Evictions

(asked on 2nd February 2021) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of allowing judges to consider the personal circumstances of tenants when deciding whether to approve section 21 evictions.


Answered by
Alex Chalk Portrait
Alex Chalk
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
This question was answered on 10th February 2021

In section 21 cases, as in all cases, the defendant has a right to reply and file a defence. This allows the judge to consider, and take into account, the information provided by the defendant about their circumstances.

In addition, temporary working arrangements in the courts in response to the coronavirus pandemic, introduced to coincide with the resumption of possession cases in September 2020, include the requirement that landlords provide the court with information on how tenants have been affected by the pandemic.

Renters continue to be protected, with an extension to the ban on bailiff evictions for all but the most egregious cases – until at least 21 February.

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