A basic tenet of property rights that landlords should be able to reclaim their property after an agreed period from a tenant is being undermined by Michael Gove’s push to end Section 21 evictions, a leading free market thinktank has claimed.

Reem Ibrahim (main picture, inset), a spokesperson for the IEA, says that although it laudable for the Government to protect tenants and create a fairer rental market, the real consequences are likely to be the opposite.

She also says the Renters (Reform) Bill as it stands is part of the Government’s “wider attack on fundamental property rights”.

While the Government and Shelter say Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions are being used by unscrupulous landlords to evict tenants who complain about their homes, or hike the rent, Ibrahim says “in reality no fault evictions are often used by landlords to evict poorly behaved tenants with less legal nuisance, take repossession to move into the property, or to rent the property to a friend or family member”.

She adds: “This isn’t surprising – landlords want tenants who look after the property and pay their rent on time.

Landlords want tenants who look after the property and pay their rent on time
“Making it more difficult to do so will predictably discourage landlords from renting out their properties altogether. For those that continue to, it would make sense to be more selective about who they allow to rent their property.”

Her piece for political website CAPX also says that banning Section 21 evictions will incentivise discrimination against riskier tenants – i.e. young people, migrants, and those with less financial security.

“The rental market would be systematically geared towards older tenants with stable incomes or those who can count on help from Mum and Dad. This is the exact opposite of what the Government intends to achieve,” she adds.

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