A lettings sector trade body predicts that the House of Lords is unlikely to make substantive changes to the Renters Reform Bill.

The Bill completed its passage through the Commons last month, culminating in four hours of debate over a string of amendments, mostly from the government.

It took a year to complete its Commons stages but is thought to have no more than a few months in the Lords before it becomes law – providing a General Election doesn’t intervene, killing the Bill should polling day happen before the Lords stages complete.

Now Chris Norris, policy director at the National Residential Landlords Association, says: “Traditionally debate in the Lords is more lengthy and extensive than that in the Commons, and over the coming weeks we are likely to hear lot of noise about further amendments to the legislation.

“Lots of peers with an interest in housing will table amendments for debate which are highly unlikely to be adopted by the Government.

“However, the Bill will probably continue its progress through Parliament largely unchanged.”

Labour has said it will not oppose the Bill as it stands and the Conservative majority in the Commons has the right to reverse any changes made in the Lords that would alter the nature of the Bill.

Norris acknowledges that it’s difficult to predict exactly how long the remaining stages of the Bill will take to complete, but having taken a year to traverse the 

Commons it is possible that its passage through the Upper House could be complete by the autumn.

Norris concludes: “What has happened … represents a huge step forward for the Government, after fears they may run out of time to have the legislation passed ahead of a general election.

“We are confident the Bill as it stands delivers a balance for landlords and tenants and it is in the interests of both that the Bill passes smoothly through these final stages. The alternative is yet more uncertainty, and the prospect of another bill courtesy of the next government.”