Domestic abusers to be evicted under new landmark housing law

[IwantToRetire]

Under new protections, landlords and courts will be able to evict perpetrators of domestic abuse from social housing – without the victim having to leave first.

Currently, landlords can only evict a perpetrator after the victim has already left the home, and in joint tenancies, the only option for the victim is to end the tenancy entirely – potentially leaving them homeless.

The Bill also closes a loophole that let abusers serve a Notice to Quit to make victims homeless. Under the proposed new law, a Notice to Quit served by a perpetrator will not end the social housing joint tenancy while court proceedings are ongoing.

In addition, for joint tenancies, courts will be able to transfer the tenancy into the victim’s sole name, or where staying is not appropriate, require the landlord to provide suitable alternative accommodation where available.

Last year, around 15,000 households in England were forced to find a new social home because of domestic abuse. This Bill means victims can stay safely in their homes and communities, close to support networks, schools, and work.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/domestic-abusers-to-be-evicted-under-new-landmark-housing-law

Haven't read this thoroughly but seems a positive step. Totally madnes that a women suffering domestic abuse should have to leave her home, as well as any children, whilst a violent man is able to go on living there.

Not only better for women, but hopefully will take the strain off the sadly limited number of bed spaces available via refuges etc..

Really glad to see this. My late mum and a couple of my aunts had to stay in abusive marriages for years because they were scared of losing their homes and council tenancies.

Agree. And so sorry for your mum and aunts to have had to endure this type of situation. One that too many women find themselves in.

And equally there are any number of women living in temporary and sub standard housing, often with children having to share one bedroom, whilst the perpetrator has all the benefits of what was the family home.

The problem is how this will be enforced. I know of several cases where women had endured prolonged mental abuse (sometimes physical), then one day slapped back at her (male) abuser. Male abuser then makes complaint, he is treated as the victim.
It’s easy to imagine the woman then been homeless in these circumstances.

That is awesome for those suffering physical and obvious abuse such as shouting which neighbours can overhear. Unfortunately it still won't help those suffering coercive or mental abuse as those are difficult to report.

Under the proposed new law, a Notice to Quit served by a perpetrator will not end the social housing joint tenancy while court proceedings are ongoing.
Does this mean the perpetrator is still liable to pay the rent and council tax? Because that might make it impossible for them to afford to live elsewhere or would DWP/Council cover it? I'm all for punishment but that doesn't seem reasonable.

The thought is good and I sincerely hope it works in practice.

Seems a move in the right direction.

I immediately thought of how successful abusive men are with the parental alienation claims, and the way abusers can DARVO everything.

I agree.

I also have concerns about how "domestic abuser" is defined in this case - is it only those convicted? Because if that's the case then the bill is worse than useless; most cases won't go to court and even if they do, it takes months or years to get a court date and conviction.

If it's based on any allegation of abuse, then what safeguards are in place to stop abusers making malicious allegations and having their partner thrown out?

It says that a landlord to find alternative accommodation where available

How is that going to work

Most landlords only have one or two properties

Will they be expected to find somewhere else for tenants to live whilst court proceedings take place, who will have to pay for the alternative accommodation

This relates to social housing ?
Not private landlords with only one or two properties

Women’s Aid responds to the Social Housing Bill

“Today, the Social Housing Bill receives its second reading, and we are pleased to see that it contains measures to protect survivors of domestic abuse in joint tenancies, which Women’s Aid, along with sector colleagues, have long campaigned on.

“Currently, for survivors trapped in a joint tenancy with their abuser, it is slow costly and difficult to transfer the tenancy into a sole name and remove the perpetrator – leaving survivors in danger, debt and uncertainty. The Bill addresses this, by allowing landlords, under specific conditions, to transfer a tenancy to a survivor. There are also measures to allow social landlords to evict perpetrators, and measures to prevent perpetrators from unilaterally ending a tenancy. For too long, survivors have been faced with impossible choices – either staying with their abusers or risking homelessness – all because of outdated practices. These measures begin to change that picture.

“We also know that a lack of appropriate housing is keeping survivors in refuges for longer, with a lack of move-on accommodation preventing women and children from taking those first steps towards rebuilding their lives. Efforts to rebuild the stock of social housing available to councils could help address this.

“While the measures are welcome, we would like to see them go further. Survivors live in a range of housing settings – with social housing tenants being just one group – and a full range of housing support options are needed, including, of course, access to refuge, especially as we know that two thirds of survivors referred to refuge are turned away. We would also like to see the measures extended to enable the eviction of any perpetrator who has been given a Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) or non-molestation order, and not just those found to be in breach of it.

“Escaping abuse demands extraordinary bravery and can be extremely dangerous, so it is vital that survivors have access to safe, suitable accommodation in which to take the first steps towards a life free from abuse.

“Women’s Aid wishes to recognise the invaluable input of the late Giles Parker in drafting the proposed domestic abuse tenancy transfer model, which has been critical to the sector’s influencing work on joint tenancies and to winning government support for these important changes.”

https://womensaid.org.uk/womens-aid-responds-to-the-social-housing-bill/