On 29 August 2020, the government updated the relevant provisions for obtaining possession of residential property in England and Wales, under the Coronavirus Act 2020.
By virtue of the original regulations, notice periods were extended to a period of 3 months, whereas under the new regulations, those notices will now have to be for a period of 6 months from the date of issue. There are certain exceptions to the 6 month time limit, which include the ability to issue a shorter notice period where the grounds of eviction relate to antisocial behaviour, domestic violence, fraud, or where there are at least 6 months’ rent unpaid at the date on which the notice will be served. In all other circumstances, the notice to be served must be for a duration of 6 months. This regulation will apply until the 31 March 2021, and therefore for the foreseeable future any Section 8 or Section 21 Notice must have a notice period of 6 months, unless one of the exceptions applies.
The form of notices has therefore changed, and you must be certain that when you are utilising the notices, that you are now utilising the current version.
Should you require any assistance in relation to your possession proceedings, please contact Lucy Grunwell on [email protected] or 01702 338338.
This article does not necessarily deal with every important topic or cover every aspect of the topics with which it deals. It is not designed to provide legal or other advice. If you require specialist advice on this topic, please contact us to discuss how we may assist you.
