23rd
Oct 2023
The government has just released more details of what is being seen as a dramatic delay in abolishing Section 21 eviction powers in light of the Rental Reform’s Bill Second Reading in Parliament today (Monday 23rd Oct).
The majority of discussions on the Bill’s measures have centred around the planned end to Section 21’s powers today.
However on Friday 20th it was announced by the gpvernment that Section 21 would not be replaced for the time being until there are significant improvements made to the long winded court procedure in the handling of legitimate possession cases.
The government’s improvements which have been suggested are substantial and on reflection will take some considerable time to get off the ground which include:
- Switching large swathes of the court process over to digitisation to ensure it is now quicker and far easier for landlords to use
- Establishing the priority of cases to be fast tracked to court such as anti-social behaviour, criminal activities
- Significant increase in bailiff numbers and retention and the reductions of red-tape administration hampering bailiffs in carrying out evictions.
- The provision of early legal support for tenants as well as help to find them better housing that suits their needs.
The government also announced its intentions of strengthening dispute and mediation support for landlords and tenants so as to resolve problems away from courts, and to “embed this as a member service of the new Ombudsman” which will be mandatory for landlords and property agents to join.
However there is the ‘hammer blow’ that the government rejects the multitude of calls from the PRS industry for a dedicated housing court to be introduced. It simply states that the costs would outweigh the perceived benefits and funding resources will be concentrated upon drastic improvements court processes and capacities.
This information is detailed in the government’s response to the report from The House of Commons Housing Select Committee.
Many believe that by releasing details of the response so near to the Second Reading is so the government attempt to mollify the much reported opposition to the Bill by the industry and no doubt more important to it from the discerning MPs.
In the government response regarding the abolition of Section 21 it specifically says this “will not take place until we judge sufficient progress has been made to improve the courts.”
And continues: “That means we will not proceed with the abolition of section 21, until reforms to the justice system are in place.”
There is good news for landlords letting to students as the government intends to introduce new grounds to repossess properties to ‘safeguard’ the yearly tenancy agreements in the student housing market.
The government said it will “introduce a ground for possession that will facilitate the yearly cycle of short-term student tenancies” which “will enable new students to sign up to a property in advance, safe in the knowledge they will have somewhere to live the next year.”
Just a final reminder that the Second Reading of the Renters Reform Bill will be held later this afternoon in the House of Commons (Mon 23rd Oct).
To read lengthy
Housing Committee’s report with the government comments here.
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