In future, landlords seeking vacant possession will need to obtain a court order under s 8 of the Act, with some exceptions. Assured shorthold tenancies are abolished. Instead, future tenancy agreements will be periodic, with tenants able to quit with two months’ notice.
The threshold for eviction for non-payment of rent rises from two months to three months’ arrears, and non-payment due to delays in universal credit will not be counted. Tenants who wish to challenge a rent increase at tribunal will now be protected from the risk the tribunal may set the market rent higher.
Law Society president Mark Evans said the Act ‘addresses a long-standing imbalance that gave landlords an unfair advantage.
‘The Act also introduces new and revised grounds for possession. To ensure fairness for both parties, the government must clarify what kind of evidence landlords will need to provide to invoke those grounds’.
