Landlords respond in droves to ‘no-fault’ evictions survey

Credit – Keith Edkins

Over six thousand landlords to date have responded to a survey concerning section 21 (‘no-fault’) evictions.

The response to the survey by the Residential Landlords Association, which represents landlords in England and Wales, surpassed all the association’s previous records as of this Monday and could still grow ahead of its closure next week.

The survey, which asks what a post section 21 private rented sector should look like, opened just days after the government controversially announced it would consult on abolishing such evictions.

David Smith, policy director for the RLA, said: ‘The scale of responses to this important survey shows the strength of feeling in the sector.

‘The survey closes next Monday, and we would encourage all those who want the opportunity to have their say and shape the future of the sector to take the time to respond.’

The RLA have asked landlords to share their experiences on regaining possession of properties and asking what would convince them to stay in the sector.

The survey will be used as the basis of the RLA’s official response to the government’s consultation once it has been launched.

The consultation on abolishing s.21 evictions, one of the biggest causes of families becoming homeless, has sent shockwaves through the private rental sector as the biggest change to the sector in a generation.

The RLA argue hat landlords must have confidence they can repossess their property for legitimate reasons, such as rent arrears, anti-social behaviour and needing to sell the property.

However, local authorities and charities have welcomed the government’s move, which they say will offer greater security to tenants and protect them from being evicted unfairly.

Currently, landlords can evict tenants from their homes with as little as eight weeks’ notice once their fixed-term tenancy has come to an end without providing them with a reason.

Under the government’s proposals, landlords can still evict tenants in such cases, but only if they have a clear legal reason to do so.

Ministers have sought to reassure landlords over the measures, saying they will seek to speed up court proceedings and strengthen the section 8 process to help landlords regain their homes if they plan to move into them or sell them.

Critics of the government’s approach have said that it must provide more genuinely affordable housing and adapt welfare reforms if it is to make more of a dent in the UK’s rising homelessness figures.