Renters (Reform) Bill: Housing Minister says not all tenants are ‘bad people’

Reply to the comment left by Monty Bodkin at 03/10/2023 - 13:43
The landlord with an ASB tenant clearly needs a route to regain possession. Section 21 isn’t the answer as the tenant moves on with reputation intact. A Section Eviction, sanctioned by a Court, must be a better answer.

Most Section 21 evictions today are for landlords wishing to sell. A good tenant in such a property would be an attractive option to the selling/purchasing landlord as there’d be no void period and rental income from day one.

Section 21 is going. We need to focus on ensuring the new system is a better one.

Surely no reasonable person could think that a good tenant should ever receive a Section 21 notice.

Reply to the comment left by Teessider at 03/10/2023 - 17:25The landlord with an ASB tenant clearly needs a route to regain possession. Section 21 isn’t the answer as the tenant moves on with reputation intact. A Section Eviction, sanctioned by a Court, must be a better answer. In an ideal world, yes but you ignore the point about the problem of getting victims to give evidence.,
Most Section 21 evictions today are for landlords wishing to sell. I don't have the figures. Do you? A good tenant in such a property would be an attractive option to the selling/purchasing landlord as there’d be no void period and rental income from day one. Agreed, if (a) lenders would allow it and (b) if there had not been so much regulation and so many ways for a landlord to slip up that the purchaser never knows quite what mess he will inherit.
Section 21 is going. We need to focus on ensuring the new system is a better one.It won't be better. Things are going to get worse rapidly.
Surely no reasonable person could think that a good tenant should ever receive a Section 21 notice.I disagree. The landlord who needs the property back for his own or a family member's occupation may have to evict a good tenant.

Invite your local MP to speak to the ASB tenant (you will no longer be able to evict under the RRB) who scares suffering residents into silence. Perhaps when MPs see the problem for themselves - and probably fail to improve the tenant's behaviour - they'll STOP the RRB by not voting for cancellation of S21. This is assuming the MP has the cohones to turn up and try speaking to the tenant.

Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 03/10/2023 - 17:35
If there is no evidence of antisocial behaviour then the benefit of doubt must fall on the accused. Anything else is akin to a kangaroo court. The landlord could present the evidence to the judge and the victims names could be kept ‘for the judges eyes only’.

I don’t have the figures for Section 21 evictions. I don’t think they’ll be gathered because there doesn’t need to be a reason given. Many forums of social media have numerous reports of ‘I’ve received a Section 21 because my landlord is selling’ or landlords claiming that they are evicting their tenants because they want to sell.

Maybe they’re needs to be legislation that draws a line in the sand when a new landlord saves a tenant from eviction. The sale could generate a new, compliant tenancy. Lenders shouldn’t worry too much if the LTV is 75%.

I’d accept that with prior notice (during the advertising stage) any landlord should be able to end a tenancy on a fixed date. Something between a holiday let and a long term let. Maybe the tax system could favour long term lets, be indifferent to medium term lets and penalise short term lets?

There must be a better system. One that satisfies good landlords and good tenants. The current system isn’t working.

Reply to the comment left by Teessider at 03/10/2023 - 17:25"Most Section 21 evictions today are for landlords wishing to sell."
You have no evidence for that assertion, as a S21 is a "no reason given" eviction and as far as I know there are no stats collected. In fact, it is my understanding (no stats) that most S21s are served by Social Landlords, and if I am correct, where does leave your statement?

Reply to the comment left by Teessider at 03/10/2023 - 18:35
1. Section 21 isn’t the answer as the tenant moves on with reputation intact. - any person coming to me saying they had a S21 elicits a call to the previous LL to find out exactly why. At that point the landlord is and ex landlord so has no problem giving you the reason as they have already left their property as it has no bearing on anything going forward.

2. your forget that the S8 ground will surely require permission from the victim of the ASB at least for the details to be put into the form in the first place? If you cant even do this, you cant even use this as a ground! Even if the victim gave permission, a copy of the notice goes to the nightmare tenant anyway. Imagine what could happen to the victim as a result one this possession notice is received?

Reply to the comment left by Teessider at 03/10/2023 - 18:35You keep avoiding my point. You write: "If there is no evidence of antisocial behaviour then the benefit of doubt must fall on the accused. Anything else is akin to a kangaroo court. The landlord could present the evidence to the judge and the victims names could be kept ‘for the judges eyes only"
It will be almost impossible for the victim's name to be kept from the anti-social tenant. In court he will be allowed to counter the complaints. It may be that he has only persecuted one family or only put dog's mess through one person's door or only vandalised one neighbour's car or threatened to harm only one person. How will you persuade witnesses who may fear for their lives and the lives of their children to give evidence?
Unless you can answer that you sound like a Lefty lawyer who would rather that 10 innocent people suffer or die than that one (probably) guilty client does not receive due process.

Reply to the comment left by Teessider at 03/10/2023 - 18:35
"There must be a better system. One that satisfies good landlords and good tenants. The current system isn’t working."

Codswallop (again).

The vast majority of landlords and tenants are satisfied with the current system as the English Housing Survey consistently reports.

Killing Section 21 based on unsubstantiated emotive anecdotes will harm far more people than it helps.