New bill targets domestic abusers and overhauls right to buy in England
Summary
A new bill in England aims to help victims of domestic abuse by allowing social housing landlords to evict abusers without forcing victims to leave. The bill also changes the rules for buying social homes, increasing the required tenancy time from three to ten years.Key Facts
- Social housing landlords can evict domestic abuse perpetrators without requiring victims to move out first.
- Courts can transfer joint tenancies solely to victims or require landlords to provide alternative housing.
- The bill closes a legal loophole that previously allowed abusers to make victims homeless by ending joint tenancies early.
- The right-to-buy scheme now requires tenants to wait 10 years before purchasing their social home, up from three years.
- New social homes would be protected for 35 years, and some rural homes would be exempt from sale.
- Councils get a stronger right to buy back homes sold under the right-to-buy scheme.
- The bill removes outdated rules from the 2016 Housing and Planning Act to help social housing providers build more homes.
- Around 15,000 families in England had to move due to domestic abuse last year, according to the government.
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