The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has sought to shed light on speculation that the government plans to introduce ‘French-style’ hardship tests to the landlord possession process.
Hardship tests have been in place in France since 2008 and they enable a tenant to appeal a possession claim if they have no alternative housing to go to.
The Telegraph recently claimed that such measures were planned by the government in a “war on landlords”.
However, Eleanor Bateman, the NRLA’s senior public affairs officer, said: “The source of the article’s claims is unclear, and it remains uncertain whether the content accurately reflects government policy.”
She added: “Following its publication last weekend, we met promptly with officials at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to raise the matter and wrote to the housing minister, Matthew Pennycook MP, to seek clarity; we await his response.”
In the meantime, Bateman said the NRLA would continue to “engage constructively” with the government to ensure that the upcoming Renters’ Rights Bill is “workable and fair”.
She added that the NRLA had been assured that the MHCLG is committed to ongoing engagement with the industry.
On a note of caution regarding the speculation, Bateman said: “During the last government’s attempts to pass the Renters’ (Reform) Bill, Matthew Pennycook (who was shadow housing minister at the time) tabled several amendments that sought to introduce a hardship component to certain grounds for possession, and it is likely that the story’s roots lie in these proposals.
“However, it is important to note that the government has not confirmed that such tests are being considered, nor that they would mirror those in France if they are.”
