Plans to prevent landlords evicting tenants without proper reason have been announced.

In a white paper published today, the government says it will get rid of section 21 evictions – which it first pledged to axe back in 2019.

The document states that the lack of security makes it difficult for tenants to challenge decisions or to save for their own home.

Tenants who would previously have had an assured tenancy or assured shorthold tenancy will be moved on to a single system of periodic tenancies. Tenants would provide two months’ notice when leaving a tenancy. Landlords could only evict in ‘reasonable circumstances’ which will be defined in law.

The government will also reform grounds for possession, saying the system must also work for responsible landlords, letting agents and communities. New grounds will be introduced for landlords wishing to sell their property and a mandatory ground for serious repeated rent arrears.

Stephanie Boyce, President I. of The Law Society, said tenants and landlords’ rights needed to be balanced.

“We’ve previously recommended widening Section 8, which enables a landlord to regain their property in some circumstances,” she added. “Careful calibration is needed to improve security of tenure while ensuring landlords are not disincentivised from entering into longer-term fixed tenancies.”