Liz Truss speaks to the House of Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions
(Picture: PRU/AFP via Getty Images)The Prime Minister has doubled down on a Tory manifesto pledge to scrap so-called “no-fault” evictions of private renters in England.
Liz Truss pledged a ban on Section 21 notices -which allow landlords to evict a tenant without having to give a reason - after reports earlier this week that the Government might throw out the Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto commitment.
It follows warnings from charities on Tuesday that backtracking on the pledge would be a “betrayal” of private renters across the country, and would fuel homelessness.
Going back on the commitment to end no-fault evictions is an act of extreme callousness
Labour MP Graham Stringer told the Commons on Wednesday: “Spooking the markets and increasing the cost of borrowing and increasing the cost of mortgages was almost certainly an act of gross incompetence rather than malevolence.
“But going back on the commitment to end no-fault evictions is an act of extreme callousness,” he said during Prime Minister’s Questions.
“Can the Prime Minister reassure the 11 million private renters in this country that she will carry out her commitment to get rid of no-fault evictions?”
Ms Truss replied: “I can.”
On Tuesday, Downing Street said no decisions had been made on whether to pause a promised ban on Section 21 notices, which allow landlords to evict a tenant without having to give a reason.
The Tories first pledged to scrap no-fault evictions in 2019 in the election manifesto.
In May, the Queen’s Speech confirmed that no-fault evictions would be abolished in a new Renters Reform Bill, which would also introduce an ombudsman to manage disputes and extend the Decent Homes Standard to privately renting households.
No-one should be needlessly evicted from their home as we head into what will be an extremely challenging winter for thousands
Kiran Ramchandani, director of policy and external affairs at homelessness charity Crisis, said: “After an anxious 24 hours, renters will be breathing a sigh of relief to hear the Prime Minister reconfirm the Government’s commitment to ending no-fault evictions.
“No-one should be needlessly evicted from their home as we head into what will be an extremely challenging winter for thousands.
“The Government must now confirm they will bring forward the Renters Reform Bill in this Parliament so that renters can be given the stability they are crying out for.”
If you are a private tenant, a landlord can ask you to move out by issuing a Section 21 or Section 8 notice.
A Section 8 notice can be issued if a landlord already has a reason to evict a tenant, such as rent arrears, damage to the property or if there have been neighbour complaints.
A Section 21 notice is commonly referred to as a “no-fault eviction” as landlords don’t need to give a reason for the eviction.
The Government published its plans to end no-fault evictions in a white paper on June 16.
Proposed legislation for the Renters Reform Bill also includes an end to blanket bans on benefit claimants or families with children, doubling notice periods for rent increases and giving tenants stronger powers to challenge unjustified hikes.
