Posted 23.09.21
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism: Further reading
A new report from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism finds that people in dire financial straits are losing their homes in a matter of minutes because of a legal system that has failed to account for the catastrophic impact of the pandemic.
In the early days of the pandemic, the government said no one should lose their home as a result of coronavirus. However, despite campaigners warning that the pandemic would lead to a "cliff edge" of evictions, this report finds that nothing has been done to address the fact that a judge is required to grant a possession order against any tenant who falls two months behind on their rent.
The findings are based on an analysis of 555 recent possession court hearings involving rented properties in England and Wales. It reveals that 85% of cases leave judges with no scope to take a tenant's circumstances into account.
It further notes that the impact of Covid-19 was explicitly mentioned in a third of all hearings where a possession order was granted, yet the existing rules left judges with no choice but to order an eviction.
One in five cases observed involved the controversial Section 21 "no fault eviction" notice, which states that landlords do not need to give a specific reason for wanting a tenant out.
Until now, little had been known about the pandemic's impact on those struggling to keep a roof over their head. The Bureau sent a team of reporters to 30 courts across England and Wales.
The above link provides a comprehensive summary of the information gathered, that provides an unparalleled insight into how the pandemic has affected housing.
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