What does the delay on the ban on ‘no-fault’ evictions mean for Landlords & Tenants?

This week the Government indefinitely delayed plans for a ban on Section 21 evictions in England and Wales. Ministers had initially pledged to end the right for landlords to evict tenants without needing a reason back in 2019, but they have now delayed it until after the court system is reformed. Housing secretary Michael Gove said in an announcement that it was “vital” to update the courts first, when the Renters Reform Bill was debated in the Commons this week. What did the bill mean? Last year we wrote a blog outlining the changes that were set to be introduced and other changes to the rental sector. While the no-fault ban essentially would have meant that landlords would only be able to evict tenants in certain circumstances, such as selling the property or renting to family, after six months’ notice, there is still plenty of protection in place for tenants. The new bill would also have given tenants the right to request a pet in the property which the landlord would have to consider and ‘cannot unreasonably’ refuse, and it would be illegal for landlords or agents to have blanket bans on renting to families with children or those in receipt of benefits. So what does this mean for both landlords and tenants? Well quite simply, it means that everything will remain as it has for the time being. As it stands, when it comes to landlords serving notice on tenants, they must give at least two months’ notice to their tenants and tenants will only need to give one month’s notice to their landlords. Here at Clarendons we work with both landlords and tenants to ensure that any new tenant is given a fair chance to rent a property. And, should any issues arise during a tenancy – be it property maintenance, pets in property, an increase in rents or even late rent payments –are dealt with in a fair manner and to keep reliable tenancies in place for the long-term. As the ‘middle man’ it is the agency’s job to manage these things, and to look at all circumstances as every case is different. If you are looking to rent your house out through a trusted agent, get in touch with Clarendons today on