Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to prevent long leases from becoming assured shorthold tenancies.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will abolish assured shorthold tenancies, so most private rented sector tenancies will be assured tenancies in future.

The Bill will also exclude leases over 21 years in length from the assured tenancy regime.

This will mean that long leases cannot be considered assured or assured shorthold tenancies once the Bill’s reforms have been brought into force.

This will close the ‘Tenancy Trap’, a problem for some leasehold-homeowners where their properties can be repossessed via the assured tenancy possession ground for rent arrears.