Landlords would be banned from evicting tenants with no justification as part of a long-promised overhaul of the private rental sector in England.
A new law to be tabled in Parliament would abolish no-fault evictions and end bans on tenants claiming benefits.
The bill would also make it easier for landlords to repossess properties from anti-social tenants.
Housing campaigners said the bill was a “huge opportunity” to improve the lives of the 11 million renters in England.
Under the new law, tenants would be given the legal right to request a pet in their home, which the landlord cannot unreasonably refuse.
The law would also make it illegal for a landlord to refuse tenancies to families with children, or those in receipt of benefits.
What is a no-fault eviction?
A key piece of housing legislation, known as Section 21, allows landlords to evict tenants without giving a reason.
After receiving a Section 21 notice, tenants have just two months before their landlord can apply for a court order to evict them.
Under its reforms, the government said a tenancy “will only end if the tenant ends it or if the landlord has a valid ground for possession”.
Last year, research by Shelter, a housing charity, said nearly 230,000 private renters had been served with a no-fault eviction notice since April 2019.
Among those to be issued with such a notice was Sam Robinson and his family, partner Amy Herbert, and daughters Phoebe, 10, and Amelia, four.
source: bbc.com
