Propertymark call for dedicated housing court in Commission consultation

In a consultation by the Law Commission on areas of law that it intends to review, Propertymark has called for a dedicated housing court to guarantee fair, timely redress for tenants and landlords and safeguard investment in the private rented sector.

They note the current procedure to possession via courts is “slow, complex and costly, and in the context of the anticipated abolition of Section 21 notices, broader Renters’ Reform agenda and Covid pandemic, there is a pressing need for court reform.”

Timothy Douglas, the group’s policy and campaigns manager, says: “The current backlog of cases shows we desperately need to see a change in the way private rental sector issues are handled.

“Our members are seeing a lack of private rented supply and failure to reform the court system is likely to result in a lack of confidence for private landlords, ultimately leading to a further loss of investment in an already highly penalised section of the housing system.

“A dedicated housing court would provide faster, less costly resolutions for tenants and landlords.”

Click here to read the full Propertymark submission