The temporary ban on evictions that was introduced during the pandemic came to an end on 31 May, with new rules from 1 June. What does this mean for landlords and tenants?
This article does not constitute advice. Professional advice should be taken prior to acting on any part of it. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or any other debt secured on it.
How do evictions normally work?
Pre-COVID, if a landlord needed to evict a tenant, there was a strict legal process to follow and if not followed correctly, the tenant could challenge the eviction.
Landlords needed to issue a formal notice with the date they required the tenant to leave and obtain a possession order from the court if the tenant overstays. After getting a warrant of possession, the court will send an eviction notice to the tenant which will be enforced by the bailiff.
At the end of a lease term, or if there is no agreement in place, it’s within the rights of a landlord to evict the tenant, but they must provide two months’ notice. If a tenant breaks rental terms, a landlord could give anywhere from two weeks to two month’s notice, depending on which terms were broken.
Evictions during the pandemic
The government announced a ban on evictions to prevent people from losing their homes due to reduced or lost income in March 2020, at the start of the pandemic. Once eviction hearings restarted in September, bailiffs were instructed not to enforce any orders. Minimum notice periods were also increased across the UK.
Changes from 1 June
As of the beginning of June, landlords must now provide four months’ notice if they wish for their tenant to vacate the premises. From October, it will drop back down to the pre-pandemic timeframe of two months.
If tenancy agreement terms are broken, the minimum notice is again two weeks and in extreme cases, no notice is required at all. With the two weeks’ notice, bailiffs will be instructed to enforce eviction orders.
A notable exception is that if you, or anyone living with you, has coronavirus symptoms, tested positive, or has been instructed to self-isolate by the NHS, eviction is off the table.
What does this mean for landlords?
After a year of hardship and possible lost income, landlords should hopefully get some relief with these new changes. If your investments have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, especially your property portfolio, get in touch with us today. We’ll help you review your finances to make sure the setback is minimal and that you’ll return to prosperity in no time.
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