Should the eviction process be changed?

There are calls for the Government to speed up the eviction process following the trashing of a property owned by a North East landlord.

Tenants left the property in Darlington, owned by Glenn Schofield, practically destroyed. Mr Schofield had to spend months going through the courts to try and repossess the four bedroom house.

Mr Schofield feels the delay it took for the courts to grant an eviction order meant the house was wrecked beyond recognition. Carpets were destroyed, appliances ripped out and paint strewn across walls. The bad tenants even went as far as taking lead flashing from the roof.

The landlord, Mr Schofield said: “It’s almost indescribable. I’ve done everything by the book but I don’t understand why it has taken so long.”
With many county courts set to close as part of the Government cuts, many landlords worry that the process could soon to take even longer.

The case highlights the importance of getting in experts who can speed up the process on your behalf. Many cases are slowed down when the process is not carried out to the letter. Specific legal procedures have to be followed before tenant evictions can be carried out. Permission from the court must always be granted before any eviction takes place.

Our eviction services are growing in demand as angry landlords want bad tenants removed from their properties. If you have a bad tenant, our advice is to act quickly and get professionals to handle the process as soon as problems occur. We can also carry out full tenant checks before you let your property to limit the chances of having problems further down the line.

Last year The Residential Landlords Association, frustrated by the long court process, delivered a petition to Downing Street calling for a “fast track” eviction process.