Evictions

(asked on 4th June 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what impact assessment his Department has made of the effect of reintroduction of bailiff enforcement from 1 June 2021 on the risk of covid-19 transmission.


Answered by
Eddie Hughes Portrait
Eddie Hughes
This question was answered on 9th June 2021

The ban on bailiff enforcement has now been lifted, reflecting the gradual easing of national restrictions and ensuring that landlords are able to exercise their right to justice. Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service, which runs the bailiff service, has worked with the Ministry of Justice's Health and Safety team and Public Health England to ensure that measures are put in place to protect all parties to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission during the enforcement of possession.

Where an eviction is scheduled with the mandatory minimum notice period of 14 days, the tenant can inform the court if they or anyone they live with has coronavirus symptoms, has tested positive for Covid-19 or are is waiting for a test result, or has been instructed by the NHS to self-isolate. Where this is the case, the appointment will be rescheduled for a later date with a minimum of 14 days' notice. The tenant can also apply to suspend the eviction in certain circumstances, for example where they were unable to attend the original hearing and would have had a good chance of defending the claim for possession had they done so.

When carrying out an eviction, the bailiff will follow the latest Public Health England and government guidance. They will conduct the eviction wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and maintain social distancing. They must ask if anybody in the household has symptoms, is self-isolating or shielding. If that is the case, or if the bailiff observes any visible symptoms of Covid-19, then they must withdraw from the property immediately. Bailiffs also will not evict if the household is quarantining in line with government guidelines on return from an amber list country, and the eviction will be rescheduled. Bailiffs have also been asked to undertake regular Covid-19 tests and not to attend work if they or anyone they live with has tested positive for Covid-19.

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