An amendment to outlaw landlords from unreasonably refusing to consent to disabled people adapting rented homes was withdrawn last week after failing to get enough support.

The Department for Work and Pensions minister Baroness Hollis said existing legislation already provided tenants with this right in "explicit terms".

But the Disability Rights Commission said extra protection was needed as no cases had been brought under these other laws. The DRC claims there are 18,000 disabled tenants who have been unable to win permission to make alterations.

An amendment that would have prevented landlords from refusing consent unreasonably to alterations being made to communal areas was also withdrawn.