Activists in a rental reform coalition say court possession hearings should be halted as well as bailiff-led evictions.
They say the stress of a court possession order - even if it is in a logjam of other cases, and if agreed may not be carried out for months - is wrong during a pandemic.
“A full eviction ban means pausing all court proceedings, as well as bailiff action. Renters should not be forced to attend proceedings that may put their health at risk” says Bridget Young, a spokeswoman for the Renters Reform Coalition, in a letter to the Guardian newspaper.
Many physical eviction proceedings have been replaced by online proceedings- but Young also insists tenants should not have to even log on to these online proceedings either.
“Online proceedings can put renters, especially the many affected by vulnerabilities and inequalities, at a serious disadvantage” she says in her letter.
The Renters Reform Coalition is a new group calling on the government to use the upcoming Renters’ Reform Bill to end section 21 evictions "and create a system within which renters feel empowered to stand up for their rights.”
The coalition includes Shelter, the National Union of Students, the London Renters Union and the office of London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
The coalition is managed by the high profile activists’ group, Generation Rent, which is led by Baroness Alicia Kennedy.
Young’s letter to the Guardian says: “Since the first lockdown, one in three renters have lost income, and an estimated 840,000 are in arrears, meaning many more people could be at risk of eviction now than in March 2020.”
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Pay the rent and avoid this problem
Could not be clearer.
If everyone did the right thing then there is no need for this BLOG!!!
Good idea, and so simple to implement.
Follow the Aussies and the Germans and we all have much less stress.
And then the non-payers will be forced to come to a proper way of conducting themselves, and not robbing well intened members of society.
What about the landlords mental health while he has a non paying tenant wrecking his property ?
Why not just give them the keys and leave them to it , poor snowflakes
They can have the deeds while they’re at it and the shirt off my back
George
You'll also need to give them access to your bank accounts to pay for any future repairs. What about Insurance and Council Tax? Surely you'll need to cover this too?
It's an absolutely disgrace, that these so called organisations who are providing protection for these distruptive and troublemakers of tenants. If they care so much about them, then they should house them in their homes, or provide them with accommodation, and when they don't pay the rent to them and damage their properties, then they will come to their senses!! Tenants who don't pay their rent to their lanlords and cause malicious damage to landlords properties fixture & fittings, then these don't have any rights. It would be classed as theft if they don't pay their rent?! We landlords should have rights to throw them out without having to go to court. After giving them a very short notice to leave , as this would act as a deterrent to them!! Only good tenants who pay their rent on time and look after their properties should have rights. I find it appalling to hear that this so called spokeswoman says that taking tenants to court would make then vulnerable??. What rubbish is this??, and landlords who have suffered great financial loss they're not vulnerable!! These organisations should be shut down!!
So the Renters Reform Coalition is effectively saying that tenants are not subject to the same standard as the general public & that they should be treated as disadvantaged victims.
Effectively second class citizens yep you heard it there first!
They don't want to attend on a zoom call because the court will be able to see the massive flat screen TV, latest gaming console, top of the range mobiles and computers for every person in the house - showing they have money but don't want to use it to pay rent.
You've pretty much got it sussed Laura, as does Katie Hopkins. - You'd resonate with my recent article on our PF
web site, The Madness of Housing.
I had a Tenant have a brand new 55" TV delivered, despite being 4 months behind with his rent. On my life this is true!
I would have smashed it. And told the judge exactly what happened when he threatened you!!!
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