Council leaders call for longer eviction notice periods to prevent homelessness

Council leaders call for longer eviction notice periods to prevent homelessness

10:09 AM, 1st March 2024, About 10 months ago 83

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Council leaders from across the political spectrum have asked the housing secretary, Michael Gove, to support an amendment to the Renters (Reform) Bill that would give tenants more time to find a new home if they are evicted.

Sky News says it has obtained a letter, signed by 103 local authority leaders, including the leader of Rishi Sunak’s constituency council in North Yorkshire, that urges Mr Gove to increase eviction notice periods from two months to four.

The letter, which was co-ordinated by the campaign group Renters Reform Coalition, says that this change would ‘give tenants more security and time to find a new home which suits their needs in the event they are evicted’ and would ‘reduce the number of people claiming homelessness support following the end of a private tenancy’.

The Renters (Reform) Bill, which is currently going through Parliament will ban Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions which allow landlords to reclaim properties without giving a reason.

‘Scale of the crisis in the private rented sector’

The campaign manager at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, Tom Darling, told Sky News the Bill ‘has many positive aspects – but it is still insufficient to address the scale of the crisis in the private rented sector’.

He said: “The two months being proposed, like the status quo, will leave renters frantically scrambling to find a suitable new home in time, with many ending up presenting as homeless to their local council when this search comes up empty.

“Not only will increasing notice periods provide more security for England’s 11 million private renters and alleviate some of the suffering in our housing system, it will also provide some much needed respite to local authorities buckling under the growing cost of temporary accommodation.”

Evict tenants in England for specific reasons

However, under the Bill, landlords would only be able to evict tenants in England for specific reasons, such as selling their house or having a relative move in.

The Bill would keep a two-month notice period for these cases, which the Renters Reform Coalition argues is not enough for many people to secure alternative accommodation.

The coalition says that the end of private tenancies is the main cause of homelessness, with recent data showing that more than a quarter of eligible claims for homelessness support were made because a private tenancy had ended.

‘Many renters are unable to find new accommodation’

The letter states: “As you will know, Section 21 evictions are a leading cause of statutory homelessness – many renters are unable to find new accommodation in the two months available after being served an S21 eviction and end up being housed in temporary accommodation.”

The number of households living in temporary accommodation has doubled since 2012, reaching record highs, including the highest number of homeless children – more than 138,000 – since records began.

Last year, councils in England warned that spending on temporary accommodation was threatening to ‘overwhelm’ their budgets.

Analysis from the Local Government Association (LGA) last year showed that ‘at least’ £1.74bn was spent supporting 104,000 households in the year ending in March – the highest amount since records began in 1998.

And this week, London Councils warned that several London boroughs are facing bankruptcy trying to meet homelessness bills.


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Bernard Mealing

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11:37 AM, 1st March 2024, About 10 months ago

They have already done more than that. STAY IN THE HOUSE UNTIL THE BAILIFFS. CALL

NewYorkie

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11:44 AM, 1st March 2024, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by No at 01/03/2024 - 02:46
Agreed! I've had enough and am selling.

Keith Stead

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11:49 AM, 1st March 2024, About 10 months ago

I am not responsible for MP's and Ministers failing to do their jobs adequately.
I am not responsible for Local councils failing to do their jobs adequately.
I am not responsible for government and local authority housing policy.
So why do these 'LEADERS' believe I should accept responsibility for the problems that their actions, inactions and policies have created.
So here's a radical idea for our 'LEADERS' - 'Own your Job' and 'Do your job' - and don't visit your problems on me.

LaLo

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12:08 PM, 1st March 2024, About 10 months ago

4 months is just the start - soon after it’ll be 6 months then ‘who knows’!

moneymanager

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12:30 PM, 1st March 2024, About 10 months ago

Presumably they are also providing full indemnification for landlord's rent arrears, damages, and costs?

Reluctant Landlord

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13:27 PM, 1st March 2024, About 10 months ago

ok move it to 4 months. Lets see what will happen...it wont stop possessions, just make it more expensive for LL's who will then increase the rent and never house anyone less than perfect references.

If this happens at the same time as S21 goes, ALL reasons for possession will have to be given.

How many of those then evicted will the council now deed a duty of care is owed, if the reason is for rent arrears, breaches in TA's, trashed properties/ asbo issues?

All these are regarded as due to direct tenant action and therefore the council has ZERO duty because these actions are deemed as making themselves 'intentionally homeless'.

Those making themselves intentionally homeless will not be added to the existing housing list.

I suppose the powers that be will promote this as a win because the stats will show 'officially' homelessness has reduced! There are less on the housing lists....

we wont mention this translates as more in tents on the streets though....

Michael Booth

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13:52 PM, 1st March 2024, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by No at 01/03/2024 - 02:46
No better if not worse under liebor

Michael Booth

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13:57 PM, 1st March 2024, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 01/03/2024 - 13:27Sot on section 8. You need a reason , l told the tenant that if l issue with this and l am legally obliged to tell the truth, rent arrears , drug dealing anti social behaviour you will never get a property make your mind up how you want to go, sufficeto say they took the section 21 and left before the due date.

Mick Roberts

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14:10 PM, 1st March 2024, About 10 months ago

They proper thick aren't they. Makes my blood boil how they can get it so wrong.

Giving more time will lead to more Landlords packing up which then results in more evictions & more homeless.
Why don't they just say We want ALL EVICTIONS to be stopped. They will protect all the current people. Then gradually over time, there will be no houses for anyone else. All the waiting people. All the current people that want to move. Anyone in a homeless hostel now, u staying there forever.

We all know Section 21 if PERFECT paperwork takes a year.

TheMaluka

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16:37 PM, 1st March 2024, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by LaLo at 01/03/2024 - 11:34
Registers do not create homelessnes, neither do landlords, it is TENANTS who behave in a manner which makes them homeless.

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