Whether they want to sell up or move back into their property, Landlords can serve Section 21 Notices to tenants without a reason. This starts the process of ending a tenancy and often leaves people in a dire situation. The increase in rental prices and competitive market sees people without many options.
What happens
If the tenant approaches the local authority, they will be advised not to leave until there’s a possession order. This means the landlord will have to apply to the courts to get the property back. If the tenant has had a good relationship with the landlord, this can be a very stressful situation. The local authority will advise that the tenant stay in the property until Bailiffs turn up before they will help. Again, this can be a very stressful situation.
Scared to ask
The threat of being served this notice means that tenants are often too afraid to ask for repairs in their homes. However, if this is the reason for the notice being served it becomes invalid. Other things that will invalidate a Section 21 include: not having a gas safety certificate, energy performance certificate or a government how’s to rent guide. It’s always worth checking the notice is valid. Go to www.shelter.com for more information.
What not to do
If anyone phones to ask CENS for advice, we always suggest they stay and continue to pay the rent. If they don’t, they may be served a Section 8 notice due to rent arrears, which means the Local Authority will not have any duty of care. We recommend that even though the uncertainty of it all can be scary, it’s the best option unless they can find somewhere else to rent. Unfortunately, we can’t admit anyone in to CENS unless they are legally homeless. Once they’re here, we will support them to finding affordable, permanent accommodation and help them to look forward to the future.
