Big rise in the threat of ‘no-fault’ evictions
NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS THREATENED HAS NEARLY DOUBLED SINCE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC
THE number of Yorkshire households threatened with homelessness as a result of “no-fault” evictions has almost doubled compared to pre-pandemic levels.
In just three months, between October and December 2021, 378 households in our area were served with Section 21 orders - which allow a landlord to evict their tenant with just two months’ notice, without having to give any reason.
That is the equivalent of four households being threatened with homelessness through no fault of their own every day.
It was also an 83% increase on the 206 households that were served with a Section 21 order during the same three-month period before the pandemic, according to the latest figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
A household is classified as “threatened with homelessness” if people are at risk of losing their home in the next eight weeks.
Local authorities have a legal duty to help families and households to stay in their homes or find somewhere new to live. In total, 2,346 households lost their homes in Yorkshire last winter.
Across all England, there were 5,260 no-fault evictions between October and December, a 37% increase compared to the same period in 2019.
Now, homelessness charity Shelter is calling for the Government to make good on its promise to ban no-fault evictions by committing to a Renters’ Reform Bill in the Queen’s Speech.
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “These are real people who’ve been chewed up and spat out by our broken private renting system.
“Our emergency helpline is inundated with calls from people whose lives have been thrown into chaos by unexpected and unfair evictions.
“If landlords follow the process, as it stands they can turf people out of their homes for no reason.
“England’s 11 million private renters have waited long enough for a fairer system - it’s time the government brought forward a Renters’ Reform Bill and put Section 21 on the scrapheap where it belongs.”
Anyone who is facing homelessness can get free and expert advice from Shelter by visiting www.shelter.org.uk/ get_help.
It’s time the government put Section 21 on the scrapheap where it belongs.
Polly Neate, Shelter
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