Activitist group Generation Rent has launched a new campaign – to End Unfair Evictions by scrapping Section 21.
Similar campaigns were successful in Scotland, where a new model tenancy in force since last December does not include the so-called no fault ground.
Until then, as in England, Scottish landlords had been able to claim back possession of their property without having to give a reason.
Generation Rent is damning about Section 21, saying: “It’s why investors have been so eager to put all their money into property.
“If they want their money back, they can just evict the person who’s been paying their mortgage off.
“It’s why there is so much bad practice and shoddy conditions in the private rented sector. If a tenant makes a fuss, they’re out.”
Generation Rent says it is working with other groups, including Acorn, to get Section 21 abolished.
There is a petition on 38 Degrees, which yesterday had some 50,000 signatures.
The petition, addressed to Housing Secretary James Brokenshire, states: “England is one of the only countries in Europe that allows people to be evicted without private landlords having to give a reason.
“The threat of being kicked out without doing anything wrong causes insecurity and stress for millions of familes, and makes people suffering shoddy housing scared to complain.
“The Scottish government has already acted to protect private tenants by restricting no-fault evictions there.
“Right now, the Government is looking at how they can make renting more secure in England.
“They could change the law, so people who rent can only be evicted if there’s a valid reason. It’d mean millions of families will have the security of knowing they won’t be forced to move at a moments notice.
“We call on the UK government to give renters in England stability and certainty in their homes by abolishing Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.”
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/end-unfair-evictions-abolish-section-21
Comments (12)
With average tenancies last over 4 years, and 93% of tenancies ended by tenants themselves. The only tenants who are glamouring for an end to sec.21 are those rogue tenants who want to play the system to maximise how long they can stst jn a property and not pay any rent.
Of couse Generation Rent Shelter et al are demandjng this becahse they are drivdn by these rogue tdnants (good tenants rarely go to Generation Rent or Shelter).
Well said but the anti landlord feelings have been promoted by Government and many others with use of words like “rogue landlords” and many have been brain washed by the term.
So Generation Rant want to reduce the supply of rented property fine. IT IS CALLED A CONTRACT. If you don’t like the terms go elsewhere. Rent from a housing association or council.
According to Generation Rant s21 is why people invest in buy to let; so lets follow its logic it want less people to invest in buy to let so there will be less supply and rents to increase. A sudden exodus from the buy to rent market will have catastrophic results for renters. For the thousands of people who are renting where S21 applies there are no problems; after all most landlords are happy with their tenants and continue tenancies without issue. It is only if you have a bad tenant that you would generally want to get rid of them. This implies I guess the type of tenants attracted to these organisations. I guess as a tenant it all sounds good if you are not intelligent enough to realise to consequences of your choice.
Another curved ball aimed at the PRS which will do nothing to keep landlords from quitting the sector (we’ve seen almost 10% of ours sell up already) thereby further reducing the stock of available rental housing. Completely and utterly bonkers – and of course not surprising: Generation Rant has to justify its existence.
Section 21 are the notices that reiterate the contract term and say that either after a fixed term or a period the tenancy will come to an end, the contract between the landlord and the tenant ceases and because of that it is time to move out.
We need to think of a way of explaining things in simpler terms.
You are renting the property for a period of…. , its a bit like a hotel; when your time is up you have to pack your bags and leave. You are not being evicted you are moving to somewhere else. If you do not like signing an assured shorthold tenancy agreement please don’t there are 30 people in the queue behind you who understand this a bit better than you do.
Precisely, well stated.
Pointless ! Landlords don’t put out a good tenant and all other evictions would go ahead, possession is still allowed for landlords to sell up or move in, and Section 8 is used for non payers and rogue tenants damaging property. Doesn’t solve any problems at all. How can’t they see this, unbelievable
as far a government go, nothing other than another exercise to win generation rent voters
The new Scottish system replaces their previous equivalent of the S21 with a list of grounds needed to get a ‘no fault’ eviction. That list contains all the reasons a landlord would want to serve a S21 so will make no difference whatsoever. Another ‘victory’ for Shelter to claim.
What grounds do they have listed please?
https://blog.openrent.co.uk/scotland-axes-no-fault-evictions-new-tenancy-rules/
”Generation Rent is damning about Section 21, saying: “It’s why investors have been so eager to put all their money into property.”
Erm…no it isn’t. Unless their is a manifest need to serve a section 21, it is not in a Landlord’s interest to evict a tenant, and risk a void period. This would serve to diminish the Landlord’s return on their investment.
Generation Rent yet again displaying their complete lack of…well, anything.
Don’t be too hard on Generation Rent, they simply lack guidance. They will be patronised if I suggest they are a bit like a student union but that’s how they act; they have left home and are grown ups and no-one can treat them like kids. Its almost as if the protest is more important than the problem.
I had an intelligent conversation with a chap who has similar objective to generation rent, he actually wanted to hear thoughts and opinions. There is ‘no them and us’ in housing and those that recognise it don’t have all of the problems Generation rent seem to experience. In the same way not all baby boomers own property not all generation rent don’t own a home. Understanding there is a system that works for everyone else is the first step in accepting there needs to be change but it the easiest change to effect is themselves.