Move to protect tenants set to become law

A move to give tenants greater protection from being evicted if their landlord defaults on mortgage repayments is set to become law after clearing the Lords today.

Labour MP Brian Iddon's Mortgage Repossessions (Protection of Tenants) Bill had already cleared the Commons and has now been sent for Royal Assent.

Introducing the Bill to the upper house last week, crossbench peer Lord Best, who is a chairman of the Property Ombudsman, said it was aimed at cases where the mortgage lender did not realise the home was being let.

He said that at present tenants in this situation were unprotected by legislation and if a lender sought to repossess the property the tenant may be given no notice.

The Bill gives tenants the right to be represented in a possession hearing and for the court to delay repossession by up to two months.