The Renters Reform Bill Will Be Published Next Week
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove has confirmed via an interview with Sky News that the Renters Reform Bill will be published next week.
After years of discussions and proposals, significant changes are now on the horizon - including the abolishment of Section 21.
Section 21
Section 21 refers to a section of the Housing Act 1988 in the United Kingdom that allows landlords to evict tenants without providing a reason for doing so. This is known as a "no-fault eviction" or a "Section 21 eviction."
Under Section 21, a landlord can give their tenants notice to leave their property after the end of a fixed-term tenancy, or during a periodic tenancy (i.e. a tenancy that runs on a rolling basis with no fixed end date). The notice period required depends on the type of tenancy and the length of time the tenant has been in the property.
Landlords frequently rely on Section 21 notices as a go-to option when evicting tenants, since it is faster than obtaining an eviction via the longer and more complex process of using a Section 8 notice.
Campaigning for landlords
Associations such as the NRLA have been vocal in advocating for landlords, calling attention to the need for stronger protection for their properties. In their article, they shared what they have asked of the government:
• End the anti-landlord rhetoric and back the majority of landlords providing good-quality home to rent
• Address issues that will arise in the student market as a result of plans to introduce indefinite tenancies
• Come up with firm principles as to how councils and the police can support landlords to tackle anti-social tenants quickly and effectively – something there has already been movement on
• Reform the courts before Section 21 powers are removed to tackle lengthy waits for possession cases to the processed.
• Abolish local licensing once the new property portal is introduced.
To learn more about the Renters Reform Bill, download our free whitepaper and follow the MakeUrMove blog for all the latest updates.
