New No Fault Eviction Rules on Way, Reveals Housing Minister

Housing minister Esther McVey has confirmed the scrapping of Section 21 repossessions in favour of a new set of rules. 

In a written answer to a question from Tory MP Steven Baker on the eve of the dissolution of Parliament in readiness for the General Election on December 12, she let slip that a revamp of no-fault evictions was definitely on the way. 

Baker asked if she would meet social housing providers in his Wycombe constituency to discuss the impact of abolishing Section 21 evictions. 

McVey wrote that her department was sifting through more than 20,000 responses to the Section 21 consultation that closed earlier this year. “As part of this new deal [for landlords and tenants], the government has agreed to consult on repealing Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988. 

This would provide tenants with greater security in their homes because landlords would not be able to end a tenancy without a specified reason,” she told the MP. 

“Our consultation, ‘A New Deal for Renting: Resetting the balance of rights and responsibilities between landlords and tenants’ sought views from across the private and social rented sectors on how the new system should operate, including whether the reforms proposed (including the use of Section 21 notices) should extend to all users of the Housing Act 1988, including social housing providers. 

As part of the consultation process, my officials met with several housing associations, including some that operate in the Wycombe area. They discussed how a more effective system that works for everybody can be developed. “We will publish our response in due course, describing how the new system will work and our next steps.” 

Under Parliamentary rules, McVey loses her seat as an MP when Parliament is dissolved but continues in her job as housing minister until the election, as the roles are separate.