Landlords Illegally Evicting Renters Despite Ban

Landlords are throwing renters out of their homes during the coronavirus pandemic despite the ban on evictions, a renters’ union has claimed. Evictions have been suspended since the beginning of lockdown, and the government has announced it would extend the ban until September 20 in an “11th hour U-turn” that has been welcomed by Labour. But while landlords have been urged to “show compassion” to renters struggling to pay rent, London Renters Union says it hasn't stopped people being thrown out of their homes. Read more on the Huffington Post website.

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/landlords-illegally-evicting-renters-in-defiance-of-ban-says-union_uk_5f3fe90bc5b6305f3256f085?guccounter=1 

Agency 'Locking Out Tenants And Taking Belongings'

A letting agency has been illegally evicting tenants and taking their belongings, the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme has been told. Three tenants said they arrived home to find locks had been changed and rooms emptied. Some said their possessions had not yet been returned. Others said their belongings were given back in bin bags, left on the street outside the agency. Flintons, in east London, said it "strongly denies" the claims. BBC News has previously reported that Flintons demanded hundreds of pounds before prospective tenants were allowed to view properties for rent, which it denied. Read more on the BBC website.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48371420

Police ‘Fail To Act’ As Tenants Are Illegally Thrown Out

A charity working to stop illegal evictions has urged the Metropolitan police to give its officers better training after they failed to arrest a landlord who allegedly forced his way into a family’s home with a crowbar and tried to drag them down the stairs.  Roz Spencer of Safer Renting, an advice service for tenants backed by four London boroughs, said people were being evicted illegally every week in most British towns and cities, but the police nearly always failed to treat it as a crime. “We would like the police to understand that it is a criminal offence to kick someone out without a possession order,” she said. “Their job is to intervene when a crime has taken place.” Read more on the Observer website.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/09/police-fail-to-act-private-rent-tenants-illegally-evicted-landlords-harassment-threats

Government Reveals Plan To Ban 'Rogue Landlords'

The Government has revealed it will consult on plans to ban 'rogue' landlords and property agents who fail to provide tenants with a safe place to live. The proposals threaten landlords and agents who mistreat their tenants with a ban that could even be lifelong - preventing them from letting or managing a property indefinitely. If a banning order is issued, the offender's name would also be included in a national database of rogue landlords and property agents. Under the proposals, bans could be issued when rogue landlords commit 'serious offences' against tenants, including failing to carry out work required by the council to prevent a health and safety risk to tenants, threatening tenants with violence, or illegally evicting them. Read more on the Daily Mail website.

The Housing And Planning Bill- Creating A Legal Loophole For Rogue Landlords?

Much of the focus of the Housing and Planning Bill is on the right to buy extension and the forced sale of councils’ most expensive properties.  But this is a Bill of two halves, and the other focuses on measures to tackle rogue landlords and poor conditions in the private rented sector.

These include:

·         Allowing local authorities to ban the very worst landlords and letting agents;

·         Creating a database of rogue landlords and letting agents for local authorities to access;

·         Allowing local authorities to access data on landlords from the tenancy deposit schemes to help enforce against poor conditions; and

·         Giving tenants who are illegally evicted, harassed by their landlord or forced to live in poor conditions the ability to reclaim rent paid to their landlord.

Read more on the Crisis blog.

Private Rented Housing: Evictions – Parliamentary Written Answer

Kate Osamor:  To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to further control the ability of private landlords to evict tenants at short notice.

Brandon Lewis: The Housing and Planning Bill introduced on 13 October contains a range of measures that are intended to crack down on criminal landlords, thereby helping to improve the sector and ensure tenants get a better deal. There will be a blacklist of rogue landlords and letting agents, banning orders for the most prolific and serious offenders, civil penalties of up to £5,000 for certain breaches of housing legislation, Rent Repayment Orders to cover situations where a tenant has been illegally evicted or the landlord has failed to rectify a serious health and safety hazard in the property, and a tougher fit and proper person test for landlords letting out licensed properties, such as Houses in Multiple Occupation.

Rogue Landlords Could Be Forced To Repay Housing Benefit

Landlords could have to re-pay 12 months’ worth of housing benefit if they illegally evict tenants or fail to maintain their properties, under government plans. A government discussion paper says, “An effective enforcement regime is essential to drive up housing standards in the private rented sector and tackle criminal landlords.” The document says ministers are “exploring the scope” for extending ‘rent repayment orders’ – a tool in which a court can order a landlord to repay up to 12 months of rent after an application from a council or tenant. The cash can be retained by the local authority and used for housing purposes where the rent has been paid through housing benefit. Currently, rent repayment orders can only be applied where a landlord has failed to obtain a licence for a licensable property. Download the consultation paper from the CLG website.

Council and Police Protect Private Sector Tenants from Illegal Evictions

Nottingham City Council is stepping up its efforts to protect tenants from being illegally evicted by private sector landlords.  The council's housing aid team is contacted several times a week by tenants reporting landlords who ignore their rights, threaten or harass them into leaving their homes and block access to properties by changing locks.  An officer from the housing aid service who has previously trained the anti-social behaviour team is now engaged in training Nottinghamshire Police personnel on the correct procedure when a tenant is being illegally evicted. This is increasing the likelihood that landlords illegally evicting tenants will be visited by the Police, reminded of the procedure they need to follow, and arrested if they don't comply.  Read more on the Housing Excellence website.