AT LEAST 84,000 households have become homeless in the five years since the Tories promised to abolish no-fault evictions, campaigners revealed yesterday.
The Renters Reform Coalition anaylsed data from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on those who claimed homeless prevention support after being issued with a section 21 notice.
The campaign group estimate that the total number of such evictions is far bigger, with research from Shelter suggesting that the number topped 75,000 in 2022 alone.
The Renters (Reform) Bill was originally presented as a protection against no-fault evictions.
However, the legislation faces delays and is reportedly being watered down to apply only to new tenancies, with the practice still allowed for existing tenancies until court reforms are delivered.
Campaigners fear that the Bill is now becoming a “landlord charter” and that amendments could be added requiring all tenants to commit to a minimum six-month duration for new tenancies.
No date has been set for the legislation’s third reading in the Commons.
The group is calling for amendments, including increasing the eviction notice periods from two to four months, the introduction of a protected period of at least two years where renters cannot be evicted under new no fault grounds, and a limit on rent increases within a tenancy.
Renters Reform Coalition campaign manager Tom Darling said: “Since this day in 2019, the proposals in this crucial legislation have only gotten weaker as the government have caved to landlord pressure and sold renters down the river.
“If they were serious about producing a ‘better deal for renters,’ they would engage with renter groups about what is needed to fill the gaping holes in the Bill.”
Meanwhile, London Renters Union (LRU) issued Housing Secretary Michael Gove with a four-metre-high eviction notice outside his grace-and-favour property in London to highlight the delays to the legislation.
Mr Gove pays no rent for the £25 million property while 300,000 tenants were forced out of there homes last year by unaffordable rent increases, the group claims.
An LRU spokesperson said: “Michael Gove has shown more interest in protecting the profits of his mates in the landlord lobby than ensuring everyone in this country has a secure place to call home.
“It’s time to kick the landlord lobby out from decisions around our basic rights.”
A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities 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.”
