In response to the ban on possession proceedings coming to an end, law firm Royds Withy King says it is unlikely there will be an immediate spike in evictions.
Jacqui Walton, a senior paralegal in the residential property team at Royds Withy King comments: “The government introduced its moratorium on tenant evictions in March and extended it further in June.
“The moratorium expired on 20th September, although we should not rule out a further reintroduction if lockdown measures need to be reintroduced.
“It is unlikely that we will see an immediate spike in evictions and certainly not tenants kicked out onto the streets any time soon. Landlords are bound by strict rules designed to slow the process down.
“Landlords that started eviction proceedings before the 3rd August must now serve what is called a ‘reactivation notice’. If they do not, any claim will not be relisted by the courts or heard by a judge.
“And even when a reactivation notice is served, in fault-based evictions the courts will allow more time between the claim and hearing, typically eight weeks, and given the backlog of cases that is likely to be significantly longer.
“Eviction claims that started on or after the 3rd August now require landlords to enter into what is called a ‘pre-action protocol’, with landlords needing to attempt to agree a resolution with their tenants before issuing a possession claim.
“Landlords will also need to provide the courts with information on what impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on a tenant, which may have an impact on how much time a tenant is given by the court to vacate a property.
“The guidance on what this means for landlords, what information is needed and what happens if it is not provided is unclear and could leave eviction claims stuck in the courts for many months to come, leaving landlords in limbo.
“Whilst this may give respite to tenants, there does not appear to be any recognition from government that landlords too may be struggling with the loss of income during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Private landlords play a major role in the provision of homes in the UK and whilst it is right that tenants are protected, it must also be remembered that landlords too need protections. The current regime is failing landlords.”
Elisabeth Kohlbach, CEO of property investment firm Skwire, also comments: “Ending the eviction ban is the right decision. Although on the surface it may seem a blow to renters facing ongoing uncertainty brought about by COVID-19, without the specific legislative measures in place to truly and fully prevent evictions, the temporary ban has left tenants at continued risk.
“At the same time, landlords have been and remain unlikely to evict tenants financially impacted by COVID-19, but they themselves have been faced with significant arrears with no prospect of relief.
“Were the ban to continue, the burden would weigh ever more heavily on the many landlords across the UK who depend on rental income for their livelihoods. While tenants themselves have been able to rely on pandemic assistance, such as furlough pay, landlords have, throughout the pandemic, had no government support.
“The eviction ban has served neither landlord nor tenant and any continuation or extension would be short-sighted.”