Brent Council in London has taken the surprising step of paying a landlord’s legal fees and rent in order to stave off a Section 21 eviction.
This is due to the lack of available social housing in the area.
A briefing note from legal services supplier Legal for Landlords says: “The agreement involves the landlord continuing to provide the accommodation, with the council taking over responsibility for the payment of the rent.”
Legal for Landlords made the Section 21 application in February on behalf of a landlord client, gaining possession of the property in April.
However that process was halted after the landlord came to an agreement with Brent Council.
Sim Sekhon, managing director of LegalforLandlords, said: “It’s worth remembering that the private landlord in this situation agreed to the deal, but it could be that he or she had no real alternative?
“They were already out of pocket and facing a wait of many months for a bailiff. Suddenly there’s an offer made that seems to bring immediate relief and recompense. Is that a real choice?”
He added: “Will the combination of a clogged court system and the bailiff backlog drive force private landlords to retain unsuitable tenants?”
