Despite recent publicity in relation to ‘retaliation evictions,’ in which landlords allegedly evict tenants out of spite after they have asked for repairs, the new research by the Residential Landlord’s Association (RLA) suggests that landlords are far more reluctant to evict tenants than they are made to seem.
The survey of 1,760 landlords found that 56 per cent were forced to evict tenants from their properties.
However, the majority of these were for reputable reasons. 90 per cent carried out evictions for rent arrears, whilst 40 per cent did so for damage to the property. 20 per cent of landlords had to evict tenants due to drug related activity.
Whilst 30 per cent of landlords did evict tenants in order to gain repossession of the property, this was done largely for personal reasons as opposed to revenge, thus showing that landlords aren’t the villainous figures they are often portrayed to be.
RLA chairman Alan Ward said: ‘We have been very concerned about claims that retaliatory eviction is a widespread practice, when there is very little hard evidence to back up those claims.
As our survey underlines, the vast majority of evictions are down to rent arrears or anti-social behaviour.
Landlords are being threatened with more regulation which would simply make it harder for them to evict bad tenants when they need to.’
He also expressed concern about the potential removal of Section 21 notices, which allow landlords to gain possession of a property at the end of a shorthold tenancy.
Ward continued: ‘If landlords see Section 21 under threat they will withdraw from the sector. Landlords are frightened that they cannot evict tenants who are in rent arrears or who are guilty of anti-social behaviour easily and cheaply. We still have complaints that even under Section 21 there are costs and delays involved in obtaining possession.’
