The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Residential Tenancies: Protection from Eviction) (Amendment) (England) (no2) Regulations 2021 sets out the relevant amendments.

The amendments will come into force from 31st May 2021 and will be in place until at least 1st October 2021.

The aim is a phased approach to getting back to pre-Coronavirus Act notice periods.

Notice periods which had been extended to six months will be set at four months from 1st June 2021, including S21 Notices. The period in which proceedings can be issued on a Section 21 notice is revised from 10 months from service to eight months.

The current ban on evictions will still end on 31st May 2021 as proposed, but tenants must be given 14 days notice of an eviction and Bailiffs have been asked not to carry out evictions if anyone in the Property has Covid-19 symptoms or is self-isolating.

Notice periods for cases where there is four or more months of unpaid rent will reduce to two months from 1st August 2021. Notice periods for the most serious cases will remain lower.

The new Notice periods are as follows:

• Grounds 1-6, 9, 13, 15, 16 – four months’ notice.
• Ground 12 (breach of tenancy) – four months’ notice.
• Grounds 8,10 or 11 (rent arrears) with less than four months’ arrears – four months’ notice (unless a breathing space has started).
• Grounds 8,10 or 11 (rent arrears) where the notice is served after 1st August 2021 with less than four months’ arrears – two months’ (unless a breathing space has been started).
• Grounds 8,10 or 11 (rent arrears) with more than four months’ arrears – four weeks’ notice (unless a breathing space has been started).
• Ground 7 (after death of tenant) – two months’ notice.
• Ground 7B (no right to rent) Ground 14A (domestic violence), 14Z (indictable offence in a riot or 17 (false representation) – two weeks’ notice.
• Grounds 7A (mandatory ASB/conviction) – 28 days periodic or one-month fixed term notice.
• Ground 14 (ASB) – No notice period.

There is no change to the Notice to Quit.

New Form 3 (Section 8 Notice) and Form 6A (Section 21 Notice) have been published and must be used from 1st June 2021.

What do you need to do?

1.  Make sure that from 1st June the new forms are used and the correct notice period is given.

2.  Make sure that all old forms and precedents are removed from your systems.

3.  Update any internal procedures and policies to reflect the changes.

4.  Contact us if you have any questions.