Landlords must go to court to evict tenants
Landlords will be forced to take tenants to court and provide “legitimate reasons” to remove them from their homes under government plans to create “open-ended tenancies”. The move, designed to stop one of the biggest causes of family homelessness, will end no-fault evictions that give tenants as little as eight weeks’ notice to vacate after their contracts end. Landlords claim the move could lead to fewer people renting out their homes.
LANDLORDS will no longer be able to evict people at short notice without good reason under plans to create “open-ended tenancies”.
Theresa May will bring to an end “no-fault” evictions that give tenants as little as eight weeks’ notice after their fixed-term contract has come to an end.
Landlords will instead have to take tenants to court and provide “legitimate reasons” for removing people from their properties.
The Government said it is taking action to end no-fault evictions because it is one of the biggest causes of family homelessness.
However, landlords warned that the reforms posed “serious dangers” and could lead to fewer people putting their homes up to rent.
The Prime Minister said: “Everyone renting in the private sector has the right to feel secure in their home, settled in their community and able to plan for the future with confidence.
“But millions of responsible tenants could still be uprooted by their landlord with little notice, and often little justification. This is wrong – and today we’re acting by preventing these unfair evictions. This important step will not only protect tenants from unethical behaviour, but also give them the longterm certainty and the peace of mind they deserve.”
At present, landlords can evict tenants at any time after the fixed-term contract has come to an end, and without specifying a reason.
Under the new proposals, being put out to consultation, landlords will have to go to court to remove people.
They can do so on grounds of rent arrears, damage to property and other breaches of contract. Under the plans, landlords will also be entitled to go to court to evict tenants if they wish to sell their homes or move into them.
David Smith, policy director for the Residential Landlords Association, said: “While we recognise the pressure being placed on the Government for change, there are serious dangers of getting such reforms wrong.
“For all the talk of greater security for tenants, that will be nothing if the homes to rent are not there in the first place. We call on the Government to act with caution.”
James Brokenshire, the Housing Secretary, said: “By abolishing these kinds of evictions, every single person living in the private rented sector will be empowered to make the right housing choice for themselves – not have it made for them.
“Everyone has a right to the opportunities they need to build a better life. For many, this means having the security and stability to make a place truly feel like home without the fear of being evicted at a moments’ notice.”
Charity Shelter said the plans “represent an outstanding victory for England’s 11 million private renters”. Research has shown there could be as many as 2.5 million private landlords.