LANDLORDS FIGHT COUNTY COURT CLOSURE PLANS
Private sector landlords are joining forces in a bid to save the UK’s network of county courts.
The Residential Landlords Association - one of the country’s main organisations for professional landlords - is lobbying the government to re-think its plans to scrap a number of its county courts. (Courts under closure threat are listed below)
And RLA members are also individually lobbying the Ministry of Justice.
“We are concerned about the proposed closures because residential landlords are among the few businesspeople who regularly have to use the court service as part of their day to day work,” says Richard Jones, the RLA’s secretary - and a lawyer himself.
One of the main problems is that the 1977 Protection from Eviction Act and the 1988/1996 Housing Acts make it unlawful for residential landlords to take possession of premises without a court order.
“Courts are already under great pressure and waiting lists are growing – and this would only get worse,” says Richard Jones. “But, meanwhile, landlords have to allow tenants to continue living in their properties even if they are not paying their rent.
“Landlords have no choice but to sit back, allow arrears to mount up, and lose money they will never recover, while they wait for permission to gain possession of their own properties. Only then can they start to find new tenants. So, to us, an efficient, effective and above all speedy court service is vital.
“While court fees are rising as they are, it seems wholly wrong that we should have to pay more for a deteriorating service with even longer waiting lists.
“And it also seems a completely inappropriate time to put so many jobs at risk in large towns as well as small rural courts.
“So, for all these reasons, we urge the Government to think again.”
County courts under threat of closure are:
London Region:
Ilford County Court
Mayor’s And City Court
South West Region:
Cheltenham County Court
Penzance County Court,
Trowbridge County Court
Poole County Court
South East Region:
Ashford County Court
Gravesend County Court
Haywards Heath County Court
Epsom County Court
Huntingdon County Court
Harlow County Court
Lowestoft County Court
Newbury County Court
Hitchin County Court
Midlands Region:
Rugby County Court
Stourbridge County Court
Stratford-Upon-Avon County Court
Newark County Court
Worksop County Court
Melton Mowbray County Court
Wellingborough County Court
Grantham County Court
Skegness County Court
Tamworth County Court
Oswestry County Court
Ludlow County Court
Shrewsbury County Court
Evesham County Court
Redditch County Court
Burton-Upon-Trent County Court
Kidderminster County Court
North West Region:
Northwich County Court
Southport County Court
Penrith County Court
Runcorn County Court
Whitehaven County Court
Rawtenstall County Court
Chorley County Court
Salford County Court
Bury County Court
North East Region:
Bishop Auckland County Court
Consett County Court
Barnsley County Court
Goole County Court
Skipton County Court
Pontefract County Court
Keighley County Court
Dewsbury County Court
Wales Region:
Chepstow County Court
Aberdare County Court
Llangefni County Court
Rhyl County Court
Pontypool County Court