New law a ‘victory of a lifetime’ for England’s rentersEngland’s 11 million private renters have been granted the most significant boost to their rights in decades thanks to a landmark bill passed by the UK government. At the heart of the Renters’ Rights Act is a ban on no-fault evictions, a practice that has pushed thousands of people into homelessness. “[This] is the victory of a lifetime for renters,” said Sarah Elliott, chief executive of the housing and homelessness charity Shelter. The act also empowers tenants to keep pets and challenge unfair rent increases, while prohibiting landlords from rejecting would-be tenants because they have children or are on benefits. Critics of the act claim that it will force some landlords to sell up, reducing the supply of rental housing and pushing up prices.