The National Residential Landlords Association has welcomed a ruling pertaining to Section 21 and gas certificates

The landlord, Trecarrell House Limited, was granted an order to repossess a property, but the Section 21 notice was ruled invalid at appeal because the landlord did not provide a gas certificate before the tenant moved in.

However, the Court of Appeal today ruled that because the gas certificate was made available after the tenancy had begun and before the notice was issued, the Section 21 notice was in fact valid.

 Prior to the NRLA being formed, the Residential Landlords Association set up a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the appeal, generating £7,000.

NRLA deputy policy director John Stewart says: “We welcome the clarity that today’s ruling brings for the sector.

“However, ministers remain committed to eventually getting rid of Section 21 altogether.

“We have been campaigning to ensure that such moves are only made within the context of improvements to the way courts handle cases and clear, comprehensive and timely routes for landlords to repossess properties in legitimate circumstances.

“We are heartened therefore that the Housing Minister has made clear that such changes will only be made ‘in a considered manner’ and not as an immediate response to the coronavirus pandemic.”