Will the Renters’ Rights Bill reshape the relationship between agents and landlords?
March 4, 2025
The Renters’ Rights Bill is set to bring significant changes to the private rental sector (PRS), with new rules aiming to strengthen tenant protections and reshape the way landlords operate.
As compliance demands increase and landlords adapt to new laws and legislation, letting agents have a key role to play. The relationship between agents and landlords is likely to evolve, presenting both challenges and opportunities.
Increased reliance on letting agents
With stricter regulations, landlords are more likely to turn to agents for expert guidance on compliance, tenant management, and dispute resolution. Many self-managing landlords may decide that navigating the new legal framework alone is too complex, increasing demand for full-service property management.
Agents who can position themselves as compliance specialists and trusted advisors may have an advantage when it comes to attracting and retaining landlords.
Shifting landlord expectations
Landlords will look to their letting agents for more than just tenant-finding services. They will expect:
- Proactive legal guidance – ensuring they stay on the right side of the new rules.
- More thorough referencing – with Section 21 set to be abolished, landlords will want to minimise risk when choosing tenants.
- Stronger dispute resolution support – successfully evicting tenants if necessary.
The impact of Section 21 abolition
The end of ‘no-fault’ evictions will make tenant referencing more critical than ever. Without the ability to remove tenants easily, landlords will want greater confidence in their tenants’ financial stability and rental history.
This is where HomeLet’s revolutionary referencing system, VISTA, will play a crucial role. VISTA goes beyond traditional checks, using enhanced data analysis to provide a deeper and more accurate assessment of a tenant’s suitability. Agents who utilise this technology will be able to offer landlords a smarter, more secure way to select tenants.
Rental pricing strategies
As tenants enjoy enhanced protection, some landlords may become more cautious about raising their rents and may come to letting agents for advice on how to price their properties competitively while ensuring sustainability in a changing market.
Expert market insights, backed by rental index data and trends, will become even more valuable as landlords seek reassurance on their investments.
Retaining landlord clients in a changing market
With rising costs and regulatory burdens, some landlords may consider selling up and leaving the PRS. Letting agents will need to take a proactive approach to retention, demonstrating their value by:
- Offering compliance support to ease landlords’ concerns.
- Diversifying services, such as rent guarantee schemes and portfolio management.
- Educating landlords on long-term investment strategies in a regulated market.
The Renters’ Rights Bill marks a major shift for the PRS, but letting agents have a chance to reinforce their importance to landlords. By staying ahead of regulatory changes, offering innovative solutions like VISTA, and focusing on strong agent-landlord relationships, agents can turn these challenges into long-term business growth.
