More than 84,000 private renting households have been put at risk of homelessness due to being issued with a section 21 notice since the Government committed to ban no-fault evictions.
Analysis of data from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has revealed that at least 84,460 private renting households have claimed homeless prevention support after being issued a section 21 notice since 2019.
This figure only includes those who have claimed support from their council. According to the Renters’ Reform Coalition, who carried out the research, the total number of section 21 evictions since the Government’s pledge is likely to be close to 400,000.
Tom Darling, Campaign Manager at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said: ‘It is absurd that the government has now officially taken 5 years to deliver these basic reforms – that’s longer than Brexit took!! 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.’
A DLUHC spokesperson said: ‘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.’
