A date has been set for the Third Reading of the Renters Rights Bill in the House of Lords.
It’s to be next week – July 21 – three days before the Lords break up for the summer recess.
The Third Reading is the final stage where the bill is debated and potentially amended before it is passed back to the House of Commons.
It’s regarded as a chance to “tidy up” the bill, ensuring it’s effective and workable and does not contain contradictory elements. Unlike the House of Commons, amendments can still be proposed at this stage in the Lords, especially to clarify specific points.
Amendments at this stage are often focused on clarifying the bill’s language and ensuring it will function as intended.
As there are amendments made in the Lords which were not made at a similar stage in the Commons, it is likely that the Bill will go through what is called ‘Ping Pong’, until both houses agree on a final Bill.
However, with Labour’s sizeable majority in the Commons – and considerable support for the Bill on all sides of the Commons – this may be a straightforward process.
The House of Commons breaks up for summer on July 22 so although it remains possible that a rushed final consideration could mean the Bill would go to Royal Assent and thus become law next week, this remains unlikely.
The Commons returns on September 1 and it’s likely the final consideration of the Bill may take place then – just in time for Labour’s annual conference.
