The political momentum behind action against so-called revenge evictions appears not to be slowing despite the failure of a private members' bill last week - now, a Conservative MP is asking for evidence of rogue landlords who evict tenants who ask for repairs.
Sarah Newton, Tory MP for Falmouth in Cornwall, lobbied housing minister Brandon Lewis in favour of the Tenancies (Reform) Private Members Bill which was filibustered on Friday by two MPs, despite widespread support from members of different political parties and despite the support of the government.
"I am fully aware of the problem and effect of retaliatory evictions. I have recently been helping a couple in relation to the most appalling living conditions they are facing in their privately rented property in my constituency says Newton.
The private rental sector provides homes for many local people and I am determined to root out the minority of rogue landlords that give it a bad name she says.
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Comments
1234 - interesting points made indeed. The main problems I foresee if this becomes law are as follows:
1) We have had Landlords over the last 25 years where WE have reported improvements required during our routine inspections. Most Landlords are in a fortunate enough position to rectify problems.
Some are not and I remember a few who simply said "I have no money in the repair pot so I will have no option but to serve the Tenant(s) notice and sell up." In the latter case the Landlords always insisted we apologised profusely to the Tenant(s) and all was amicable. Would this be considered as a revenge eviction and prevent the Landlord from evicting Tenants and selling the property
2) Someone else raised this issue on another thread and I apologise for not being able to quote him/her. We all know in this industry that you can get some pretty "cute" Tenants who will know how to work the system. E.g. Tenant gets into rent arrears and knows a S21 is on it's way so "creates" a maintenance issue that could result in an improvement notice being served. Bang goes the ability to evict using S21. I assume S8 will still apply but "cute" Tenants know how to get round that one - they pay some of the arrears just before the Court hearing and the judge says "Case rejected as I see they are making an effort" - all back to square one! (PS this is why we never use section 8!!)
James, the first time I heard of Revenge Eviction was on a tenant campaign blog. Some woman claims she was evicted in 2011 when she asked her landlord to repair a broken chest of drawers. Of course, we don't know the landlords side. I doubt a reasonable Landlord would want to loose a tenant over a chest of drawers.
As the proverb goes a '... no fury like a woman scorned'. Since, then I have read these accounts on various newspapers and blogs.
I am not alone with other Landlords at having my property trashed, but we don't go around carrying it like a vendetta. We don't go round crying to our MPs. We fix the property and move on....
Shelter have decided to use this eviction angle, to campaign for a change Section 21, to turn shorthold tenancies into secure ones, where it would be impossible to get rid of a tenant who is not paying rent, wrecking the property or causing ASB.... (even though they claim protection will be there, but I have my doubts, as Sarah Tether MP thanked Shelter for helping her give the idea and draft the legislation).
Oh God - another MP jumps on this band-wagon. You cannot stop revenge evictions (as much as I think they are abhorrent) without a fundamental change to Section 21 which will undoubtedly affect Landlords who do NOT carry out revenge-evictions and affects the fundamental rights of the Landlord under Section 21.
Can any of the MP's and do-gooders provide concrete statistics relating to this matter I wonder Just how many are there going on Why is it only attracting the spotlight now (Election next year I guess!!) I have been in this business for 25 years and the term "revenge eviction" is new to me this year.