A Bill introduced by Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey on 6 July, provides new protections for tenants in the Private Rented Sector (PRS) In Northern Ireland, focusing on safety measures, restrictions in rent increases and extending notice periods.

The Scottish Government issued a joint statement in collaboration with Propertymark, and other representative bodies, underlining the commitment shown by letting agents to engage with tenants who found themselves in hardship during the pandemic.

Temporary eviction measures in Scotland that were introduced in April 2020, have now been extended to 31 March 2022, with the potential to be extended until 30 September 2022.

The Scottish Government is proposing a new Bill to extend the emergency Coronavirus laws introduced in 2020 by at least another six months. With current measures due to expire on 30 September 2021, what could this mean for the PRS in Scotland?

Propertymark, alongside other organisations, has written to Eddie Hughes MP (Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing) to emphasise the sector's ongoing concerns over COVID-related rent arrears and urged the UK Government to introduce emergency financial support.

The UK Government has updated its guidance on the Rental Mediation Service for landlords and tenants undergoing possession proceedings. The service is available to tenants and landlords in both the private and social rented sectors across courts in England and Wales.

The UK Government has issued new Secure tenancy and Assured tenancy forms to reflect the changes to notice periods in England from 1 June. From today, notice periods in England that are currently six months, will now be reduced to four months. 

The UK Government has responded to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee’s report on the UK Government’s actions to support the homeless and private rented sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UK Government has announced that from 1 June 2021, notice periods in England that are currently six months will now be reduced to four months.

Details of the UK Government’s housing possession mediation service was released yesterday, 7 April 2021, which was initially introduced in February 2021, as part of the current court process for housing possession cases.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has opened a call for evidence to support the UK Government’s decision to review measures on commercial lease evictions in England.

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee in the UK Parliament has released its second report scrutinising the UK Government’s actions to help rough sleepers, homelessness, private renters, and landlords during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Welsh Government has announced the introduction of the Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill which extends the minimum notice period from two to six months alongside other new provisions and will be implemented before the end of its current Assembly (May 2021).

The Welsh Government has announced a further extension to the ban on evictions and the requirement for landlords to provide six-month notice periods to tenants before they evict.

Today, 10 March 2021, Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, announced a further extension to the ban on bailiff-enforced evictions and the requirement for landlords to provide six-month notice periods to tenants before they evict.

A Wales-based landlord pleaded guilty to harassing a tenant, which is the first time a case of this nature has been brought to the Crown Court and received a six-month jail term suspended for two years.