Eviction Bans -it's a difficult one for the Government.
It has made the provision of more (and presumably reasonably
affordable) rental and privately owned housing one of its top
priorities. It knows that at the next Election, its record on
housing will be crucial to its chances of remaining in power.
And yet, none of its new ideas and schemes have been exactly
quick off the mark. Any successes, whether the 24,000 or 30,000 new
houses delivered last year (it's still an increasing figure),
are instantly measured against the increasing levels of
homelessness, shortage of private rental accommodation and mixed
outcomes of its own policies.
Take the 'eviction ban' this past winter (due to expire
in 2 weeks' time). It did not ban landlords taking action to
evict defaulting tenants (though the only legal route to this, vis
the Residential Tenancies Board, is slow and cumbersome. Was it
really a good move to remove the Courts from this area, back in
2004?). Rather, it
