Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 4) (Coronavirus) Rules 2020 prevent a possession notice where the notice was served to private rented sector tenants between 26 March and 28 August.

The Government has recently announced that the stay on possession proceedings will end on 20 September 2020. Once cases resume, the provisions in Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 4) (Coronavirus) Rules 2020, together with a new temporary Practice Direction, will put in place procedures to manage possession proceedings. Under those arrangements, any possession notice served during the full period of the stay from 27 March, when the suspension began, to 20 September may be reactivated upon the landlord’s application. Following reactivation these cases may be referred to a judge for directions or listed for disposal.