For the 11 million people in England who rent privately, the upcoming Renter’s Rights Act may well currently be viewed as a breath of fresh air.

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Many will already have received letters from their landlords informing them of the changes, including - perhaps most notably - the end to periodic tenancy contracts and the switch for all tenancies to rolling from May 1st.

The Act guarantees more security in housing for tenants and removes the ability for landlords to make unreasonable rent increases. It even contains a provision giving the tenant the right to reasonably request to keep a pet. What’s not to like?

The sting in the tail is that the new Renters Act creates a real danger of shrinking the rental market. Not only will this make it harder to find rental properties but will hasten rental increases. There’s already been some evidence of the Renters Act reshaping........

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