Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove have been accused of “selling renters down the river” and caving to landlord Tory MPs by watering down protections for tenants.
The long promised ban on no-fault evictions will initially only apply to people taking up new tenancies, The Sun reported on Friday.
A full ban will have to wait until after the Ministry of Justice assesses whether the court system can deal with the change.
Housing minister Jacob Young told Tory MPs today that tenants would also only be able to end a tenancy after six months rather than two.
Both changes to help landlords have been made to the renters reform bill, which is due to return to parliament after Easter.
The legislation has already been delayed thanks to opposition from Tory MPs - many of whom are themselves landlords.
Matthew Pennycook, Labour shadow housing minister, said: “Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove have chosen once again to put the interests of party management ahead of what is right for the British people.
“After years of delay, private renters have every right to be furious at the watering down of the vital protections the Tories promised them.
“Only Labour will immediately abolish ‘no fault’ evictions and deliver the security and rights that renters deserve.”
Lib Dem housing spokesperson Helen Morgan said: “Michael Gove has caved in to Conservative MPs, meaning his party’s manifesto promise to ban no-fault evictions has been left in tatters.
“This watered down plan means the vast majority of renters still face being evicted from their homes through no fault of their own.”
It came as PoliticsHome reported Tory ministers met with lobbyists for landlords twice as often as groups representing renters while considering changes to the bill.
Tom Darling, from the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said: “So now we see the price the government has paid in their Faustian bargain with the landlord lobby.
“Selling renters down the river with concessions that will put off the vast majority of renters from feeling the benefits of these reforms indefinitely, promising to reduce the burdens on landlords to meet licensing standards, and locking tenants in unsafe and unsuitable housing.
“The government’s flagship legislation to help renters is fast becoming a Landlord’s Charter.
“Watch as landlord groups today declare victory now having exacted a significant toll on this policy in exchange for their support.
“Renters will be hoping to see significant changes to the bill in the House of Lords; otherwise this legislation will hardly be an improvement on the status quo, and in some case it will make things worse.
“We will continue to fight until the very last to secure a bill that delivers genuine change.”
The department for levelling up, housing and communities has been contacted for comment.