The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has issued a reprimand to a local authority in respect of a breach of Article 5(1)(f) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation. The local authority had included a spreadsheet in its response to a Freedom of...
Since my last blog post on the Renters’ Rights Bill on 19 July 2024, the government has stated that it hopes the ban on evicting tenants in England without having to establish a breach of the tenancy agreement, also known as ‘no-fault evictions’, will be in place by summer 2025, according to the Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycock.
The ban, which forms part of the Renters’ Rights Bill, began its journey through Parliament last week and still needs to be approved by MPs in the House of Commons and peers in the House of Lords, who may propose further changes, before it becomes law.
The government said that under the current Renters’ Rights Bill proposals, landlords will still have legitimate reasons and ‘robust grounds’ for possession of their property. For example, if the landlord wanted to sell or move into the property.
There is concern, from those within the legal profession, that before the Bill is passed into legislation the courts will become overwhelmed, without additional investment in terms of ‘staff numbers’ to process cases swiftly, due to the expected surge in possession proceedings.
Other measures in the proposed bill include:
- Giving tenants the right to request a pet which landlords cannot unreasonably refuse.
- A ban on rental bidding wars as landlords and letting agents will be required to publish an asking price for the rent for the property. They would be prevented from encouraging or accepting bids above this price.
- Extending Awaab’s law to the private rented sector. This law forces landlords to fix issues including damp and mould, within strict time limits.
- Ending bans on tenants who have children or who are on benefits.
At Bell Lax we have significant expertise in landlord and tenant disputes and can advise on the appropriate procedure to evict a tenant.
If you are a landlord who is concerned about the proposed changes in the Renters’ Rights Bill, or wish to discuss evicting a tenant, please call us on 0121 355 0011 to speak to one of our lawyers who will be happy to assist you.
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