In a move that has drawn mixed reactions, the long-promised ban on no-fault evictions, commonly served through section 21 notices, has been postponed, a decision welcomed by landlords but criticized by housing campaigners for the potential “human cost.”
Ministers have announced that the eagerly anticipated prohibition of section 21 notices will be put on hold until a comprehensive reform of the UK’s court system is completed, a decision driven by the current record backlog of 65,000 cases in the Crown Court.
Housing Secretary Michael Gove confirmed that evictions not necessitating landlords to demonstrate tenant wrongdoing will not be implemented until legal system enhancements are in place.
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Angela Rayner, accused the government of striking a “grubby deal” to secure the support of Conservative MPs who had threatened to oppose the measures.
The Renters Reform Bill, which was pledged in the Conservative Party’s 2019 election manifesto, is currently under debate in the House of Commons. It is expected to progress beyond this stage and continue through Parliament after the upcoming King’s Speech next month.
Recent research conducted by 38 Degrees earlier this year revealed that 87 Members of Parliament, including 68 from the Conservative Party, approximately a fifth of the party, and five cabinet ministers, are currently earning rental income as landlords.
As reported by LBC, Gove stated in a letter to fellow Tories earlier this month that “implementation will not take place until we judge sufficient progress has been made to improve the courts.” These improvements are anticipated to include digitization, enhancements in bailiff retention and recruitment, and providing early legal assistance to tenants.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan cautioned that roughly 290 London renters face no-fault evictions each week, a practice that ministers pledged to eliminate four years ago. He noted that an additional 15,000 Londoners could receive section 21 notices before the bill’s expected implementation next year, with a third of all no-fault evictions in England in recent years occurring in the capital. Khan labelled the lack of progress as “inexcusable,” while Tom Darling, from the Renters’ Reform Coalition, spoke of the “terrible human cost.”
Angela Rayner warned, “This comes at a heavy price for renters who have been let down for too long. Tens of thousands more families, who the government promised to protect, now face the prospect of being threatened with homelessness or eviction by bailiffs.”
In contrast, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) welcomed the decision, with its Chief Executive Ben Beadle expressing his satisfaction, saying, “Following extensive campaigning by the NRLA, we welcome the approach taken by ministers to ensure court improvements are made before section 21 ends.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman stated, “It’s right that courts are ready for what will be the most significant reforms to tenancy laws in three decades.”