From 1 June, notice periods that are currently 6 months will reduce to at least 4 months, before returning to pre-pandemic levels from 1 October, subject to the UK’s progress out of lockdown. Notice periods will remain lower for the most serious cases that have the greatest impact on landlords:
- anti-social behaviour (immediate to 4 weeks’ notice)
- domestic abuse in the social sector (2 to 4 weeks’ notice)
- false statement (2 to 4 weeks’ notice)
- over 4 months’ accumulated rent arrears (4 weeks’ notice)
- breach of immigration rules ‘Right to Rent’ (2 weeks’ notice)
- death of a tenant (2 months’ notice)
Courts will continue to prioritise these cases, with many of the evictions waiting to be enforced when the ban lifts predating the pandemic.
From 1 August, notice periods for cases where there is less than 4 months’ of unpaid rent, will reduce again to 2 months’ notice. This is to support both landlords and tenants and responds to the greater difference between COVID and pre COVID notice periods for rent arrears.
On 31 May, the current ban on bailiff-enforced evictions, introduced as an emergency measure during lockdown, will end. Bailiffs have been asked not to carry out an eviction if anyone living in the property has COVID-19 symptoms or is self-isolating.
The Government emphasised a need to balance protecting renters with allowing landlords to access justice, highlighting that 45% of private landlords own just one property and are highly vulnerable to rent arrears.
For more information on evictions and notice periods, please visit Gov.uk.