New operational guidance on attending illegal/extra legal eviction calls

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.032837

I note you seek access to the following information:

**NEW REQUEST**
Please provide me with any information on the new and updated procedures for correctly responding to future calls where tenants are being evicted by their landlords, along with any materials pertaining to the rationale and perceived need for such new and updated guidance.

***PREVIOUS REQUEST****
Please provide me with any information on the new and updated procedures for correctly responding to future calls where tenants are being evicted by their landlords, along with any materials pertaining to the rationale and perceived need for such new and updated guidance.

Separately please provide any details on how any such cases improperly dealt with in the past may be retroactively rectified.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - Please provide me with any information on the new and updated procedures for correctly responding to future calls where tenants are being evicted by their landlords, along with any materials pertaining to the rationale and perceived need for such new and updated guidance.

The updated guidance and the rationale was driven by work with MOPAC and the GLA plus the organisations that look after the interests of tenants in London (Safer Renting and Generation Rent). We have been working together since the pandemic and trying to ensure that people were not made homeless during that time, illegally. The guidance now offers practical steps to assist officers at the scene of an eviction. It also states that the presumption should be in favour of the tenant to stay in their property at the scene of an illegal eviction. An illegal eviction will be one where there is no court appointed bailiff with a warrant for eviction present, if the landlord is there without these attempting to evict there are criminal offences. The guidance just provides this clarity for the legislation.

Please see below documents titled Landlord Tenant Guide, Landlord tenant slide, Landlord tenant training and illegal eviction booklet, pursuant to you request for information.

Recent press lines
The Met has been working closely with the Greater London Authority and organisations protecting the rights of tenants. This work has informed the updated training and guidance provided to frontline officers and is reflective of the needs of tenants. Starting at the point that the effort of a landlord or representative to evict an individual/individuals is illegal will prompt officers to ensure that there is a bailiff in place who is in possession of the relevant paperwork, and that due process - as per the legislation - has been followed.

Q2 - Separately please provide any details on how any such cases improperly dealt with in the past may be retroactively rectified.

The MPS has no plans to look into this retroactively.