Minister ‘will listen to landlords’ before scrapping Section 21 evictions
Housing minister Rachel Maclean tells Tory conference the Government is taking landlords' concerns into account.
Housing minister Rachel Maclean (main picture) promises that when the Government eventually abolishes Section 21 no fault evictions it will be done in a way that is ‘fair’ to landlords.
Maclean told delegates at the Conservative Party conference that she was listening to the feedback from landlords before making the final decision.
Without taking the viewpoint of landlords into account, she said, many of them could sell up.
Fair to landlords
“It has to be done in a balanced way, that’s fair to tenants and that’s fair to landlords,” she told a fringe session organised by ConservativeHome website.
We are taking a bit of time listening to concerns from landlords.”
“We are taking a bit of time listening to concerns from landlords because we want to get it right.”
The Renters Reform Bill, which is awaiting its second reading in Parliament, includes a proposal to scrap Section 21 evictions.
Put off
Many landlords have warned this will make it much more difficult for them to reclaim properties, and will put some off from continuing to rent out.
Maclean also said: “We don’t want unintended consequences of seeing people who have been renting out a property for a period of time feeling it’s not worth it.”
Evictions rise
Eviction hearings instigated by landlords and letting agents are up 16% compared to last year, recent analysis of government figures revealed.
Stats from the Ministry of Justice on hearings in England showed that 6,820 landlords started Section 21 proceedings between January and March this year.
A total of almost 61,000 no-fault eviction court proceedings have been initiated by landlords since the government first promised to ban Section 21 in 2019, according to the findings from property software provider Veco.
Abolition of ‘no fault’ Section 21 still major concern for agents
Oh I see, it’s a typo, where it reads landlord should have been Shelter. Got it, thanks.
”Without taking the viewpoint of landlords into account, she said, many of them could sell up”.
From your own ONS figures 250,000 landlords exited the PRS 2021. They are selling up! Add in the multiple interest rate hikes, licensing schemes, over regulation and demonization and for many its just not worth it anymore.
Meanwhile NET migration continues at a pace, at over 500,000 a year. Any sane person see a problem???
It wont affect the Torys as they wont be in government next year. Anyone think Labour will be any better?
Answers on a post card please.
How many times have we got to say this? The Government have messed up yet again. Since the moment they announced plans for The Renters Reform Bill they ‘lit the blue touch-paper’ and it was a ticking time-bomb in my opinion. As I’ve said before, we are a small independent agency in West Yorkshire and we have seen a large number of landlords selling up and leaving the sector in the last 18 months (despite our efforts to try and convince them otherwise).
With all the changes in legislation imposed on landlords in recent years, including The Tenant Fees Ban 2019, Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (although this has now been abolished), and with interest rates increasing, The Renters Reform Bill is/was the final nail in the coffin for a great number of landlords and there is just no incentive for landlords to keep their so-called investments.
..will listen to Landlords, ignore Landlords and then plough on regardless.