Increased use of Accelerated Possession orders by landlords

As the nation battles the ever-increasing cost of living, the Independent reports a rise in ultra-quick evictions for tenants in rent arrears.

According to findings by legal information provider Sweet & Maxwell, landlords are not hanging around when it comes to evicting struggling tenants. Instead they are implementing accelerated possession orders. These can be facilitated online and enable landlords to evict tenants once their tenancies have expired.

The use of such orders through the courts (England and Wales) has increased by 42% in the last year from 7,196 to 10,244.

Tenants are up against increased rents, the newly enforced Bedroom Tax, the rising costs of food and heating, as well as high unemployment.

The Gov.uk website has useful advice for tenants facing the possibility of eviction and the threat of an accelerated possession order. Here are some of the valid points they raise about the latter.

Your landlord can only evict you using an accelerated possession order if:

• you have an assured shorthold tenancy or a statutory periodic tenancy
• you have a written tenancy agreement
• they’ve given you the required written notice (a minimum of 2 months) in the right form
• they haven’t asked you to leave before the end of a fixed-term tenancy