You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
No-fault evictions proceedings increase 19% in first quarter of 2024 to a six-year high
The number of people removed from their homes by court bailiffs as a result of Section 21 no-fault evictions has reached a six-year high, according to the latest government data.
The new data from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) showed that 2,682 households in England were marched out of their homes by bailiffs as a result of no-fault evictions between January and March 2024.
This is an increase of 19% in a year and the highest number in six years.
The MoJ figures showed that a further 7,863 landlords in England started Section 21 eviction proceedings against their tenants in that time period, an increase of 15% in a year.
A Section 21 notice allows landlords to evict tenants with just two months’ notice and no reason given.
READ MORE
Nearly 29,000 households have been kicked out of their homes by bailiffs since the government first promised to ban no-fault evictions five years ago.
A government spokesperson said: “The Renters (Reform) Bill will deliver the manifesto commitment to abolish Section 21 no-fault evictions. The bill passed second reading in the House of Lords last night and will now progress to its remaining stages before becoming law.
“We are supporting renters and have increased the Local Housing Allowance so the 1.6 million private renters on housing benefit or Universal Credit are gaining an average of nearly £800 a year to help them pay their rent and meet their housing costs.”
These evictions are a major contributing factor to rising homelessness, which is impacting a record number of families.
Recent government data found that no-fault evictions resulted in 25,910 households being threatened with homelessness in 2023.
There has been continued debate and controversy of the Renters (Reform) Bill. Last month, MPs ignored calls from organisations representing renters and voted to accept amendments to the bill.
These amendments could indefinitely delay banning Section 21 evictions and reintroduce some fixed-term tenancies, prompting charity Shelter and others to say they could no longer support the bill and call for serious changes to the draft legislation.
The bill has now passed its second reading in the House of Lords, but Shelter has called on peers from all political parties to overhaul the legislation and deliver lasting change for renters.
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Evictions are rocketing to new heights whilst this government has put the threats of a small group of self-interested landlord backbenchers over the safety and security of 11 million private renters.
“It’s been five years since the government pledged to rebalance the scales in private renting, and what do we have to show for it? A Renters (Reform) Bill, left in tatters, which will keep renters trapped in the same hellish conditions they’ve endured for decades, or abandon them to the whims of their landlords and the terrifying spectre of homelessness.”
Shelter’s analysis of the government data last year found that no-fault evictions had risen 43% in 2023.
