Law Society gives eviction ban extension guarded welcome

Law Society gives eviction ban extension guarded welcome

8:57 AM, 11th March 2021, About 4 years ago

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News the government is set to extend the ban on the enforcement of evictions today received a guarded welcome from the Law Society of England and Wales.

Law Society president David Greene said: “We welcome the news that some tenants who are struggling and would otherwise be facing eviction will be able to stay in their homes until the summer, particularly given the lockdown, the new variants of the virus and the vaccine programme working its way across England.

“However, it should be noted that those with significant rent arrears are exempt from the ban, and, as time goes on, it’s likely that more tenants will be evicted as a result of increasing amounts of overdue rent. Eventually, fewer tenants will be protected by the ban and may become homeless.

“When the government begins to taper off these measures on 1 June, it needs to ensure protection is given to both tenants and landlords and ensure legal aid is available to as many tenants as possible.”

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has announced that the ban on the enforcement of evictions – save for the most egregious cases, including illegal occupation, false statement, anti-social behaviour (including rioting), perpetrators of domestic abuse and serious rent arrears of more than 6 months – has been extended until the 31 May.

The emergency protections, enacted because of the Covid-19 crisis will then be tapered from the beginning of June, in the first sign that eviction cases may again begin to be heard in civil courts

Possession hearings, however, will still continue and tenants are required to pay their rent.


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