TENS of thousands of renters are set to be forced out of their homes by unaffordable annual rent hikes due to a gap in the Renters’ Rights Bill, campaigners warned today.

Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said the government will seek to “drive out disreputable landlords from the sector” with the new legislation, introduced today.

The Bill aims to “decisively level the playing field between landlords and tenants” but “good landlords have nothing to fear,” Mr Pennycook said.