A BBC expose has revealed that although councils have been handed powers to combat ‘revenge evictions’, many are reluctant to put the powers into force.
Since October 1st 2015, it has been clear that a Section 21 notice cannot be served by a landlord or agent if they had failed to address a complaint about the state of repair of the property. The complaint had to be made by the tenant to the local authority in order for it to be valid, however a Freedom of Information request issued by BBC Radio 1 highlighted that more than 50% of local councils across the UK haven’t been utilizing these powers.
The research revealed that many local authorities have been unaware of their responsibilities towards tenants, and have therefore have not been able to inform tenants correctly on how they could issue a complaint. Research by the National Landlord’s Association has suggested that 90% of tenants were unaware of this option.
I can't believe there are that many local authorities where no-one has been the subject to a revenge eviction. We're talking about landlords here who are trying to avoid carrying out their responsibilities. They're the landlords we've got to get at - and they're going to be in the worst properties, with people living in the worst conditions. That's the biggest challenge for everybody
Clive Betts MP, Chair of the Communities and Local Government Select Committee
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