The new Deregulation Bill, which came into force on 1 October, will prevent landlords from evicting tenants in cases they had not sufficiently responded to tenants complaints about housing conditions.
The new rules that will stop the so-called revenge evictions are a much needed addition to the existing legislation as the UK private rented sector continues to grow.
Paul Smith, CEO at haart estate agents, welcomed the new bill. He said:
“With the rise of Generation Rent and with more tenants in the UK than ever before, it is crucial they are safeguarded against the minority of unscrupulous landlords. We welcome the measures coming into force today which will ensure landlords address complaints against the state of a property swiftly. Councils also need to prioritise issues relating to housing conditions to ensure this new system works. Ultimately everyone deserves to live in a safe and sanitary home, without fear of repercussions if they make a complaint to the contrary and this new law will act as a safeguard.”
Buy-to-let mortgage and bridging loan provider CommercialTrust.co.uk has warned that as a result of the new legislation, renting out properties could become “a legal minefield”. Landlords who can rightfully evict tenants could hesitate to do so because they are not fully aware in what cases the new rules apply.
CommercialTrust.co.uk explains in what circumstances the new bill prevents the service of section 21 notices, or “no fault” notices:
- Where a tenant has recently made a written complaint about the property’s condition
- Where the landlord did not respond to a written complaint within 14 days, giving details of the work that will be done and the timeframe in which it will be completed
- Where their tenant has complained to the local housing authority about the same repair detailed in their written complaint, and the housing authority is still deciding whether to issue either a category 1 or category 2 improvement notice or emergency remedial action notice
