In April of this year, Government made clear its intention to consult on the abolition of Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, more commonly known as ‘no fault evictions’. Its stated objectives; to ensure that tenants have the security they need to plan for the future and to enable landlords to invest in the much-needed housing that the UK needs. 

In July, Government published its consultation, A New Deal for Renting: Resetting the balance of rights and responsibilities between landlords and tenants, providing clarity on the mandatory and discretionary grounds for possession for landlords including the introduction of a new ground concerning the sale of the property, widening the scope of some of the existing grounds and faster redress through the courts.  

Whilst tenure reform is viewed with suspicion by landlords, given the effects of past interventions, the aim of having contented tenants, who are settled and happy in their homes is a shared one. As with much in life it is the exceptions and what happens when things go wrong that exercises landlords. The BPF’s members, largely comprised of Build to Rent (BtR) investors, are not against change if it is done sympathetically and in way that does not harm investment into the sector.