RENTAL MARKET
More PRESSURE o The private rental business is facing further challenges with the proposed Renters’ Reform Bill
L
ast year saw, potentially, the biggest announcement and shake up in the private rental sector in recent years. From July – October 2019 the government opened an official consultation with the aim of resetting the balance of “rights and responsibilities” between landlord and tenants. n the ueen’s speech this was referred to as The enters’ eform ill. You may think that the current rights that tenants have weigh more in their favour. However, the consultation proposes the end of Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) and Section 21 (no fault eviction) from the Housing Act. The result of this would mean that assured tenancies would become the norm and the only way for landlords to end the agreement would be via Section 8, or the tenant leaving. If the government proceeds with its plan it would mean all new tenancies will either be an assured periodic tenancy or an assured fixed term tenancy that would then revert, by default, to a periodic tenancy. Tenants will be able to end a tenancy with two months’ notice howe er landlords will only be able to end a tenancy if they can prove they have legitimate grounds via serving a Section 8. Landlords already have the option to serve a Section 8 and this offers several mandatory grounds to evict a tenant. Currently a S8 will not
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ASIAN HOUSE & HOME I SPRING 2020
Tenants will be able to end a tenancy with two months’ notice, however landlords will only be able to end a tenancy if they can prove they have legitimate grounds via serving a Section 8.
