Section 21
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Latest property news
Boris confirms end to Section 21 evictions and launches ‘Lifetime Deposits’
Boris Johnson has revealed several major shifts in government policy for the private rented sector and, as predicted, has put evictions at the centre of the General Election housing debate. In an article published by The Sun newspaper early this morning, Johnson has confirmed that the government will proceed with banning Section 21 eviction notices. “At the moment, renting a property can also be an uncertain and unsettling business, and the costs of deposits make it harder to move. We are going to fix that,” says Johnson. “A Conservative majority government will empower renters and give them greater peace of mind.” The policy has been opposed by landlords and many agents because it will push all evictions into the courts, making it harder and more expensive to eject tenants who default on their rent. Hugely welcome But homelessness charities have welcomed the move including Shelter, whose chief executive Polly Neate says: “Reports that Conservatives plan to scrap Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions are hugely welcome. “If enacted, this would transform private renting for millions of people by providing them with stability and security.” Johnson has also said that if elected his government would bring in a system of transferable tenancy…
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Latest property news
Liberal Democrats vote to scrap Section 21
Annother attack on the private rented sector, as the Liberal Democrat party conference passes its new policy, 'F44: Protecting Private Tenants'.
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Guest Blogs
Section 21 – what’s the alternative?
The Government intends to scrap Section 21 – so, says Marc Trup, CEO of Arthur Online, it’s now about damage limitation.
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Latest property news
Row between lettings agency and tenant leads to high-profile eviction
A tenant at the centre of a much-publicised argument with a Brighton lettings agency over the condition of his rented property is claiming to have been made homeless. Jim Haughey, a young renter living in the seaside town, had complained to managing agent King & Chasemore about the poor state of his rented property’s garden after moving in. Pictures he took show dilapidated garden furniture and bird droppings. After several emails between the two parties over a two-month period, he has told local media that the problems were not sorted out and that a subsequent Section 21 notice served on him by his landlord has the hallmarks of a ‘revenge eviction’. ACORN, the local renters’ union organisation, claims the eviction notice came just a day after his final complaint about the property and that this has lead “both Jim and ACORN to believe that his eviction must be in line with the complaints he’d been issuing”, its website says. Sit-in protest But police were called when members of ACORN staged a sit-in at the lettings agency’s branch and several staff claimed to be intimidated by the protestors. “The eviction came after a back and forth of emails requesting repairs and…
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Latest property news
Government publishes updated rental forms for tenant fees ban at last moment
Updated mandatory How to Rent guide for tenants and Section 21 advice were published 60 seconds before the tenant fees ban went live on Saturday.
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Latest property news
Ending Section 21 evictions will be a disaster, agents and landlords warn
Poll of 6,500 businesses within the private rental market reveals huge worries over proposed end to 'no fault' evictions.
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Latest property news
Twitter campaign to end ‘no fault’ evictions and expose bad landlords and agents goes viral
A campiagn launched by lobbying group Generation Rent has gone viral on Twitter as it tries to get Section 21 no fault evictions outlawed.
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Features
Tenancy law update: ASTs and ‘other’ lets
ASTs (Assured Shorthold Tenancies) were introduced in the Housing Act 1988; the Housing Act 1996 amended this legislation. Frances Burkinshaw discusses the impact on today’s lettings market.
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Features
More new regulations!
Without a doubt, over the years some landlords have mistreated their tenants, says Frances Burkinshaw, which has had the effect of beginning to spoil business for the good landlords.
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Latest property news
No-fault eviction numbers declined by 5,000 last year, official figures show
The government’s recent efforts to end unfair ‘no-fault evictions’ appears to be working after the most recent figures from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) revealed a sharp decline in their use. There were 29,611 accelerated possession cases or Section 21 ‘no-fault evictions’ last year, the MoJ figures show, nearly 5,000 fewer than the year before. Evictions expert Paul Shamplina of Landlord Action says the slump in no-fault evictions is largely due to the Deregulation Act 2015, which came into force in October that year. It has made no-fault evictions much more difficult and protected tenants against unfair retaliatory evictions when they report legitimate complaints about a property. Correct paperwork The act requires that tenants are served the correct paperwork when they start a tenancy including providing a copy of a property’s EPC, Gas Safety certificate, proof that the deposit has been legally protected and the government’s ‘How to Rent’ booklet. If this paperwork is not served correctly, evictions are much more difficult. Paul Shamplina says this has stopped a lot of landlords using accelerated evictions, often because they aren’t aware of the legislative requirements and then, when a tenant stops paying the rent – which make up 73% of evictions…
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