Rents are now rising at a record 9.2pc, according to data from the Office for National Statistics published this week.

Marco Longhi, Tory MP for Dudley North said the proposed legislation was having “unintended consequences”. 

“I am a landlord and have been for two decades. I have consistently said that, whilst well-meaning, the Renters Reform Bill is bad for tenants.

“At a time when there is already insufficient supply to meet demand for rented property, this legislation is reducing the number of properties available for rent because landlords are increasingly finding it not worth their while.

“The consequence of lower supply and higher demand is creating very high rental prices, and rather than supporting really tough market conditions for tenants the Bill is actually making it worse for them.

“There are bad landlords about, but they should be specifically targeted and existing legislation should be implemented rather than applying a one size fits all approach that will be harmful to landlords and tenants.”

Currently, a landlord can evict a tenant for no reason without going through the courts as long as they give two months notice. However, under plans to abolish no-fault evictions, landlords will need to seek court permission before evicting a tenant.

Property owners fear this could add months to evictions, with courts already weighed down by delays.