The Government has announced plans to start winding down the support for residential tenants, which has been in place during the coronavirus pandemic. Bailiffs will be able to begin residential evictions from 1st June, in plans that provide some relief for landlords.
However, four-month notice periods will remain in place for most tenants until at least the beginning of October. The Government wants to ensure that renters are protected as much as possible, as the country continues to make its way out of lockdown.
Notice periods to reduce
The relaxation of the restrictions on evictions will see the notice period that landlords give to tenants reduced from six to four months in most cases.
The easing will also apply to Section 21 notices for no-fault evictions, which provides some relief for landlords who have been hard hit by the Covid-19 restrictions. 45% of private landlords only own a single property and are extremely vulnerable to rent arrears.
Notice periods are expected to return to pre-pandemic levels from 1st October, as long as public health advice and the progress through the Roadmap continue as anticipated.
The Housing Minister, Christopher Pincher, has also stated that notice periods for Section 8 evictions will return to normal at the start of October. Depending on the grounds for the eviction, the period of notice will be between two weeks and two months.
The notice period for ‘serious arrears’ (four or more months of unpaid rent) will reduce to two months from 1st August.
Housing Minister, Christopher Pincher MP said: “From the beginning of the pandemic, we have taken unprecedented action to protect renters and help keep them in their homes.
“As COVID restrictions are eased in line with the Roadmap out of lockdown, we will ensure tenants continue to be supported with longer notice periods, while also balancing the need for landlords to access justice.”
Moving forward with residential evictions
The most serious cases will continue to be prioritised by the courts, including those involving anti-social behaviour and fraud. Many of the cases currently awaiting eviction predate the pandemic.
As 14 days’ notice is required before bailiffs can carry out an eviction, it is unlikely that any will take place before the middle of June. The Government has also requested that bailiffs do not carry out evictions where anyone living at the property has symptoms of Covid-19 or is self-isolating.
Notice periods for tenants in the most serious of cases will remain lower than the standard four months:
- anti-social behaviour (immediate to 4 weeks’ notice)
- domestic abuse in the social sector (2 to 4 weeks’ notice)
- false statement (2 to 4 weeks’ notice)
- over 4 months’ accumulated rent arrears (4 weeks’ notice)
- breach of immigration rules ‘Right to Rent’ (2 weeks’ notice)
- death of a tenant (2 months’ notice)