The government has taken an important, positive legislative step by putting the new act on the table. Strengthening the security of tenants nationwide is the goal of this new act. These changes are set to affect more than 11 million people. …with a commitment to bring forward stronger protections for those who experience evictions via the notoriously contentious section 21 notices. This reform comes too late for many tenants like Joanna, who have suffered the harmful effects of these evictions.
Joanna has suffered three section 21 evictions – which have taken a significant toll on her mental health. Her first eviction was when her daughter was only nine months old. Despite the accuracy of these facts, the stress from all these encounters resulted in panic attack for Joanna. Today, she wonders if she can keep offering stability for her family.
Following the death of her landlord Joanna found herself with her last section 21 eviction. This time around, the landlord agreed to let his daughter and her boyfriend rent the property instead. Consequently, he served Joanna with an eviction notice after she’d lived there for six years. This unexpected news prompted Joanna and her husband to look for a new residence, which ended up being a bungalow. A year later they were booted again by a new landlord’s insistence that his mother move in.
Joanna’s family currently enjoys the security of living in social housing, providing her family much needed piece of mind. Their historic trauma caused by past practices still impacts them. She reflects on the emotional toll of her eviction history, stating, “What kind of a parent am I not being able to keep a roof over my child’s head?” This feeling is echoed by many neighbors experiencing the same thing.
The new legislation introduces specific changes intended to reduce this heartache. Under the new regulations, landlords are required to state their intention to evict tenants four months in advance. They are further prohibited from selling the property or relocating to the unit in the first year of the lease period. These changes are meant to improve the long-term security of tenants and address stress caused by unexpected moves.
Housing advocate Shôn Douglas, who has experienced housing instability as an adult, received the changes warmly. He remarked, “I’ve got a good landlord [but] I did have to pay over the odds in a bidding war to secure the property initially – which this bill is seeking to prevent.” His experience speaks to the plight of many tenants who increasingly come under the thumb of market forces.
The government still has to provide clarity on how and when these changes will be implemented. Until then, their implementation is still up in the air. Nick Devonport acknowledged that while some landlords feel unsettled by the announcements, “the reality is there’s still a lot of positivity.” While these reforms may seem high-level, they are the product of collective efforts to recognize tenant needs and create more equitable housing practices.
