Court Sets High Bar for Eviction

Social landlords will find it harder to evict tenants following a landmark judgement this week. As a result of the test case, Manchester Council vs Pinnock, landlords now face having to spend considerably more time and money on mandatory possession proceedings, which can be brought on grounds such as more than two months’ rent arrears. The judgement ruled that courts will test the proportionality of a landlord’s decision to carry out mandatory possession proceedings, meaning a court will take into account a tenant’s personal circumstances. All landlords will now have to prove the facts they are relying on in order to justify the decision to seek possession. Read more on Inside Housing.