A campaign calling for changes to the Renters’ Rights Act has gained momentum after its parliamentary petition surpassed 10,000 signatures.

Launched in late January by landlord Craig Littlejohn, the petition urges the government to introduce a six-week expedited court process for Mandatory Grounds under Sections 8 and 7A (covering arrears and anti-social behaviour), create a registered landlord database of tenants evicted through the courts, and increase the deposit cap to cover significant property damage.

The campaign highlights that the abolition of Section 21 under the Renters’ Rights Act has left Section 8 as the primary route for evicting problem tenants. Ministry of Justice data indicates that the average eviction currently takes more than 27 weeks, or over six months.

“We believe this delay punishes law-abiding landlords via irrecoverable arrears and damage. We urgently need an expedited court process for mandatory grounds (ASB/arrears), a vetting database for repeat offenders, and a higher deposit cap to help sustain the rental market,” the petition stated.

At 10,000 signatures, the government is required to respond to this petition.

If the petition eventually attracts 100,000 signatures, this petition will later be considered for debate in Parliament.

You can view the petition here.