Government to speed up eviction of problem tenants

The Government has launched an initiative to make it easier for UK landlords to evict problem tenants, a process that was often time-consuming and overly-complicated in the past. The Section 21 accelerated possession procedure will require landlords to fill out an N5b form online, then post the printout, along with the tenancy agreement and fee.

Landlord Action, a leading tenant eviction firm, spearheaded the campaign as part of its role in a Government Think Tank aimed at increasing the speed of evictions. They point out that the new method will make it easier for landlords to remove problem cases, with commentators predicting that this is only the first step towards a total digitalization of the process.

Landlord Action found that landlords without legal representation frequently make mistakes on the existing applications to court, which can lead to delays and further frustration. With the suggestion of a digital issue – similar to the Section 8 PCOL service - the HM Courts and Tribunals Service worked with the Ministry of Justice Digital Services to design a new service that would streamline the way claims could be made. This reportedly explains complex legal points in easy to understand language, and is designed to easily collect information about the individual situation and eligibility of a possession claim.

Paul Shamplina, founder of Landlord Action, stated that: "This new online N5b form will go a long way in helping to prevent the most common mistakes landlords make, which often cause costly delays. We also hope that landlords will be empowered by the knowledge that improvements are underway to make possessions quicker and easier in the future."

Even as the Government continues to work to improve the ability of landlords to evict problem tenants, it remains important to use a proper landlord tenant referencing service to help ensure that even the new streamlined service never has to be used. Any landlords who have experienced problems in the past should contact Advanced Rent to take advantage of our DAS approved service, which puts potential renters through a quick but exhaustive check to help ensure that they prove reliable tenants.