‘No-fault’ evictions hit 37 households

MORE than 30 households in Rochdale were served with “no-fault” eviction notices by their landlords last spring and campaigners warn many now face a “bleak winter trapped in emergency accommodation”.

Figures released by the government show that between April and June 2022, 37 households in the borough were threatened with homelessness due to a Section 21 no-fault eviction.

This allows landlords to evict a tenant without having to give any reason for doing so and with just two months’ notice.

No-fault evictions were banned during the Covid-19 pandemic, but that came to an end in May of last year.

In Rochdale there was an increase from 13 households last year to the 37 this year, a rate of around four households in every 10,000 threatened with homelessness.

Now homeless charity Shelter has called on the government to bring forward legislation to ban no-fault evictions.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “This winter is going to be brutal as the cost of living crisis goes from bad to worse, and the threat of rising rents and evictions looms large.

“Not a day goes by without our emergency helpline taking yet more calls from families who are being turfed out of their homes because of no-fault evictions. Many of these families won’t be able to find another rental – and instead may spend a bleak winter trapped in emergency accommodation with nowhere to cook or eat a meal, let alone put up a Christmas tree.

When the government published the Renters Reform Bill in June it included a clause to ban Section 21 evictions.

However, the Bill is not expected to become law until late next year.

In the meantime, a total of 5,940 households across England were threatened with a no-fault eviction last spring, a 78% increase since the ban that was in place during the pandemic was lifted.

A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: “We know how difficult this winter will be and no individual or their family should be without a home during it.

“This government is committed to abolishing Section 21 evictions, protecting 1.3m families with children from losing their homes, and have provided £316m this year to councils to help ensure no family is without a roof over their heads.

“We’ve also set aside £37bn in support measures for those struggling with the rising cost of living.”

Anyone facing homelessness can get free and expert advice from Shelter by visiting www.shelter.org. uk/get_help.