York tenants in private accommodation will gain new protection from eviction if the house they are living in is threatened with repossession, after a Bill received Royal Assent this month.

The problem of letting properties against the terms of a mortgage has in the past left tenants in a position of being turfed out on the street with little or no warning, in instances of repossession. But their period of notice is now up to two months, to enable tenants to find someone new to live.

Labour's housing spokesperson Coun. Tracey Simpson-Laing welcomed the development, saying:

"This is good news in challenging economic times for at risk tenants, when more people are struggling to pay their mortgages. It seems difficult to comprehend how this situation arises when tenants are paying rent, but there are cases where they are left literally homeless without warning.
"There are still unscrupulous ‘landlords', although they shouldn't really be regarded as such if they are letting property that is not being let under a buy-to-let mortgage, as this breaches the terms of their loans.

"Any extra rights and protection for private housing tenants are to be welcomed as many have received a rough ride as a result of the acute level of demand for housing in the city".