2022年6月16日英國政府公告關於將推出新租務法例的白皮書 “Fairer private rented sector white paper”，唔少群組都舖天蓋地的討論，有的好似好恐怖，好似唔加得租、唔可以趕租客走咁樣。
與其左問右問，不如睇下原文?
英國政府公告原文節錄 (https://bit.ly/3HQnhPr ) (以下英文為原文，牛姐將投資者會較關心的部分的簡譯或附註，如有錯漏歡迎指正)
• New blueprint for renters reform will end the injustice of unfit homes and help protect renters from rising cost of living
• We will ban section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions and extend the Decent Homes Standard to the sector 將會廢除section 21 notice (註：即一條容許業主在租約期滿後，可毋須任何理由要求租客遷出的一條法例。了解更多關於Section 21 : shorturl.at/fhkrZ)
• We will end arbitrary rent review clauses, give tenants stronger powers to challenge poor practice, unjustified rent increases and enable them to be repaid rent for non-decent homes 將不容許在租約中加入定期審視加租的項目, 讓租客有更大權利去挑戰不公平的加租要求。如業主提供的居住環境差劣，租客甚至會有更大權力討回已付租金
• It will be illegal for landlords or agents to have blanket bans on renting to families with children or those in receipt of benefits 業主將觸犯法例如因為租客有小朋友或是社會福利申領者而拒絕出租。
• We will make it easier for tenants to share their homes with much-loved pets。
政府會讓有寵物的租客更易租到屋
The fairer private rented sector white paper published today (16 June 2022) will ensure millions of families benefit from living in decent, well looked-after homes as part of the biggest shake up of the private rented sector in 30 years.
The white paper marks a generational shift that will redress the balance between landlords and 4.4 million private rented tenants. It provides new support for cost of living pressures with protections for the most vulnerable, and new measures to tackle arbitrary and unfair rent increases. This is part of a wider reform agenda to improve lives and level up the country, delivering more housing and greater protections for tenants and homeowners.
The majority of tenants enjoy safe and secure rentals, but for the 21% of private renter and households who currently live in unfit homes, this ‘New Deal’ will extend the Decent Homes Standard to the private sector for the first time, levelling up opportunities. This means homes must be free from serious health and safety hazards, and landlords must keep homes in a good state of repair so renters have clean, appropriate and useable facilities.
So-called ‘no fault’ section 21 evictions – that allow landlords to terminate tenancies without giving any reason – will be outlawed. More than a fifth of private renters who moved in 2019 and 2020 did not end their tenancy by choice, including 8% who were asked to leave by their landlord. 條文21是俗稱 “無犯錯” 的驅逐租客條文，容許業主在無原因下驅逐租客，而這條條文將會被之廢止。
Measures published today also include:
• Helping the most vulnerable by outlawing blanket bans on renting to families with children or those in receipt of benefits 將立例禁止拒絶出租給有小朋友或正受政府資助家庭
• For the first time, ending the use of arbitrary rent review clauses, restricting tribunals from hiking up rent and enabling tenants to be repaid rent for non-decent homes. This will make sure tenants can take their landlord to court to seek repayment of rent if their homes are of unacceptable standard 將立例禁止在租約加入必須審視加租條款。如居住環境惡劣至不能接受的水平，讓租客有法律途徑討回租金。
• Making it easier for tenants to have much-loved pets in their homes by giving all tenants the right to request a pet in their house, which the landlord must consider and cannot unreasonably refuse 讓養寵物的人士更易找租到屋，業主不能無理拒絕出租給飼養寵物的人士
• All tenants to be moved onto a single system of periodic tenancies, meaning they can leave poor quality housing without remaining liable for the rent or move more easily when their circumstances change. A tenancy will only end if a tenant ends or a landlord has a valid reason, defined in law 租務期將統一為週期性租約，即租約將可讓租客隨時要求終止租約或業主需要法例上合理的要求才可要求租客遷出 (註：現時常用的AST Assured Shorthold Tenancy 一般為期6個月或12個月，在合約期內租客或業主都不得終止合約否則須租期內尚餘的租金)
• Doubling notice periods for rent increases and giving tenants stronger powers to challenge them if they are unjustified 業主如須加租，通知期將延長一倍 (註: 現行法例， 如業主希望加租，每週或每月交租的須予一個月通知期，每年交租的則須半年通知期 https://www.gov.uk/private-renting/rent-increases# )
• Giving councils stronger powers to tackle the worst offenders, backed by enforcement pilots, and increasing fines for serious offences
給予Councils更大權力去應付拙劣的犯法者，甚至訴諸執法部門及罰款等。(註：佢沒寫明邊個係Offenders的，業主或租客如犯法都應該受罰呀)
In addition, the estimated 2.3 million private landlords will have greater clarity and support through the following measures:
• A new Private Renters’ Ombudsman will be created to enable disputes between private renters and landlords to be settled quickly, at low cost, and without going to court 將成立一個處理私人租務的申訴機構，提供上法庭外，一個更有效率及低成本處理業主和租客間的糾紛的渠道。
• Ensuring responsible landlords can gain possession of their properties efficiently from anti-social tenants and can sell their properties when they need to 確保盡責的業主能從違反社會規則的租客手上快速收回物業。
• Introducing a new property portal that will provide a single front door to help landlords to understand, and comply with, their responsibilities as well as giving councils and tenants the information they need to tackle rogue operators
