The Department collects and publishes statistics on local authority tenant evictions and reasons for eviction. The information is published in the annual Local Authority Housing Statistics tables on rents, lettings and tenancies, which are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-housing-data

Private rented sector legislation as in the Housing Act 1988, and the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 sets out the rights of landlords and tenants. It is applicable to all tenants and landlords, and there are no specific protections for (a) all housing benefits claimants or (b) vulnerable tenants, other than their statutory rights in UK legislation.

The Government recently introduced protection for tenants from unfair eviction where they have made a legitimate complaint about the condition of their home. We have also introduced measures to ensure fairness for landlords, making the eviction process more straightforward in appropriate circumstances such as the persistant non-payment of rent. We believe that the current approach strikes a fair balance between the rights of landlords and tenants and do not have any plans to introduce further restrictions on a landlord’s ability to evict a tenant.

The Housing and Planning Bill introduced on 13 October contains a range of measures that are intended to crack down on criminal landlords, thereby helping to improve the sector and ensure tenants get a better deal. There will be a blacklist of rogue landlords and letting agents, banning orders for the most prolific and serious offenders, civil penalties of up to £5,000 for certain breaches of housing legislation, Rent Repayment Orders to cover situations where a tenant has been illegally evicted or the landlord has failed to rectify a serious health and safety hazard in the property, and a tougher fit and proper person test for landlords letting out licensed properties, such as Houses in Multiple Occupation.

Assured shorthold tenancies give landlords the automatic right to possession at the end of the initial fixed term on giving the tenant two months' notice. Possession through the courts can also be sought before the end of the initial fixed period, where the tenant has broken certain terms of the tenancy, such as by not paying the rent.

We have made it easier for landlords to evict a tenant where it would be legitimate to do so, by introducing a prescribed form of notice which will reduce errors and remove the need for a landlord to specify the exact date a tenancy comes to an end, while retaining the requirement to give two months’ notice. The legislation came into effect on 1 October 2015 and we have published guidance and the required forms are at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/465275/Retaliatory_Eviction_Guidance_Note.pdf

The commencement order bringing in the provisions on retaliatory evictions was made on 27 March 2015. It is titled, the Deregulation Act 2015 (Commencement No 1 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2015, and available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/994/contents/made. Its provisions have effect from 1 October 2015.

This information is not held centrally.

This information is not held centrally.

This information is not held centrally. However, the English Housing Survey Headline Report, published on 25 February 2015, makes it clear that in most cases, it is the private rented tenant who chooses to end the tenancy.

In 2013-14, 81% of private renters who had moved in the last three years, ended their previous private rented tenancy because they wanted to move; 7% were asked to leave by their landlord or agent; 10% of tenancies were ended by ‘mutual agreement’.

The permitted development rights to allow the change of offices to residential use were introduced in May 2013. These rights are contributing to a more efficient use of our existing building stock, and are providing badly needed new homes such as studios and one-bedroom flats for young people. This is especially true in London where there is a particularly acute need for more housing. In turn, bringing new residents to the local area also brings business and helps generate growth.

This market-led approach reflects that business patterns are changing with new technology: as a whole, while there is increasing demand for new housing due to a growing population, modern firms need less physical office space than they used to.

The information requested in the hon. Member’s questions is not centrally held, as the rights are overseen by local authorities. But I would observe that research published by Knight Frank in May 2014 has shown that nationally, prior approval applications have been secured for over 3.2 million square feet of new housing. Moreover, an analysis by Planning magazine last month, surveying London, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham, Manchester and Sheffield, estimated that a total of 17,425 new homes have been given permission across those specific cities.

I appreciate that the Labour Party have opposed these reforms – yet HM Opposition have failed to say exactly where they think new homes should be provided instead if they oppose such brownfield regeneration.

We are considering the responses to the Technical consultation on planning which included a proposal on the change of use from offices to residential; any subsequent legislative changes will be brought forward in this Parliament. We will also publish the Government response to the consultation and an Impact Assessment in due course.

This information is not held centrally.

We have given our backing in principle to my hon. Friend, the Member for Brent Central's (Sarah Teather) Tenancies (Reform) Bill, which seeks to protect tenants from the small minority of rogue landlords who, rather than meet their legal duty to keep their properties at a reasonable standard and remove health and safety hazards, instead evict tenants simply for asking for essential repairs to be made.

But we need to ensure that the Bill does not impose unfair burdens on the whole sector, as the overwhelming majority of landlords are responsible. The Bill should be balanced, such that tenants cannot make vexatious complaints, and that it does not bring in excessive red tape.

The Bill will have its 2nd reading on 28 November, and this will give the House an opportunity to debate its merits.

This information is not centrally recorded.

The Government does not collect this information.

A section 21 notice is a notice served under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 by a landlord on their tenant which informs the tenant that the landlord requires possession of the property and that it must be vacated by the tenant.

The service of a section 21 notice, like any other termination of a contract, is a private matter between the landlord and tenant.

Information on all meetings held by DCLG Ministers with external organisations are published every quarter on the Government's website at

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-communities-and-local-government/series/dclg-ministerial-data