Social landlords to be able to evict tenants whose finances improve enough

The government plans to hand social landlords the ability to check on the finances of their tenants every two years and evict them if their financial position is considered to have improved sufficiently, according to a report on the BBC.

The proposal is set to be included as part of a package of measures in the forthcoming Localism Bill, with the government expected to end – for new tenants – the system of “council houses” for life. Another key policy will be fixed-term tenancies.

Tenants no longer considered eligible for social housing would be given at least six months’ notice before having to move out.

The Department for Communities and Local Government said the arrangements would give local authorities much greater flexibility.

Housing Minister Grant Shapps suggested that "two years won't be the norm for tenancies, many years will be the norm".

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government told Local Government Lawyer last week said it was “still very much the plan” for the Localism Bill to be published this month.