The Renters' Rights Reform Bill is set to be one of the most transformative pieces of legislation in a generation, reshaping the lives of millions of renters across the country and locally.

While the Parliamentary process can often feel remote, the potential impact of this new law on everyday lives is profound and urgent. 

As someone with a background in housing law and public service, I have seen first-hand the challenges faced by tenants under the current system.

I started my career volunteering at Toynbee Hall offering free legal advice on housing.

I met countless people facing eviction, unjust rent hikes and grim housing conditions. What drives my support for the bill are the stories of people I’ve helped in my career and among my constituents. 

Sarah Sackman started her career volunteering at Toynbee Hall offering free legal adviseSarah Sackman started her career volunteering at Toynbee Hall offering free legal advise (Image: Betty Laura Zapata) If this bill was a music album, then the ‘End to Section 21 no-fault evictions’ would be its most popular hit.

This practice has long undermined the stability and security of tenants. Families, often with children, can be uprooted with minimal notice, not because of anything they’ve done, but simply because a landlord has chosen to remove them.

This doesn’t just disrupt where someone lives - it impacts mental health, children’s schooling, community ties and employment.  

One campaigner, Anthony Green from Childs Hill, shared his experience with me. He said: 
“Everything changed the day my family received a Section 21.

"After 20 years in the same place, we had just three months to secure somewhere new. We had to give away almost all our possessions to move to a place we could afford. The Bill will ensure a fairer, more balanced relationship between landlords and tenants.” 

Another crucial provision is Awaab’s Law, named after two-year-old little Awaab Ishak, who tragically died from mould exposure in his home. Awaab’s Law will require landlords to tackle mould and damp within 24 hours, addressing serious health risks for tenants. 

For the student from Bishop Douglass School (East Finchley) who visited in Parliament last week and passionately challenged me on what the Government would do about children living in mouldy conditions, to the woman I met on the Grange Estate who showed me electrical wires hanging from her damp ceiling – my message to them is that change is coming.

Their stories make it clear: housing reform is not just necessary; it’s urgent.

  • Sarah Sackman is Labour MP for Finchley and Golders Green.