Renters’ Rights Bill: Motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 19

On 8 September 2025, MPs voted by 336 to 158 to reject Lords Amendment 19 to the Renters' Rights Bill. The amendment, which had been inserted by the House of Lords, would have exempted shared ownership leaseholders from certain tenancy protections when subletting their homes. The government moved to disagree with it, and the Commons backed that position. The practical effect of rejecting the amendment is that shared ownership leaseholders who sublet their properties will remain subject to the same protections the Bill extends to all tenants in the private rented sector. The Lords amendment had sought to create a carve-out for shared owners who find themselves compelled to sublet, for instance when a property sale falls through due to building safety issues. By voting it down, the Commons preserved the government's position that no such exemption should exist, on the grounds that it could weaken protections for the small number of tenants who happen to rent from a shared owner. The vote divided cleanly along party lines. Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs voted entirely in favour of rejecting the amendment, providing the winning margin. Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and Reform UK MPs all voted against the motion, effectively supporting the Lords amendment. The Liberal Democrats explicitly argued in debate that the amendment recognised a genuine injustice for shared owners hit by circumstances beyond their control, while the government acknowledged the difficult position some shared owners face but declined to accept the exemption.