STORY
The Government has said social landlords and courts will be given new powers to remove domestic abuse perpetrators from social housing under the Social Housing Bill, which returned to Parliament for its second reading. Ministers said the measure is intended to stop victims being forced to leave their homes in order for action to be taken against an abuser.
The Bill would allow courts to transfer a joint tenancy into the victim’s sole name or require landlords to provide suitable alternative accommodation where remaining in the property is not appropriate. The Government said the legislation would also close a loophole that allowed perpetrators in joint tenancies to serve a Notice to Quit and leave victims at risk of homelessness.
The legislation also includes major changes to Right to Buy rules, including extending the minimum tenancy period from three to ten years, reducing discounts and exempting newly built social and affordable homes from the scheme for 35 years. Ministers said the reforms were part of a wider effort to protect social housing stock alongside the Government’s £39 billion investment in social and affordable housing.