The long-awaited renters’ reform bill, which is set to abolish no-fault evictions, will be tabled in Parliament today after multiple delays.
Property litigation expert Abtin Yeganeh, Senior Associate at leading corporate and commercial law firm Lawrence Stephens, comments:
“The Renters’ Reform Bill will be welcomed by the majority of UK tenants who, at times, feel there is a degree of uncertainty surrounding their occupation due to ‘no-fault evictions’.
“Currently, landlords can evict their tenants without cause at the end of the fixed term of the tenancy. The Renters’ Reform Bill proposes to abolish this.
“No-fault evictions can be particularly concerning for families with young children in school due to the disruption it causes when an eviction occurs during term time.
“To date, no-fault evictions have provided landlords with security, as they know they can obtain possession at the end of the tenancy without cause. The abolishment of no-fault evictions may, therefore, be a cause for concern for landlords. However, the Bill will reform the grounds of possession under Ground 8 of the Housing Act 1988. New grounds will be introduced to address repeated serious arrears, and situations where possession is required to allow the landlord to sell a property or for the landlord and/or family members to occupy the property.
“In addition, the Bill will require landlords to meet the Decent Homes Standard, ensuring that homes are well maintained and do not pose a danger to tenants, which currently only applies to the Social Housing sector.
“The Renters’ Reform Bill should strike a balance between the rights of tenants and security for landlords.”
