MPs have warned that the Government risks undermining its own proposed policy of banning ‘no fault’ evictions for tenants unless it fixes delays in the court system.
A report by the cross-party levelling up, housing and communities committee says the Government’s recent white paper may have a negative impact on the private rental sector for students and highlights the threat of the rise in holiday-lets.
Reforming the Private Rented Sector warns that the Government’s proposed sales and occupations grounds could be ‘too easily exploited by bad landlords and become a backdoor to no-fault evictions’.
It recommends several changes to help combat unfair eviction and insecurity of tenure.
It also welcomes the Government’s plans to introduce a legally binding ‘decent homes standard’ but says precarious local government finances, shortage of qualified enforcement staff and a lack of reliable data threatens the ability of local councils to enforce it.
The report recommends the Government introduce a tougher civil penalties regime in the proposed renters reform bill to ensure councils can impose financial penalties on landlords who breach standards.
Clive Betts, chair of the levelling up, housing and communities committee, said: ‘The Government should remedy the blight of unfair evictions and insecurity of tenure experienced by too many tenants today.
‘From our inquiry, it’s not clear the Government fully appreciates that a creaking and unreformed courts system in England risks undermining their own tenancy reforms, including the welcome commitment to ban ‘no fault’ evictions.
‘For landlords and tenants, it’s vital the Government now finds a practical way forward to enable courts to fast-track claims.’
