Landlords pull out of London’s temporary accommodation sector

London’s boroughs are sounding the alarm over the escalating housing pressures after it was revealed that there has been a surge in landlords pulling their properties from being used temporarily by homeless households.

The crisis has reached ‘new extremes’, leaving local authorities grappling to accommodate the rising number of vulnerable individuals and families.

A recent survey by London Councils shows that between September 2022 and April 2023, a shocking 15 boroughs reported receiving a significant influx of Notices to Quit from landlords.

The notice is a legal requirement for the return of their properties, which were being used as temporary accommodation.

London Councils says 3,531 properties have now been removed – a staggering 120% surge from the 1,601 notices received during the same period in 2021-22.

That’s a devastating 6% loss of London’s overall stock of temporary accommodation.

‘Turbulence in the private rented sector is a key factor’

London Councils’ executive member for regeneration, housing and planning, Cllr Darren Rodwell, said: “Turbulence in the private rented sector is a key factor behind the capital’s skyrocketing rates of homelessness.

“The combination of fast-rising private rents and a dramatic fall in the availability of rental properties is driving housing pressures in the capital to new extremes.”

He added: “Boroughs are seriously struggling to secure temporary accommodation for homeless families.

“Across London we see landlords withdrawing their properties from use as temporary accommodation, with the result that boroughs run out of alternatives and end up placing more and more families with children in unsuitable B&Bs.

“Nobody wants this happening, but boroughs face a complete lack of other options for keeping a roof over an increasing number of homeless families’ heads.

“The homelessness situation in London is becoming unmanageable.

“We need the government to treat this as the emergency it is and work with us in reversing the numbers relying on temporary accommodation.”

Crucial lifeline for homeless households

Temporary accommodation, a crucial lifeline for homeless households, is arranged by councils to bridge the gap until more permanent housing can be secured.

This form of accommodation includes private, council and housing association properties, as well as rooms within hostels, bed and breakfasts, or hotels.

London Councils’ estimates that nearly 170,000 London residents are currently experiencing homelessness while staying in temporary accommodations.

That equates to one in every 50 Londoners – and one in every 23 children in the capital.

Households entitled to homelessness support from a London borough

Also, the number of households entitled to homelessness support from a London borough, which includes the duty to provide homelessness prevention or relief, surged by 15.2% between April 2022 and April 2023.

There has been a 781% increase in the number of homeless families being placed in bed and breakfast accommodation – surpassing the legal six-week limit.

In April 2023, 1,287 London families found themselves confined to unsuitable B&B accommodation, in stark contrast to the 146 families in the same predicament during the previous year.

The financial burden on boroughs is becoming overwhelming as the numbers of homeless individuals grow with boroughs racking up a £60 million bill each month just on temporary accommodation expenses.