May

Queen’s Speech: Government commits to banning Section 21 evictions once more

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The government has promised to enhance renters’ rights in the Queen’s Speech – 18 months after she first announced the Renters Reform Bill.

It will mean the demise of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions and a stronger Section 8 notice process, and should usher in a national scheme of ‘lifetime deposits’ for tenants and reform or abolish Assured Shorthold Tenancies.

Many housing groups hope the proposed legislation will be introduced in this parliamentary session, however there’s still no timeline; in March, Housing Minister Christopher Pincher said the government would “implement the reforms at the appropriate time, once the urgencies of responding to the pandemic have passed”.

Paul Shamplina of Landlord Action, says: “It was expected that the Queen would make reference to the Renters Reform Bill; I’ve been predicting for a while that Section 21 will be abolished in the next 12-18 months, but there has to be reforms of the Section 8 Grounds and major investment made in the Court System coupled to bailiff reforms, especially in the wake of Covid and the lengthy evictions ban”.

The Queen’s Speech also included a promise to end the practice of ground rents for new leasehold properties.

Many leaseholders face high charges increased by freeholders over the years, making selling a leasehold property with these conditions attached extremely difficult.

Grenfell

In reference to the Grenfell fire, the government announced a new building safety regulator to ensure that the tragedies of the past are never repeated.

It also vowed to modernise the planning system so that more homes can be built and – following on from the Budget which offered incentives for house buyers – will help more people to own their own home.

It plans to spread opportunity across the UK and deliver a national recovery from the pandemic.

The Queen said: “To achieve this, my government will level up opportunities across all parts of the United Kingdom, supporting jobs, businesses and economic growth and addressing the impact of the pandemic on public services.”

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