The proposal to ban no-fault evictions was originally introduced under the previous government’s Renters’ Reform Bill but was delayed by the general election
Three in four landlords, or 75.4%, have expressed significant concern about the proposed abolition of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, according to a survey by BTL lender Landbay.
The survey found that landlords’ primary concern is losing control over their properties, especially their ability to remove problematic tenants. Many landlords see the ability to evict tenants under Section 21 as essential for maintaining control of their investments.
The proposed abolition of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions is part of the government’s recently introduced Renters’ Rights Bill.
Deputy PM and housing secretary Angela Rayner said the legislation aims to “rebalance the relationship between tenant and landlord and end no-fault evictions – for good.”
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook said that the government aims to implement the new rules before next summer.
The proposal to ban no-fault evictions was originally introduced under the previous government’s Renters’ Reform Bill but was delayed by the general election. The new bill seeks to enhance tenant security by ending arbitrary evictions while introducing expanded possession grounds to allow landlords to reclaim properties when necessary.
Unlike the earlier bill, the new legislation does not make the abolition of Section 21 contingent on improvements to the court process. Nevertheless, landlords have expressed concern about the capacity of the court system to handle possession claims, which could increase as landlords rely more on Section 8 grounds to regain control of their properties.
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has echoed these concerns.
Rent reform has long been on Labour’s radar and formed a key part of its election manifesto, said Rob Stanton, sales and distribution director at Landbay. We knew this would be a priority for the new government and it looks like it plans to move quickly. Nonetheless, our research shows that landlords have significant concerns about the new bill, especially around ‘no fault’ evictions.
While no decent landlord will object to tenants being treated fairly, they argue that the property owner deserves the same rights. We have to hope that, as the bill starts its long journey through parliament and the House of Lords, amendments are made to create a fairer piece of legislation that does not negatively impact supply or rent for tenants.
