Grainger – the UK’s largest listed provider of private rental homes and a prominent playing in the Build To Rent sector – is singing the praises of the Renters Rights Act.
Helen Gordon, chief executive of Grainger, has told investors in a statement: “We welcome the passage of the Renters Rights Bill, which we believe will raise standards across the private rented sector while ensuring the market remains attractive to long-term, responsible investors.
“The abolition of no-fault evictions, when coupled with court reform and robust processes for addressing poor tenant behaviour, strikes the right balance between improving security for renters and protecting communities.
“By confirming that rents will remain aligned to the open market and ruling out rent controls, the government is providing stability for investors and landlords, while ensuring reforms deliver stronger rights and greater confidence for renters.
“These reforms align closely with Grainger’s business model and our focus on providing high-quality, mid-market rental homes with excellent service, enabling residents to put down roots and thrive in their communities.”
She says the move is part of an acknowledgement by the government of the importance of BTR.
She continues: ”Wider government policy focus on increasing housing supply and removing barriers in the planning system reinforces a supportive regulatory environment consistent with our strategy. We will continue proactive engagement with policymakers to ensure we remain well-positioned to benefit from these developments.
“As the Renters Rights Bill moves to Royal Assent, we are ready to implement these changes with immediate effect if required, although implementation is not expected until 2026.
“This is due to our leading approach to operations, well-established processes and the high standards across our portfolio. We look forward to continuing to work with policymakers to ensure its implementation supports both renters and the continued investment needed to deliver more homes across the UK.”
Gordon’s support for the measure is not shared across the investor world.
Most trade groups representing individual or small-scale private landlords – groups such as Propertymark and the National Residential Landlords Association – have voiced sharp criticism of many elements of the Bill, and have claimed there’s already been an exodus of landlords from the sector as a result.
