Landlords aren’t waiting for Section 21 abolition to evict tenants – claim

As official figures show that no-fault evictions in England have risen, one law firm says that landlords aren’t waiting for the Renters’ Rights Bill to be implemented before evicting tenants.

The new Bill would see Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions being abolished and the eviction rules will mean landlords can’t evict for arrears without giving three months’ notice.

The Ministry of Justice says that accelerated possession claims, initiated after Section 21 notices expire, reached 32,287 in 2024, a 7% rise from 30,230 the previous year.

Bailiff evictions following these notices also jumped 10%, from 2,671 between October and December 2023 to 2,947 during the same period last year.

Landlords choosing to leave

Sarah Taylor, a property dispute resolution partner at Excello Law, said: “We have seen that the uncertainty over the changes to the legislation has led to a number of landlords choosing to either leave the rental market or to obtain vacant possession of their property whilst they wait to see what happens when the new legislation comes into force.

“As the Renters’ Rights Bill makes its way through Parliament, landlords are waiting to see what the consequences will be and whether it will result in additional costs for them.”

“Some are unwilling to wait and instead choosing to leave the market.”

She added: “Meanwhile, tenants are on the receiving end of this uncertainty as landlords serve notice on them to recover possession and evict them from their homes.

“It is important for the housing market that the bill becomes law soon to give certainty to both landlords and tenants.”

Private landlord claims

London boroughs dominate the latest figures for October to December 2024 for private landlord claims, according to the Ministry of Justice.

It says that seven of the 10 areas with the highest claim rates are in the capital.

Waltham Forest tops the list with 762 claims per 100,000 privately rented households, followed by Newham (537) and Barking and Dagenham (475).

Redbridge saw the highest rate of private landlord repossessions, with 241 per 100,000 households.

Conversely, four local authorities reported no such claims.

Excluding these, North Devon had the lowest rate at just 11.3 per 100,000.

The time from claim to repossession has also lengthened, now averaging 25 weeks, compared to 23.6 weeks in the same period last year.

For help and advice about tenant eviction and collecting arrears, then Landlord Action may be able to help: