Government introduces landmark reforms to abolish no-fault evictions

The government has finally tabled its long awaited Renters’ (Reform) Bill, meeting its manifesto commitment from four years ago to abolish section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions.

The new Bill will also make it easier for landlords to recover properties if they want to sell them, move in a close family member, or when tenants ‘wilfully do not pay rent’.

Notice periods will also be reduced where tenants have breached their tenancy agreement or caused damage to the property.

The reforms will strengthen powers to evict anti-social tenants, broadening the disruptive and harmful activities that can lead to eviction and making it quicker to evict a tenant acting anti-socially.

Measures will be introduced alongside a reformed courts process. For the minority of evictions that do end up in the courts, more of the process will be digitised.

Housing Secretary, Michael Gove, said: ‘Too many renters are living in damp, unsafe, cold homes, powerless to put things right, and with the threat of sudden eviction hanging over them.

‘This Government is determined to tackle these injustices by offering a New Deal to those living in the Private Rented Sector; one with quality, affordability, and fairness at its heart.

‘Our new laws introduced to Parliament today will support the vast majority of responsible landlords who provide quality homes to their tenants, while delivering our manifesto commitment to abolish Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions.

‘This will ensure that everyone can live somewhere which is decent, safe and secure – a place they’re truly proud to call home.’

Tenants will also be given the legal right to request a pet in their home, which the landlord must consider and cannot unreasonably refuse. Landlords will be able to require pet insurance to cover any damage to their property.

The government will also bring forward legislation as part of the Bill to:

• Apply the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector for the first time, to help deliver the government’s aim of halving the number of non-decent rented homes by 2030
• Make it illegal for landlords and agents to have blanket bans on renting to tenants in receipt of benefits or with children
• Strengthen councils’ enforcement powers and introduce a new requirement for councils to report on enforcement activity

Dan Wilson Craw, Acting Director of tenants’ rights group Generation Rent, said: ‘The Renters’ Reform Bill is a huge opportunity to improve the lives of the 11 million people who now rent from private landlords in England. Arbitrary Section 21 evictions make it impossible for tenants to put down roots and report problems about their home with confidence. Abolishing them will take away much of the stress of renting and improve communication and trust between tenants and landlords. The new Property Portal and Ombudsman have the potential to make it much harder for criminal landlords to operate.

‘These reforms wouldn’t be happening without the tireless campaigning of members of the Renters Reform Coalition and thousands of renters over many years. We look forward to reading the Bill and working with ministers and parliamentarians to make sure the legislation achieves what it sets out to do.’

Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said: ‘We welcome the Government’s pledge to ensure landlords can swiftly recover properties from anti-social tenants and those failing to pay their rent. Plans to digitise court hearings will also improve the speed at which legitimate possession cases are processed.

‘The NRLA will continue to work with the Government to ensure the detail of the Bill is fair for responsible landlords and tenants alike.’

Image: Allan Vega