The government has announced plans to stop private landlords from being able to evict tenants at short notice without good reason.
Section 21 notices currently allow landlords to evict renters without a reason after their fixed-term tenancy period ends. The government claims the changes are aimed at protecting renters from “unethical” landlords by giving them more long-term security. Under the changes, landlords would only be able to evict a tenant with concrete evidence to show a reason already specified in law.
Tenant organisations believe Section 21 Notices are one of the biggest causes of family homelessness and often used by “unethical” landlords in retribution for receiving complaints or requests for repairs.
The National Landlords Association has said that their members were forced to use Section 21 because they had “no confidence” in the courts to settle Section 8 possession claims “quickly and surely”.
Housing Secretary James Brokenshire has said that the changes would offer more “stability” to the growing number of families renting and mean people would not be afraid to make a complaint “because they may be concerned through a no-fault eviction that they may be thrown out”.
The proposed changes are likely to only further add to the legal quagmire that landlords face in England. With this in mind it is all the more important that you get expert advice on your current process, documentation and how to handle any issues that may arise with a tenant.
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If you would like to know more about how we can help, or need some confidential advice, contact one of our team today by calling 0151 637 2034 or completing our online enquiry form