No fault evictions hit seven-year high

New Ministry of Justice data, has found between July and September 8,399 landlords in England started Section 21 no-fault eviction court proceedings against their tenants, the highest number for seven years.

With the number of court proceedings resulting from no-fault evictions climbing by 38% in a year, Shelter is urging the government not to further delay the implementation of the Renters (Reform) Bill and the scrapping of Section 21.

The latest figures also show 2,307 households were removed from their homes by bailiffs as a result of a Section 21 no-fault eviction, the highest number in four and a half years.

Section 21 evictions are a major contributing factor to rising homelessness because they allow landlords to evict tenants with only two months’ notice and no reason given. The most recent homelessness stats found that no fault evictions resulted in 24,260 households being threatened with homelessness in 2022/23 – up by 23% compared to the previous 12 months.

The government first promised to scrap no fault evictions in its 2019 manifesto. In May 2023, it finally committed to the policy by publishing the Renters (Reform) Bill but since then the Bill has been plagued by delays. Despite the Bill getting its second reading in Parliament in October, a further blow to renters came when the government announced unspecified court reforms must be carried out before the ban on Section 21 is implemented, with no timeframe given.

Polly Neate, Chief Executive of Shelter, said “It beggars belief that this government is prepared to use cynical tactics to delay the banning of no-fault evictions, while record numbers of renters are being removed from their homes without cause.”

“Renters have waited four long years for the government to come good on scrapping Section 21, to make that now dependent on unspecified court reforms taking place is ludicrous. Renters shouldn’t have to live for one more day with the fear they can be evicted from their home for no reason, knowing that once that notice lands on their doormat, there is nothing they can do.”

“With homelessness at record levels, there’s no excuse for putting the ban on unfair no fault evictions on ice. If the government plans to keep its promises to England’s 11 million private renters, it must give a clear timeline of when it will pass the Bill and enforce the ban.”

Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said “Responsible landlords and tenants need to be confident that the courts will handle possession cases swiftly and fairly when section 21 goes. At present that is not happening.”

“Ministers have been warned for many years that improvements to the justice system have been needed. It is disappointing therefore that little to no action has been taken to address this so far.”

“The Government needs to get on and build confidence in the ability of the courts to handle legitimate possession cases.”