Housing charities calling for ban on evictions

Charities have called for the Government to ensure people cannot be evicted from their homes during the new lockdown.

Generation Rent said the eviction ban introduced in March ahead of the first lockdown last year should be reinstated after the six-month ban expired in September.

The ban meant that landlords could not start legal proceedings to evict tenants and, in November.

At the beginning of the Nove m b e r l o c kd ow n , th e G ove r n m e nt a n n ou n c e d new protections for renters to prevent evictions during these restrictions and beyond Christmas.

It said courts would stay open but evictions would not be enforced by bailiffs until January 11.

Bailiffs must give people 14 days' notice, which means that some renters could be forced out of their homes as soon January 25 if this protection is not extended.

A l i c i a Ke n n e d y, d i re c - tor of Generation Rent, said: "During the first lockdown, renters who had received an eviction notice still felt pressure to move out, which is why we're calling on the Government to do all it can to prevent unnecessary house moves by suspending evictions."

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: "We are now back in the same, if not worse, situation as last March.

"Simply put, the Government needs to stop evictions. We all know the country is facing some of the toughest weeks ahead. Now is not the time for people to lose their homes."

A Government spokeswoman said: "We are reviewing the measures currently in place and will provide more detail shortly, taking into account public health advice."