Campaigners criticise five-year wait for Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions ban

Five years after the government vowed to abolish Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions, campaigners say that ‘tens of thousands’ of households continue to face the threat of homelessness due to the policy.

The Conservative government first announced plans to outlaw Section 21 evictions in 2019.

However, a new analysis by homeless charity Homeless Link reveals that more than 84,650 households have been threatened with homelessness due to these evictions in the five years since the announcement.

This equates to an average of 52 households facing homelessness threats every day – with Section 21 evictions being a ‘major cause’ of homelessness in England.

‘Tories failure to ban no-fault evictions’

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner told The Mirror: “The Tories failure to ban no-fault evictions is an utter betrayal of renters across Britain.

“Hundreds of thousands of people have been put at risk of homelessness since that hollow promise five years ago.

“There are kids now in school that weren’t even born when the Tories first promised this.”

She added: “Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives always choose party before country, it is in their DNA. Only Labour will immediately ban no fault evictions, no ifs no buts.”

‘Not right that someone can be evicted from their home for no reason’

Home Link’s chief executive, Rick Henderson, said: “Everyone deserves a safe, secure place to live. It is clearly not right that someone can be evicted from their home for no reason with just two months’ notice.

“The government identified this in 2019, but its inaction has led to tens of thousands of households unnecessarily facing homelessness.

“A huge shortage of genuinely affordable housing means when a household approaches their local authority with a Section 21 notice, and the local authority has a statutory duty to help them. Often all they can do is try to keep them in that property, find them another private rented property or, as a last resort, place them in temporary accommodation at huge expense.”

He added: “Those who the local authority doesn’t have a duty to support tragically often end up sleeping rough.”

‘Watering down of the Renters (Reform) Bill will be devastating’

Mr Henderson continued: “The reported watering down of the Renters (Reform) Bill will be devastating for renters and local authorities across the country.

“The Government proved in the pandemic that it can take decisive action on this issue.

“It must now stand up to its back benchers and pass the Bill without the leaked amendments, fulfilling its now five-year-old promise.”

The charity claims that there are currently a record number of households, including more than 100,000 children, living in temporary accommodation.

It also says that the number of eviction threats peaked between April and June 2023, with a 37% increase compared to the same period in 2019.

‘Government have played politics on this issue’

The campaign manager at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, Tom Darling, said: “The delays as the government have played politics on this issue, making concessions to water down protections for renters, have led to real human suffering and damage – as evidenced by the nearly 100,000 private renting households who have faced homelessness following Section 21 notices.

“That’s not to mention millions of other renters who have been evicted but haven’t ended up calling their local authority to report that they are at risk of being out in the cold.”

A DLUHC spokesperson said: “We are committed to delivering our landmark Renters (Reform) Bill that will provide a fairer private rented sector for both tenants and landlords.

“The bill will abolish section 21 evictions – giving people more security in their homes and empowering them to challenge poor practices.”

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