A group of charities have expressed concern that the UK government’s plan to ban no-fault evictions in England is inadequate, potentially putting renters at risk of losing their homes. The group has written to the Housing Secretary in England, urging him to amend the legislation that is currently going through the UK Parliament. Campaigners fear that landlords will have further grounds to let go of properties, leading to reduced rental properties. Under the revised legislation, landlords will be able to evict tenants under select circumstances such as when they, or a close relative, want to move in, or when they want to sell the rental property.
The Renter’s Reform Coalition is seeking a four-month notice period for eviction and protection for tenants from eviction for two years at the start of tenancy. Presently, six months of security is provided. They also recommend raising the threshold of evidence for landlords seeking to evict tenants. The group consulted with charities and organisations representing private renters who have faced eviction. A letter from the Renter’s Reform Coalition to the Housing Secretary warns that “renters will continue to be subject to the threat of unfair evictions; they will continue to be subject to frequent, expensive moves, and they will continue to feel unable to challenge their landlords to demand that basic standards be met”.
The UK government pledged to ban no-fault evictions in their 2019 election manifesto. The proposed legislation to bring in the ban was debated in October, but a number of Conservative MPs have been critical of it, calling for increased protection of landlords. The National Residential Landlords Association, for example, is pressing for improvements to the court system enabling landlords to regain possession of their properties more swiftly when there are grounds to do so. A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities stated that the renter’s bill “will deliver a fairer private rented sector for both tenants and landlords.
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