Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, often termed “no fault eviction,” granted landlords the autonomy to evict tenants without specifying a reason, provided a two-month notice was served. However, in 2019, a pivotal shift began to take shape. The government contemplated the complete removal of Section 21 from the 1988 Act.
In their subsequent White Paper, “A Fairer Private Rented Sector” available on GOV.UK, the government outlined their roadmap for removing Section 21, aspiring to establish a more streamlined tenancy framework. Consequently, the revamped Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 was introduced with novel grounds for eviction.
The Objective of the Reform
The government’s central ambition with these changes is twofold: to ensure tenants receive a just arrangement and to uphold landlords’ rights to evict tenants under valid circumstances. They believe these reforms will pave the way for enhanced property standards across the board.
Key Changes to Section 21 and Section 8
Landlords will no longer have the privilege of evicting tenants without a valid cause. The updated provisions necessitate that landlords highlight applicable grounds from Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 to initiate an eviction.
Newly introduced is the ground that enables landlords to serve a Section 8 Notice if they plan to sell the property, given they’ve informed the tenants two months in advance. This action, however, is restrained during the initial six months of a tenancy.
Moreover, adjustments to Section 8 permit landlords (or their immediate family members, excluding only spouses or civil partners previously) to reclaim the property for personal residence. This provision too is restricted during the tenancy’s first half-year.
Amendments on Grounds of Criminal and Serious Anti-Social Activities
A noteworthy shift pertains to grounds based on criminal and severe anti-social behavior. This entails tenant convictions due to serious criminal offenses as per the Housing Act 1985’s Schedule 2A, IPNA breaches, property closure orders, criminal behavior order breaches, or causing noise nuisances. The revamped guidelines necessitate only a two-week notice, allowing landlords to immediately pursue a court claim.
Yet, it’s vital to understand that while landlords must substantiate their eviction grounds, tenants maintain their right to terminate the tenancy without justification.
The Right to Pet Ownership: Introducing Section 16A
The Renters Reform Bill also ushers in “Section 16A of the Housing Act 1988”, permitting tenants to seek written permission to keep pets. While landlords can either approve or decline this request, they’re barred from “unreasonably” denying consent. A refusal is deemed logical if housing the pet violates an agreement with an upper-tier landlord or if the primary landlord’s agreement with the superior one demands prior consent for pet ownership, which is then denied.
Please note that the information provided here serves general purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional legal advice.
