All evictions are equal - or are they?
MaryAnne Bowring 17/06/2020
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1. Priority Evictions When the Ban Is Lifted
Which type of evictions should be dealt with first when the ban is lifted? According to the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), evictions for anti-social behaviour and domestic violence should be given top priority when the eviction ban is lifted. The NRLA is calling on the courts to push these cases to the top of the list, alongside evictions for rent arrears, when the ban is lifted at the end of August. This has become a serious issue, as cases of domestic abuse and anti-social behaviour have surged during the lockdown.
2. Domestic Abuse and Private Rented Housing
Research from the University of Bristol reveals that more than a third of victims of domestic abuse live in private rented housing. Landlord Today reports that there has been a 66% increase in calls to the Domestic Violence Helpline during the COVID-19 pandemic. In normal circumstances, when domestic violence is found to be happening in a rented property, landlords will often end the tenancy agreement and offer a new one to the victim independent of the abuser.
3. The Impact of the Ban on Domestic Abuse Cases
At the moment, due to the ban, this isn’t happening, and this lends even more weight to the NRLA’s call for the courts to deal urgently with these evictions when repossession cases can be heard again at the end of the summer.
4. The Potential Problem of Section 21 Changes
At Ringley, in our opinion, the problem will be exacerbated by the Government’s proposal to axe Section 21. We have always considered Section 21 as the polite and straightforward method for landlords to use to evict difficult tenants. Section 21 made it easy to evict a tenant at the end of their tenancy agreement with no questions asked.
5. Support for Section 21 and Concerns About Alternatives
We have always supported this simple, non-confrontational way to end a tenancy, and we see no signs that any of the proposed alternatives will be as straightforward or as effective.
6. Your Thoughts on Section 21 and Evictions
What do you think? Visit www.planetrent.co.uk and read our Property Blog too at www.ringleypropertyblog.co.uk.
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