Leona Shala (Student)

During this pandemic, a lot of people have been struggling financially due to being made redundant or there being less work available. This has had an impact on an individual’s ability to pay their rent or mortgages. Tenants have had threats of eviction from landlords due to not being able to pay their rent and have been faced with the worry of potentially being evicted.

Eviction is the legal process used by a landlord who wants his or her tenants to leave their property for any specific reason. If the tenancy has come to an end, then the landlord will have to issue a Section 21 notice; this is called a “no-fault eviction” as the landlord does not have to give a reason for their decision.

The Government announced, at the beginning of March lockdown, that there was to be a ‘complete ban on evictions’. This was a relief to many tenants struggling to pay their rent. The Government has also increased the minimum notice period from two to six months which will continue to at least March 2021. Clearly there is a balancing act to ensure that Landlords are not prejudiced by this as they may also be suffering with financial difficulties but the Government is clearly trying to ensure that fewer people are made homeless during the pandemic.

At Staffordshire Legal Advice Clinic (SULAC) we offer free legal advice on property related matters. Students are supervised by a qualified solicitor. If you wish to book an appointment with us then please either call us on 01782294800 or alternatively email us at SULAC@staffs.ac.uk .