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Government to introduce compulsory mediation before eviction


Grampa

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The government is expected to announce today that there will have to be compulsory mediation before at least some evictions take place in the private rental sector.

This will relate at least to those cases where tenants have run up Covid-related arrears.

For some months the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been operating pilot schemes in certain areas, where mediation has been used by agents, landlords and tenants.

The government says this process can avoid eviction if an agreement is reached between the parties. Under the pilot, the system has been free to use for landlords or their agents, and tenants, and involves an independent trained neutral mediator to help identify issues.

The MHCLG says that under the pilot, following one or more sessions “if mediation succeeds and you are happy with the proposed solution, you will sign an agreement, which will be put in front of a judge for approval. The agreement will explain what actions each party [landlord/agent and tenant] must take next.”

It is not known if this same system will be adopted when mediation becomes compulsory, nor if the mediation will have to be used in all future evictions after the Covid-related arrears crisis has been resolved.

More details are to be released this afternoon when Steve Barclay, the chief secretary to the Treasury, makes an announcement in the House of Commons.

Both the letting agents’ and landlords’ trade bodies have called for taxpayer financial packages to be agreed to resolve the Covid-related arrears issue.

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Thanks Grampa,

has there been a consultation period on this?

Of course if it is pushed through as covid legislation I guess there would be no need, but as you query what about after?

With my usual cynicism I wonder what further wait period we might have to endure if post mediation (and agreement) the T fails to comply. I guess it's obvious who will need to pay up for further action.

In my fantasy world for this to be balanced the court might monitor (perhaps even manage) agreed solutions with a view to a repossession becoming automatic where a T fails. Otherwise it's just another hurdle for us to deal with an abuser and recover the property we are responsible for.

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I suspect everyone will need to jump thru hoops to get any benefit out of this so.....

I'm thinking of importing hoops from China. It looks like there is more of an opportunity selling hoops than letting property.

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Cynicism RL, that used to be reserved for LL's as I remember.

Anyway welcome to the club, it used to be a lonely place but increasingly less so. Still not a happy club though.

Just a thought but you may find the Chinese hoops are too small for fat Westerners. (But you might try selling them in France as compact self inflating life rings to the wannabe illegal migrants. Just add water.)

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