Tenants to be protected against ‘retaliatory evictions’

Tenants are to be given greater protection against eviction by rogue landlords under new measures announced by the government.

Ministers are focusing on the small minority of landlords who evict tenants simply for asking for essential repairs to be made.

The new measures will extend the existing restrictions on a landlord’s powers to evict, such as when they don’t protect a deposit or don’t have a licence they are required to hold, to situations where a health and safety hazard has been identified by environmental health officers.

The government says the changes are designed to strike the right balance, so they only target bad landlords and cannot be used by tenants to frustrate legitimate evictions.

Ministers also want to avoid excessive regulation, which would push up rents and restrict supply in the private rented sector, reducing choice for tenants.

Communities Minister Stephen Williams said: “We’re determined to create a bigger, better private rented sector – a key part of that is to tackle the minority of rogue landlords that blight the lives of their tenants.

“That’s why I’m proposing changes to the law that would outlaw ‘retaliatory evictions’, so tenants don’t face the prospect of losing their home simply for asking that repairs be made.”

The measures are being introduced as part of the Deregulation Bill now going through parliament. We shall keep clients informed of developments.

Please contact Santokh Singh if you would like advice about commercial property law.