Law Society comment on 6 week eviction ban extension

Law Society comment on 6 week eviction ban extension

9:56 AM, 16th February 2021, About 3 years ago 8

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The Secretary of State for housing, communities and local government has announced that the ban on the enforcement of evictions, save for the most egregious cases, including illegal occupation, false statement, anti-social behaviour, perpetrators of domestic abuse and serious rent arrears of more than 6 months has been extended until at least 31 March.

Possession hearings, however, will still continue and tenants are required to pay their rent.

Law Society president David Greene said: “We are pleased that some tenants who would otherwise be facing eviction will be able to stay in their homes, particularly given the colder weather and the new variants of the virus. However, it should be noted that those with significant rent arrears are exempt from the ban, and as time goes on it is likely that more tenants will be evicted as a result of significant amounts of overdue rent.

“Eventually, fewer tenants will be protected by the ban and may become homeless, making it difficult to contain the virus.

“Funded early expert legal advice is vital to preventing unnecessary evictions and must continue to be available to all tenants alongside the mediation pilot, now deployed across all courts.

“While mediation certainly has its place in civil justice, particularly in light of the significant court backlogs, it must be ensured that access to justice through the adjudication process is not delayed.

“Informing tenants of their legal rights, such as benefits advice, could make a real difference to their ability to stay in their homes and not require the protection of the eviction ban.”

The above point of view from the Law Society would seem skewed more towards the concerns of tenants than landlords who could equally be clients of their members!


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Comments

Luke P

10:36 AM, 16th February 2021, About 3 years ago

Translation: Show me the legal aid money!!

Blodwyn

10:49 AM, 16th February 2021, About 3 years ago

I am a former solicitor and see this with possible concern. Solicitors do (yes!) have hearts somewhere but we are not social workers. Yes, some tenants are suffering grievously through no fault of their own and simply cannot find the money. But maybe they can pay at least a part - not paying doesn't mean not paying anything at all? We then share the punch on the chin?

For what it's worth, David Greene is a partner with Edwin Coe, a well respected Lincoln's Inn practice where has worked all his professional life. If you look at their website and his profile, you may agree he knows his way round the block?

Could he find a way to set up a mediation bridge between hungry tenants and equally hungry landlords to meet not snarl?

John Mac

11:01 AM, 16th February 2021, About 3 years ago

Wow that comment is so one sided it's almost unbelievable, what about Protecting Landlords? Contrary to public & Gov belief LL's are people too, they have families & bills to pay!

Landlords have effectively been denied due legal process for almost a year now, some LL's have had no rent for 2 years !

Also slipping in Covid is utterly reprehensible - all to presumably drum up some legal work for himself.

David Greene you should hang your head in shame !!

Luke P

12:09 PM, 16th February 2021, About 3 years ago

If any money is made available to tackle the legal issues between landlords and tenant, it should be to pay the arrears that are causing those legal issues…not to fund solicitors to find petty technicalities in order to justify delaying (at further cost) the inevitable!!

Ian Narbeth

12:37 PM, 16th February 2021, About 3 years ago

Some tenants need financial help to pay their landlords. If they receive that help and fail to pass the rent on the Government should say: "You have abused taxpayers' generosity. Now suffer the consequences." Sadly I can't see that happening as MPs have a massive blind spot.
I agree with Luke P. I do not see a need for funding for "legal advice" to enable defaulting tenants' lawyers to look for loopholes to avoid liability.

DALE ROBERTS

12:54 PM, 16th February 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 16/02/2021 - 12:09
Exactly. The treatment of landlords during, if not before Covid, can now justifiably be labelled as exploitation.

moneymanager

13:31 PM, 16th February 2021, About 3 years ago

"The government would like to thank landlords fo rtheir forbearance" - Robert Jenrick

"Stand and deliver - Your MONEY or your LIFE" - Dick Turpin.

Rennie

21:37 PM, 16th February 2021, About 3 years ago

You cannot contain a virus

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