Protection for tenants
Suppose you're renting a house your landlord used to live in. If he's not told his mortgage company that he's now renting the property out, you - the tenant - could find yourself evicted without notice.
A growing category of the homeless are people caught in this particular trap, through no fault of their own.
Mortgage agreements always require the lender to be notified if an owner-occupier moves out, and starts renting the property - and typically they then switch to a buy-to-let mortgage and charge a higher interest rate. So a lot of landlords don't bother. The tenants may be bang up to date with the rent, but if the landlord then defaults on the mortgage, they have no rights because they are unauthorised tenants. People have come home from work to find locks changed and bailiffs removing their property....
But fear not, the . His would give people in those circumstances the same right of notice of eviction as other tenants and gives the courts powers to stay or suspend an eviction.
His bill has emerged from detailed consideration in committee, pretty much unscathed. But it now faces a race against time to clear the Commons and be passed by the Lords, before the general election is called. It will take some pretty fancy footwork, but don't bet against the wily Dr Iddon.
I'm Mark D'Arcy and I'll be writing about what goes on in the chambers and committee rooms at Westminster.
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