Council pays landlord to house tenant he was seeking to evict
Brent Council is reported to be paying a landlord to house a tenant he was trying to evict, after the local authority failed to come up with any alternative accommodation.
LegalforLandlords MD Sim Sekhon warned that this case was just one example of the challenges that councils are facing in trying to prevent evictions, adding, “it’s a sign that the housing crisis in the UK is reaching a critical point”.
LegalforLandlords made a Section 21 application in February and possession was granted in April.
Two months’ later, the landlord was informed that, providing he was willing to halt proceedings, the council would step in to cover his costs.
The council paid the legal fees and took over responsibility for paying the rent as long as the landlord continued to let his tenant stay on in the property, it was revealed.
Sekhon said: “The practice of councils paying landlords to house tenants they are trying to evict is not common, but it is becoming more so as the UK housing crisis worsens. In recent years, there have been several cases where councils have been forced to step in to prevent evictions, even when the landlords have the legal right to do so.
“There are a number of reasons for this. One is the shortage of both social and private rental housing. In many areas of the UK, there is simply not enough housing to meet demand. This means that when a tenant is evicted, they often have nowhere to go.
“In addition to the case of Brent Council, there are other examples of councils taking action to prevent evictions in Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham. These cases show that councils are willing to take action to prevent evictions, even when it is expensive.”
He added: “We need to take action to address the root causes of the housing crisis, such as the shortage of rental housing units and the government's policies that are detracting landlords from the marketplace instead of attracting them.”
Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, said: “Renters are on the frontline of the housing crisis in London and sadly we are seeing more tenants approach us for help with the spiralling cost of renting.
“We make no apology for using every tool at our disposal to prevent homelessness and provide our residents with safe, secure, and decent housing.
“As a measure of last resort, there are occasions where we have little choice but to negotiate with landlords, particularly where there is a clear risk of a tenant being driven into poverty, or worse still onto the street.”
Lottie Winson
