Private landlords are one group of people likely to be paying a lot of attention after the party’s commitment to in June to “immediately” ban no fault evictions on their first day in power.

The move was announced as part of plans to reform the private rented sector in England, along with other measures such as new legal protections for renters to put an end to “rental bidding wars” and a promise to crack down on “unscrupulous landlords”. The renters reform bill was first proposed by Theresa May six years ago, when she was prime minister and included plans to ban no fault evictions. However, it was who shelved ahead of the general election leaving tenants feeling “let down” by the then government.

Labour is coming in strong on the issue of improving rights for private tenants and has a number of plans set out which aim to give more power back to tenants, such as the ability to challenge unreasonable rent rises, the introduction of a cap on the amount of rent that can be paid upfront by tenants, and introducing new energy efficiency standards for rental properties by 2030.

The party also plan to extend Awaab’s Law, which will require social housing landlords to adhere to strict time limits to address dangerous hazards such as damp and mould, following the death of two-year old Awaab Ishak in 2020, from prolonged exposure to mould in his home.

On the issue of tax, Labour has said that it has no plans to increase the rate of income tax and corporation tax, however landlords are being warned to watch out for a potential increase of capital gains tax rates, as the party will look to raise funds from elsewhere.

Landlords are already feeling slightly unsure about the future, as high interest rates, and a change in taxes are all making it a less attractive means of income.

In May, three in ten landlords indicted they intend to reduce the number of properties they have, which itself could pose a threat to the rental market.

It is not an understatement to say that over the last ten years, the Private Rental Sector (PRS) has undergone significant strain, predominantly in the shape of regulatory and tax reform. We have yet to see how the green agenda will play out for the PRS but in reality it will still be a requirement of getting to net zero by 2050. But more change and scrutiny is undoubtedly on the way. The condition and value of the property (and the consequent value of the rental business) will continue to challenge those investing.

For now, it is a waiting game until the new parliament starts on 17 July 2024. The King’s Speech will outline the key policies and legislation for the forthcoming months, and this is when will should know more about the proposals that have been put forward and how soon they will start to come into play.

James Ginley, Director of Technical Surveying, e.surv