Following the announcement from the Government that it is to ban Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions by landlords and letting agents, further proposals to soften the blow of the shock announcement have been revealed.

The more complicated Section 8 eviction process is to be amended to enable landlords to end a tenancy if they have a legitimate reason to do so, including regaining a home should they wish to sell it or move into it.

Also, the legal process of eviction is to be expedited to help landlords regain their properties more quickly and smoothly if tenants fail to pay their rent or damage a property.

These proposals, along with the decision to end Section 21 evictions, are to be put out to consultation.

“The government will collaborate with and listen to tenants, landlords and others in the private rented sector to develop a new deal for renting,” a government statement says.

Ongoing industry reaction to the proposed measures has been unremittingly either cautious or hostile.

“While this latest move has been made with the best intentions, it’s vital that the landlords themselves are also safeguarded so that we don’t further exacerbate this exodus of rental property providers,” says Calum Brannan, CEO of lettings platform Howsy.

Peter Hermon-Taylor, Managing Director of lettings agency Maskells, says: “Meddling with a system that already works for the overwhelming majority is a perilous undertaking and we are very wary of this process, which by its nature is designed to tip the balance of power towards the tenant.

“By doing so however they risk upsetting this stability of the whole sector which could have the effect of pushing droves of landlords out of the industry altogether. The devil however, and as always, will be in the detail.”