Landlords have time on their side to evict tenants

Landlords will be able to evict anti-social tenants faster under plans announced by the government last week, which allow judges to speed up the process...Landlords will be able to evict anti-social tenants faster under plans announced by the government last week, which allow judges to speed up the process for possession orders resulting from unruly behaviour.

Under a statutory instrument to be laid next week, hearings for possession orders will be held within eight weeks of the original claim being issued, and practice directions accompanying the rules will allow judges to speed up cases even more where violence or damage has occurred or been threatened.

Interim injunctions will also be available.

The new rules will take effect from 15 October.

Wendy Backhouse, a partner at London law firm Hodge Jones & Allen and a member of the working group which developed the rules, was concerned over their possible misuse.

These rules should be confined to cases where there is very serious criminal or violent conduct by the tenants, she said, arguing that in other cases, the tenant should have time to prepare a defence.

Victoria MacCallum