of Section 21; emphasis on longer default tenancies and building (including social homes).
- Conservatives — proposed the original Renters (Reform) Bill but warn the final Act tilts too far, shrinking rental supply as landlords sell up — their pitch is landlord-tenant balance plus home-ownership routes out of renting (abolishing stamp duty).
- Reform UK — frames rents as a demand problem: cutting migration to reduce competition for housing, and planning liberalisation. No tenancy-law pledges.
The bottom line
If you rent and want security, the Act already delivered most of what's on offer — the Greens are the only party promising materially more (rent controls). If you rent and want out, the Conservative and Reform stamp-duty offers matter more — see the first-time buyer comparison. The unresolved question for every party: whether tighter rules shrink supply and raise rents — watch the data through 2026–27.
Frequently asked questions
Can landlords still evict tenants without a reason?
No — Section 21 no-fault evictions are abolished in England. Landlords need a specific legal ground (selling, moving back in, serious arrears, antisocial behaviour), generally with longer notice and evidence, and some grounds can't be used in a tenancy's first year.
Which party would introduce rent controls?
The Greens are the only major party advocating rent controls in high-pressure areas. Labour limits rises to once a year (challengeable at tribunal) but rejects caps; the Conservatives and Reform oppose controls as supply-killers.
Will rents go up or down under the new rules?
Genuinely contested. Renter groups expect stability from ending no-fault evictions; landlord groups predict reduced supply as landlords sell, pushing rents up. Early evidence is mixed — this page is updated as the data lands.