The government has pledged to give ‘landlords access to justice’ by ending the ban on bailiff-enforced evictions, introduced as an emergency measure during lockdown.

A blanket ban on evictions introduced during the first lockdown came to an end in September last year, and was replaced with a weaker ban on bailiff-enforced evictions.

The additional protection for renters in England is now due to come to an end on 31 May, following an extension from March.

Housing minister Christopher Pincher insisted that the government is focussed on “balancing the need for landlords to access justice”.

Bailiffs have been instructed not to carry out an eviction if anyone living in the property has Covid-19 symptoms or is self-isolating.

Courts will continue to prioritise the most serious cases, such as those involving fraud or anti-social behaviour.

Oli Sherlock, head of insurance at lettings platform Goodlord, said: “The stay on evictions couldn’t remain in place forever and, with the last lockdown restrictions almost behind us, now is a sensible time to roll-back the measures and provide clearer timelines on next steps.

“Whilst the ban was clearly a well-intentioned decision designed to protect tenants, it has caused financial distress to some landlords and enabled rogue renters to avoid paying rent in isolated cases.”

The government announced on Tuesday, as part of the Queen’s Speech, that a White Paper will be published later this year that will set out proposals to improve the PRS, including the scrapping of Section 21 evictions.

Timothy Douglas, policy and campaigns manager at Propertymark, commented: “Propertymark will be engaging with MHCLG and MPs to ensure they fully understand the consequences of any changes. We will also be scrutinising the White Paper and proposed legislation, to ensure the best possible outcome for our members.”