Michael Gove vows to scrap no fault evictions earlier than election after lengthy delays

A ban on evicting tenants from their houses with out trigger will are available earlier than the common election, Michael Gove has mentioned.

The Housing Secretary made the assure at this time amid fears the Tories had been aspiring to junk their commitments to no-fault evictions after repeated delays. The Conservatives have been promising to finish so-called part 21 evictions since April 2019 – and included it as a pledge within the 2019 manifesto.

Mr Gove agreed to delay the ban in October to appease Tory rebels threatening to vote in opposition to his Renters Reform Bill, a few of whom are landlords themselves. He argued it will solely come into motion when the backlog of court docket circumstances have eased.

But at this time Mr Gove shifted his stance, insisting that the ban can be enacted earlier than voters head to the polls. Asked if motion could possibly be assured earlier than the election, Mr Gove advised BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “Yes. We have a bill, it’s gone through its stages in the House of Commons and that bill does a number of things to help people in the private sector, including ending no fault evictions.”

Pressed once more, he mentioned: “We will have outlawed it and we will have put the money into the courts in order to ensure that they can enforce that.”

It comes as new figures this week confirmed a steep rise in repossessions after no-fault eviction orders in England, rising by 49% final yr.

Labour complained this week that the report stage of the Renters Reform Bill “was promised by early February, but it’s nowhere to be seen.” Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt made no point out of the laws when outlining enterprise in Parliament.

Liberal Democrat deputy chief Daisy Cooper mentioned: “It is shocking that this Conservative Government has repeatedly chosen to delay their promised ban on no fault evictions. Michael Gove’s words will ring hollow for those who have waited for so long for this urgently needed reform.

“This Government has turned a blind eye to the housing disaster on this nation, 16 housing ministers later, individuals are nonetheless going through the identical issues. Renters should not must face shedding their houses by way of no fault of their very own any longer.”