Lib Dems urge landlord MPs to disclose use of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions

Lib Dems urge landlord MPs to disclose use of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions

0:03 AM, 26th October 2023, About 7 months ago 8

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The Liberal Democrats have challenged Conservative MPs who are landlords to reveal if they have ever evicted tenants without a reason.

The party wants more transparency from the Tory MPs who may oppose the Renters (Reform) Bill, which aims to ban Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions in England.

The Bill was introduced in the Commons for its second reading this week, but it faces resistance from dozens of Conservative MPs, according to media reports.

One in five Tory MPs is a landlord

It has been estimated that a fifth of the Tory Parliamentary party are landlords.

The government has already made concessions to the potential rebels on the abolition of Section 21 by delaying the ban until legal processes in the courts have been improved.

The Liberal Democrats have asked the 68 Tory MPs who are landlords to disclose if they have ever used a section 21 notice, which allows landlords to repossess a property without giving a reason.

‘Leaving renters without the protections that they deserve’

Helen Morgan, the Liberal Democrat Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson, said: “In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, after years of rents spiralling out of control, this Conservative government has sat on its hands time and again leaving renters without the protections that they deserve.

“It is not right that those thwarting this legislation do not have to make clear why they have such a keen personal interest in stopping it becoming law.”

She added: “Any MP who has ever used a section 21 notice needs to make that clear to the House and to the public.

“It would frankly be insulting to all those affected by the delay of this important piece of legislation to not know the true motivations of why so many Conservative MPs oppose the ban.”


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Comments

Easy rider

9:26 AM, 26th October 2023, About 7 months ago

It would be useful if anyone who has issued a Section 22 Notice gave a reason for doing so.

Landlords are unlikely to issue a Notice for no reason. I accept that there will be some who issue the Notices for tenants that know their rights when it comes to repairs. I’d expect this to be the minority but that could just be my rise-tinted spectacles.

Monty Bodkin

9:39 AM, 26th October 2023, About 7 months ago

https://www.nrla.org.uk/research/deep-insight/s21-and-landlord-experience#:~:text=The%20decision%20to%20issue%20a,of%20a%20Section%2021%20notice

The reasons for landlords issuing Section 21 notices are overwhelmingly due to the actions of tenants: our survey showed over 70% of landlords issuing Section 21 notices did so because of rent arrears. The decision to issue a Section 21 notice is often because of several factors rather than a single cause.

Thus one-third of Section 21 notices were issued because of property damage. Anti-social behaviour (28%) or other, illegal, activity (17%) are also key reasons prompting the issuing of a Section 21 notice.

Easy rider

9:45 AM, 26th October 2023, About 7 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Monty Bodkin at 26/10/2023 - 09:39
You only asked landlords to complete the survey? If so, it’s hardly surprising there weren’t many saying that they don’t use Section 21 for retaliatory evictions.

I guess we’ll never know why Section 21 is used so often. At least, not until Section 8 is used with its selection of ‘no fault’ grounds.

Morag

11:15 AM, 26th October 2023, About 7 months ago

What does she expect the answer to be? "Yes, I've done it many times, it's a hobby of mine". I suspect the commonest answer would be never, and certainly never without a reason. I can't even understand why retaliatory eviction for asking for repairs is a thing. Surely it's cheaper and easier to fix the thing than go to the hassle and expense of evicting someone and finding a new tenant, and still need to fix the thing? I imagine there's more to these stories than meets the eye.

northern landlord

11:26 AM, 26th October 2023, About 7 months ago

Most evictions will be of a retaliatory nature but not retaliatory as defined by law. Eviction is the only retaliation a landlord has for rent arrears, property damage and anti-social, threatening or criminal behaviour or any combination of these. What are landlords supposed to do when their livelihood and property are threatened, grin and bear it?

Mr Blueberry

12:06 PM, 26th October 2023, About 7 months ago

Helen Morgan, the Liberal Democrat Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson, is misleading the public. Rents have not spiralled out of control. Far from it.

In 2022 the UK inflation was 5.7%, and the average rental increase was 4.3%. Even if Helen Morgan MP wanted to argue over one percentage point, she would still be wrong.

The question I ask is, is she telling lies to attract voters?

Dylan Morris

12:07 PM, 26th October 2023, About 7 months ago

“Any MP who has ever used a section 21 notice needs to make that clear to the House and to the public”. No they don’t there’s no reason whatsoever why they need to do this. It’s their own private business. Just crazy out of control left wing thinking.

Mick Roberts

8:02 AM, 27th October 2023, About 7 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Easy rider at 26/10/2023 - 09:26
I've done about 9 Sec 21's over 26 years & not once have I been asked why.

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