A Government Minister has pledged to make changes to the courts to speed up the ability of landlords to repossess properties in legitimate circumstances.

Writing for the Residential Landlords Association (RLA), the Minister for the Private Rented Sector, Heather Wheeler, said that: “landlords who experience the eviction process via the courts” often find it “unduly slow and complex”. She pledged that “changes in the law, the court process, and resourcing will need to go hand in glove with tenancy reform, to meet these concerns.”

Wheeler acknowledged that “the vast majority of landlords provide their tenants with a decent home and good quality service” and that “few landlords evictgood tenants without a sound reason.”

The Minister confirmed that following the Government’s decision to get rid of Section 21, ‘no explanation’ repossessions, the Government will ensure the changes work for both tenants and good landlords.

David Smith, policy director at the RLA, said: “The Minister’s comments are welcome. As the RLA has long argued, landlords are left frustrated at almost every stage where they want to repossess property through the courts. This makes it harder to address the problem of bad tenants including those committing anti-social behaviour who cause misery for their neighbours.”