As part of the rental reforms, the UK government has announced plans to ban “no-fault” evictions, which currently allow landlords to evict tenants without a reason at the end of a fixed-term rental agreement.
The proposed changes will mean that landlords will have to provide a valid reason for eviction, such as rent arrears or damage to property. The reform is aimed at providing greater security and stability for renters, who currently face the risk of being evicted at short notice and without a justifiable reason.
Although Section 21s will be banned, the reforms will make it easier for landlords to evict anti-social tenants.
In addition to the proposals to prevent unfair evictions, the government have proposed a new lifetime deposit scheme to make it easier for tenants to move between properties, as well as bringing an end to a ban on tenants who are claiming benefits. This change aims to make the rental sector more inclusive and accessible for low-income households, who have been previously denied access to rental properties because of their benefit status. The move has been welcomed by social housing and anti-poverty campaigners, who have long called for an end to discrimination against tenants who rely on benefits.
Overall, the rental reforms are expected to bring greater security and stability for renters. While some landlord associations have raised concerns about the impact on their businesses, the government has emphasized that the changes are necessary to ensure a fair and balanced rental sector for both tenants and landlords.
The Government have summarised the reforms will:
- Reduce notice periods where tenants have been irresponsible – for example, causing damage to the property
- Empower a new ombudsman to provide quicker and cheaper resolutions to tenancy disputes
- Set up a new online portal to help tenants make better decisions when signing a new tenancy agreement
- Apply the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector to improve the quality of homes
- Strengthen councils’ enforcement powers to help target criminal landlords
If you are a landlord, or you are a letting agent concerned about how this may affect your landlords, contact Woodstock Legal Services for advice and expert information.
