An eviction notice is served on older tenants EVERY 16 minutes – Shelter claims

Shelter claims that tenants over the age of 55 are being served with a section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction notice EVERY 16 minutes.

Its latest anti-landlord onslaught is being used to urge the government to scrap s21 evictions as part of its Renters (Reform) Bill.

The charity says that s21 is harming the health of older tenants but there is currently no timetable for the Bill to progress through Parliament.

Shelter’s research points to 7% of renters over the age of 55 being handed an eviction notice in the last three years.

‘Seeing increasing levels of homelessness’

Polly Neate, Shelter’s chief executive, said: “If the government continues to delay this essential legislation that they’ve been promising, I might add for years, what we’re going to be seeing is increasing levels of homelessness.

“In fact, that’s what we’re already seeing.

“And what today’s research shows is that this is going to be affecting older people, very acutely.

“And that’s something that I think the government isn’t necessarily fully aware of.”

She added: “And maybe some of those MPs, who think they may be trying to delay this legislation might wake up and take notice when they realise the level of misery that this delay is causing.

“Tenants are tired of waiting for a system that makes private renting safe and fair for all.”

20% of tenants in England are over 55

Shelter says that nearly 20% of tenants in England are over 55 – that’s up 31% in the last 10 years.

And the equivalent of 90 older tenants per day – or one every 16 minutes – is receiving an eviction notice.

The research also shows that a third of tenants over 55 are living in fear of being evicted – that’s around 400,000 tenants.

The abolition of Section 21

The chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, Ben Beadle, said that the abolition of Section 21 will only ‘solve the security issue for a small cohort of people’.

He told Sky News that the answer is to provide more houses for rent.

He said: “We’ll still be stuck with the same number of houses unless the government comes up with different types of incentives to encourage people to bring their properties to the market.

“That’s ultimately what we need.

“So, by all means, government can get on and scrap Section 21, providing the alternative works and gives confidence to responsible landlords.

“But at the end of the day, it’s actually not going to help renters as much as some would purport.”

‘Higher quality private rented sector’

A spokesperson from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities said: “The Renters (Reform) Bill currently going through parliament will deliver a fairer, more secure, and higher quality private rented sector.

“It will abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions to deliver the government’s commitment to a better deal for renters and landlords – improving the system for responsible tenants and good landlords.”

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