The housing minister Chris Pincher has been grilled by MPs over the ending of the ban on evictions on August 23.

In Parliament yesterday, Pincher was asked what protections were in place to help tenants who have been left in financial difficulty because of Covid.

In an urgent question, shadow secretary of state for housing Thangam Debbonaire asked Pincher to make a statement on the implications of the end of the evictions ban for people renting their home.

In response Pincher said the government was introducing changes to the court rules of possession hearings.

He said: “These rules will apply within the current legislative framework from 23 August. 

“They will require landlords seeking possession of their property to set out relevant information about a tenant’s circumstances, including information on the effect of the pandemic. 

“This encourages landlords to have the right conversations with tenants before seeking repossession. 

Through guidance, we are also encouraging landlords to agree to rent repayment plans or rent flexibilities, where possible. 

“Landlords will need to follow strict procedures if they want to gain possession of their property. 

“This includes, until at least 30 September, giving tenants a minimum of three months’ notice of their intention to seek possession, as set out in the measures introduced in the Coronavirus Act 2020.”

However, Debbonaire said the government’s steps to protect renters were not sufficient.

She said: “I thank the Minister for that response, but it really will not do, because he knows that his proposals are toothless. 

“Eviction law remains intact, so extra information about the tenant will not prevent people from losing their home, and in the middle of a public health crisis.”

She reminded him of housing secretary Robert Jenrick’s pledge in March that “the government is clear—no renter who has lost income due to coronavirus will be forced out of their home, nor will any landlord face unmanageable debts.”

Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee chair Clive Betts also pushed Pincher on how these changes to court proceedings would help tenants when Section 21 still allows landlords to evict renters without a reason and Section 8 still allows landlords to evict renters on the basis of arrears.

Pincher reiterated the government’s commitment to abolishing Section 21 “no-fault” evictions “when we have stable terrain on which to do so”.

However, the housing minister had to concede that until such a time landlords would be able to continue to use these powers against tenants.

In the meantime he said: “First, the landlord will have to bring all the information that is required before the court. 

“The courts want to sit in order that a duty solicitor will be present, but other interlocutors may be present to mediate, even at that late stage, between the landlord and the tenant to ensure that the right outcome can be achieved. 

“Under the section 21 rules of the 1988 Act, the courts do not have discretion in that particular circumstance, but I am sure that in those cases where egregious rent arrears predate the covid emergency, where there is domestic abuse or where there is antisocial behaviour, we want to see the landlord have their right to bring forward their repossession case. 

“That is what they are allowed to do under the law.”