Our inaugural 'Let's update you' feature is live which will focus on providing you with the latest Property Litigation updates. This month's edition covers the Renters (Reform) Bill.
These are current proposals, and whether the law will be passed in this form, if at all, is not certain. We will update you as and when the new law passes.
The bill proposes that the so-called 'no fault' eviction via use of Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 as amended, will be abolished and it will not be possible to evict tenants unless one of the specified grounds apply under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 as amended.
Some of the new grounds proposed by the Renters Reform Bill include:
- Landlord requires vacant possession to sell the property, or if they want to move in, or they want a close family member to move into the property.
- Repeated serious arrears – Where a tenant has been in at least two months' rent arrears three times within the previous three years, the Judge is required to award a possession order, no matter what the arrears are at the time of the possession hearing.
It is also proposed that the notice period for existing rent arrears grounds will be increased from two weeks to four weeks. Landlords will only be able to increase the rent once per year.
A new Ombudsman and Property Portal is proposed to be created and possession proceedings are intended to be simplified.
A deposit passporting scheme may be introduced to help vacating tenants access their deposit quicker.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.