Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking steps to (a) end Section 21 evictions and (b) ensure no other route is created for no fault evictions.

The Government is committed to bringing in a Better Deal for Renters to deliver a fairer and more effective rental market that works for both tenants and landlords, which includes taking steps to end Section 21 evictions.

We will publish a White Paper in 2022 detailing our plans for reform of the private rented sector, and we are working with stakeholders from across the sector to inform this. It will provide further detail on repealing Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 to improve security for tenants by putting an end to evictions where the landlord doesn't have to provide a reason.

At the same time, we must ensure landlords have the tools they need to gain possession of their property when they have a valid reason to do so. Through the Bill, we will strengthen the rights of landlords to recover their properties when it is necessary and fair, including when they want to sell or move into the property themselves.

This represents a generational change in the law that governs private renting, and it is only right that our legislation considers the impact of the pandemic and is a balanced set of reforms which improves the private rented market.

We will bring forward legislation in due course and when parliamentary time allows.