Call for new legislation to protect tenants

News Category: Legal

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Charities and housing organisations are calling on the government to change laws regarding landlord repossessions.

The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), Shelter, Citizens Advice and Crisis want more to be done to protect tenants from the consequences of their landlords defaulting on mortgages.

New laws should be implemented to give courts the power to defer lenders gaining possession of a property, they said, as this will give people living in rental homes a chance to find alternative accommodation.

Citizens Advice chief executive David Harker said: "The government has pledged to do all it can to prevent people losing their homes as a result of the recession, yet we have these forgotten victims of the repossessions crisis - tenants."

Sarah Webb, CIH chief executive, added that her organisation is concerned that private rented sector tenants "are being left to the mercy of market forces".

This comes after the Association of Residential Letting Agents advised the government of the best ways to protect tenants in its Budget submission earlier this month.

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