The Citizens' Advice service is the latest charitable organisation to throw its weight behind government attempts to outlaw so-called revenge evictions.
Last week the government steered amendments to the Deregulation Bill through the Lords which - assuming they are passed in the Commons within the next few weeks - will become law at the end of March.
If the bill becomes law, when a complaint alleging a revenge eviction is received relating to a private rented property, the local authority for the area will contact the landlord to resolve the problem.
It will serve an improvement notice if the landlord is clearly at fault and there is a serious issue with the property.
Agents and landlords will then be prohibited from serving a section 21 eviction notice for six months following the issuing of a local authority improvement notice, and under those circumstances tenants may have the right of appeal against eviction.
"No renter should be evicted simply for complaining about bad conditions. This is positive news for people afraid to complain to their landlord about poor conditions in their home, but we know that retaliatory evictions aren't the only problem faced by private sector renters says Citizens Advice chief executive Gillian Guy.
"In the last year more than 80,000 people came to us suffering a problem with a privately rented home. People in the private rented sector are woefully under-protected she claims.
In November Citizens Advice revealed that half of people coming to it for help about being evicted from their privately rented property, despite being up to date with their rent, have dependent children.
The national charity said that between July and September 2014 20 per cent more people got advice about eviction for problems other than arrears compared with the same period in the previous year.
%20-%20IMAGE%20Client%20Accounting%20%E2%80%93%20what%20are%20your%20options.jpg)
.jpg)
Comments
It seems I touched a nerve there, Debbie.
Never mind, dear, carry on blaming landlords. It is probably what gets you up in the morning.
If you want evidence then you can read my report 'the tenants dillema' also if you have been following the progress of the Bill you will see further evidence. You will also see that we are the only forward thinking country who do not protect tenants from RE. I will not respond further as your narrow mind will make more debate pointless
Debbie, where is your evidence this happens You have none or you would have quoted it rather than asking me to prove it doesn't happen.
Eviction is NOT the same as being given notice and your naivity on this explains a lot. A landlord has, by law, to give at least two months notice. The tenant can still remain in the property when that notice period expires and is encouraged to do so by local councils.
If you really believe that this legislation will affect rogue landlords, yes - they do exist but not in as great numbers as rogue tenants, this law will not affect them because the tenants that use them will not complain to councils. So all in all, a bad law framed by those who prefer style over substance.
Not greedy landlord (no name)
Eviction / notice equals the same i.e. loss of home. if you are a good landlord like to say, then the new law will not affect you. Do you have evidence it doesn't happen Do you agree there are rogue landlords Do shop keepers complain about shop lifters as a defence that they have not fulfilled their health and safety requirements The truth as it stands is there is currently no protection from eviction /notice for tenants who have a genuine complaint against a landlord that is shirking their responsibilities. This law would see rogue landlords exposed and hopefully exit the market as no one wants their business.
Debbie, where is your evidence
Tenants have much more protection than landlords and to suggest that "revenge eviction" is a widespread problem is mischievous at best and a lie at worst.
CA appear to have adopted the Shelter mantra "All tenants are good, all landlords are bad". Join them in their campaign for rent controls and watch as good landlords sell up, exacerbating the housing problem. The only tenant I have ever given notice to was given notice following almost weekly complaints form the block management company that they were smoking (and not just tobacco) in communal areas, drinking outside the flat and upsetting neighbours with loud music etc. Tenant left with over 500 of damage.
No GOOD landlord gives notice to a GOOD tenant without GOOD reason.
Graham - correction to your headline. Citizens Advice began this campaign in 2007 and have been working on it ever since. The report I wrote 'the tenants dilemma' outlines the case. As you can see this campaign has been pushing for the protection of tenants for 8 years. If it had no merit it would have been long forgotten. Thankfully we are bringing ourselves in line with the rest of the world, and not before time !
Well said, Ray.
Sadly the soundbite has won over facts. The law will be used by bad tenants against good landlords while the bad landlords who allegedly carry out "revenge" evictions will just find a way to get rid of the tenants anyway.
This campaign by those who SHOULD know better is flawed by its very name! Revenge evictions cannot exist because landlords cannot evict tenants, they give notice. On the rare occasions that tenants are evicted it is carried out by court bailiffs or HCE officers. Perhaps if councils stopped telling tenants to "wait until you are evicted or we will not re-home you", there would be fewer actual evictions.
No GOOD landlord gives notice to a GOOD tenant without GOOD reason.
"People in the private rented sector are woefully under-protected she claims. " what absolute tosh!
UK tenants enjoy a huge raft of protection in the form of the Housing Act, Landlord and Tenant Act, Protection from Eviction Act and many other acts all designed to make a tenants life safer/simpler/more secure . All it needs is the government of the day to have the political will to ensure that the existing powers granted to local authorities and TSO's are used against rogue landlords and agents.