Tenant activist group calls for a two-year eviction ban

A group of renter' rights campaigners is urging the government to amend the Renters (Reform) Bill to protect tenants from being evicted from their home in the first two years of a tenancy.

The Renters Reform Coalition say that the Bill does not go far enough to prevent unfair evictions and ensure stable and affordable housing for tenants.

In a letter to the Housing Secretary Michael Gove, the coalition calls for two main changes to the bill:

Extending the initial period of protection from eviction from six months to two years

Increasing the notice period for eviction from two months to four months.

There is also a call for the evidential threshold for landlords to be raised when evicting a tenant.

The coalition argues that these changes are necessary to avoid backdoor 'no-fault' evictions and to give tenants more security and confidence to challenge poor conditions.

'Renters will continue to be subject to the threat of unfair evictions'

The campaign group's letter states: "Without these changes, the tenant's experience post-reform will too often resemble the current situation: renters will continue to be subject to the threat of unfair evictions; they will continue to be subject to frequent, expensive moves; and they will continue to feel unable to challenge their landlords to demand that basic standards be met.

"It is not good enough for the government to tout that proposals in the Renters (Reform) Bill mirror the current protections for tenants. As your government must know in bringing forward legislation, the status quo is totally indefensible."

The group also warns Mr Gove that he is 'set to miss the opportunity to fix the crisis in private renting' and urges him to 'show the necessary political courage to face down vested interests'.

Promised by the Conservatives in their 2019 election manifesto

The bill, which was promised by the Conservatives in their 2019 election manifesto, would abolish section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, which allows landlords to evict tenants without giving a reason.

Instead, landlords would have to use section 8, which requires them to prove a valid ground for eviction, such as wanting to sell the property or move in themselves.

However, the Bill has faced opposition from some Conservative MPs, who fear that it would discourage landlords from renting out their properties and reduce the supply of rental housing. Some MPs have also proposed amendments to the bill to protect landlords' rights and interests.

The bill has been delayed in Parliament since October and the government has not given a date for its return.

The chief executive of Shelter, the homelessness charity, Polly Neate, accused the government of being 'far too weak' and blamed a group of Tory backbenchers who are landlords for the hold-up.

The government said the bill would be brought back to the Commons soon and that it was committed to creating a 'fairer private rented sector'.

Enable landlords to regain possession of their properties

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) is calling for improvements to the court system to enable landlords to regain possession of their properties more quickly when they have legitimate grounds to do so before section 21 is finally abolished.

Michael Gove says money will be put into the courts system to ensure they will function more efficiently to help landlords gain possession.

The NRLA's chief executive, Ben Beadle, said: "Tenants across the country are facing a rental housing supply crisis.

"It is vital therefore that plans to reform the rental market secure the confidence of responsible landlords as well as renters."

A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: "Our landmark Renters (Reform) Bill will deliver a fairer private rented sector for both tenants and landlords.

"It will abolish section 21 evictions - giving people more security in their homes and empowering them to challenge poor practices."

'Tenants cannot be evicted for the first two years'

The managing director of Accommodation for Students, Simon Thompson, said: "The notion that tenants cannot be evicted for the first two years is simply nonsense. No one can believe that would be a good idea.

"It leaves the door open to all sorts of anti-social activitoes and non-payment of rent that landlords cannot afford."

He added: "To many landlords, the Renters (reform) Bill already goes too far in strengthening tenant rights but weakening landlord rights.

"There will also be an issue in raising the evidential threshold which is already tight and there's a lot of anedotal evidence that courts tend to side with tenants anyway in eviction hearings."

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