Nearly 85,000 households have been put at risk of homelessness since the Tories first pledged to end no-fault evictions.
Campaigners warn today that failure to deliver on a promised ban on section 21 evictions has caused “real human suffering and damage”. Analysis of Government data found that 84,460 private renters have claimed homeless prevention support after being issued a section 21 notice since the Tories pledged to outlaw no-fault evictions in 2019.
The true total is likely to be higher, as the data only includes those households which claimed council support. Research from Shelter from 2022 indicated the total number of s21 evictions in a year is likely to be around 75,000, suggesting that the number of no fault evictions could be closer to 400,000.
The ban has been repeatedly delayed amid disquiet from pro-landlord Tory MPs. Housing Secretary Michael Gove insisted in February that it would be brought in before the election but the Renters Reform Bill has not yet come back to Parliament. It has been watered down so the section 21 ban will only apply to new tenants. Other renters will have to wait until the Ministry of Justice conducts a review into the "readiness of courts" to handle disputes.
Tom Darling, Campaign Manager at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said: "The delays as the government have played politics on this issue, making concessions to water down protections for renters, have led to real human suffering and damage – as evidenced by the nearly 100,000 private renting households who have faced homelessness following Section 21 notices.
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"That’s not to mention millions of other renters who have been evicted but haven’t ended up calling their local authority to report that they are at risk of being out in the cold." He said the Government had "sold renters down the river" by caving to pressure to weaken the legislation.
Labour's Deputy Leader Angela Rayner said: “The Tories failure to ban no-fault evictions is an utter betrayal of renters across Britain. Hundreds of thousands of people have been put at risk of homelessness since that hollow promise five years ago. There are kids now in school that weren’t even born when the Tories first promised this.
“Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives always choose party before country, it is in their DNA. Only Labour will immediately ban no fault evictions, no ifs no buts."
A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesmansaid: “We are committed to delivering our landmark Renters (Reform) Bill that will provide a fairer private rented sector for both tenants and landlords. The Bill will abolish section 21 evictions – giving people more security in their homes and empowering them to challenge poor practices.”
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