A landmark Social Housing Bill is back in Parliament for its Second Reading, setting out major changes to how social landlords can respond to domestic abuse, with aims to make social housing safer, fairer and more sustainable.

New powers to evict domestic abuse perpetrators

At the heart of the legislation are new protections for victims of domestic abuse living in social housing.

What happens now

Under current rules:

• Landlords can usually only evict a perpetrator after the victim has already left the property.
• In a joint tenancy, a victim often has to end the tenancy entirely to escape abuse, risking homelessness or losing their connection to their community.
• Perpetrators can exploit a legal loophole by serving a Notice to Quit on a joint tenancy, potentially forcing victims into homelessness.

Last year alone, around 15,000 households in England had to find a new social home because of domestic abuse.

What will change under the Bill

The Social Housing Bill introduces a new framework designed to put victims’ safety first:

• Perpetrators can be evicted while victims stay put
  Landlords and courts will be able to evict domestic abuse perpetrators from social homes without requiring the victim to leave first.
• Joint tenancies can be transferred to victims
  In joint tenancies, courts will be able to:
• Transfer the tenancy into the victim’s sole name, or
• Where it is not appropriate for the victim to remain, require the landlord to offer suitable alternative accommodation, where available.
• Notice to Quit loophole closed
  A Notice to Quit served by a perpetrator in a social housing joint tenancy will not end the tenancy while a domestic abuse-related notice, court proceedings or eviction action are in progress. This is intended to stop abusers using housing law as a form of control.

Taken together, these measures are designed to allow survivors and their children to remain safely in their homes and communities, close to friends, schools, work and support networks.

Ultimately, the Bill marks a clear shift in the balance of power - away from perpetrators who have been able to use housing as a tool of control, and towards survivors who deserve safety, stability and a secure home. While the detail will take time to work through, social landlords can start preparing now by reviewing policies, training staff and strengthening partnerships with domestic abuse services, so they are ready to use these new powers effectively and play their full part in keeping residents safe.