Landlord evictions soar to pre-pandemic levels in 2023
2 years ago | 5 comments
Shelter hits out over rising tenant eviction numbers
9:29 AM, 9th February 2024, 2 years ago
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The housing charity Shelter has condemned the government for ‘bowing to vested interests’ and delaying the implementation of the Renters (Reform) Bill, which would ban section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions.
It points to Ministry of Justice figures revealing that 9,457 households were evicted by bailiffs in 2023, a 49% increase from 2022.
Also, 30,230 landlords started Section 21 eviction proceedings in 2023, a 28% rise in one year.
‘Renters are marched out of their homes in their thousands’
Shelter’s chief executive, Polly Neate, said: “It’s utterly shameful that the government is bowing to vested interests while renters are marched out of their homes in their thousands.
“How much longer are renters expected to live with the threat of unjust no-fault evictions hanging over them?”
She added: “When plans for the Renters (Reform) Bill were first drawn up, they promised renters an escape from an insecure and unjust system that left them in constant fear of losing their homes.
“But, without serious amends, this Bill won’t be worth the paper it’s written on.”
‘The government must grasp the nettle’
Ms Neate continued: “There’s still time and opportunity to deliver a Bill that makes renting safer, fairer and more secure, but the government must grasp the nettle and oppose attempts to water down the Bill from inside its own ranks.
“When they head for the ballot box, England’s 11 million renters will remember who stood with them.”
She says that despite promising to end no-fault evictions in 2019, the government has failed to protect thousands of renters from losing their homes.
Ms Neate adds that 26,311 households in England have been evicted by court bailiffs using Section 21 since the government announced its intention to scrap it.
Many renters struggle to find a new home
Shelter says that Section 21 evictions are a ‘major cause of homelessness’ as many renters struggle to find a new home in time and face the risk of sleeping on the streets.
It also says that the Bill was published in May 2023, but the government has said it will only introduce it after unspecified court reforms take place.
The charity is now calling on the government to honour its promise to renters and bring forward the Renters (Reform) Bill as soon as possible, without any dilution or delay.
It is also urging the public to sign its petition and join its campaign to end no-fault evictions for good.
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Member Since December 2023 - Comments: 1573
9:42 AM, 9th February 2024, About 2 years ago
Again, Section 8 has a number of ‘no fault’ grounds for eviction.
How many tenants did landlords grant new tenancies to in that same period? How many first time buyers were able to buy their first property as a result of landlords selling up? How much did the Public Purse benefit by due to landlords selling up?
Don’t Shelter (who don’t provide shelter to anyone) not realise that the mere threat of the Renters (Reform) Bill is the reason that some tenants are being evicted?
Member Since January 2015 - Comments: 15
10:39 AM, 9th February 2024, About 2 years ago
21000 evictions on 11 million renters – shelter numbers is just 0.2%, meaning that put another way 99.8% of the renters in the UK are secure in their homes. Housing is an absolute shipwreck and Shelter are part of the problem, not part of the solution.
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3508 - Articles: 5
10:50 AM, 9th February 2024, About 2 years ago
These numbers completely conflict with the other article this morning arguing the same thing??????
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3508 - Articles: 5
10:53 AM, 9th February 2024, About 2 years ago
so less than a third of S21 issued actually saw people evicted then.Less than 10,000.
Coming from a renter base of 11 million.
Of course there was a bloody increase from 2022 as there were still restrictions in place at the time and the courts were so bloody slow!
Probably LL’s started the eviction process but due to delays never got possession until 2023.
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3508 - Articles: 5
11:01 AM, 9th February 2024, About 2 years ago
going to be very interesting when all reasons have to be given for possession.
The are going to be hung up by their own noose when they realise there is always a good reason why a LL evicts….
There is nothing stopping any LL claiming they want to sell on S8 AND also listing the discretionary reasons too. This will show it is indicative of the discretionary reasons why the LL is then listing a mandatory ground….
Member Since October 2023 - Comments: 30
3:02 PM, 9th February 2024, About 2 years ago
Maybe Shelter could lead by example and start a housing company and rent to some of the vulnerable they seek to defend? Not as a Housing Association with all the tax advantages and no license fees,, but as a Small Landlord with 8 or 10 properties in each of half a dozen cities?
Member Since March 2022 - Comments: 363
3:59 PM, 9th February 2024, About 2 years ago
“Renters are marched out of their homes in their thousands’” yet more of the same old Shelter anti-landlord rhetoric, implying innocent tenants who always pay the rent, never cause any damage and don’t behave antisocially are arbitrarily thrown onto the streets, Shelter have plenty of money and Government support, why don’t they reorganise as a housing association and exclusively house some of the innocent tenants who have been “marched out their homes” and show us PRS landlords how it should be done. Of course they won’t. Those who won’t just sit on their backsides and criticise those that do.
Polly says “When they head for the ballot box, England’s 11 million renters will remember who stood with them.” Does this mean Shelter are going to be putting up candidates? Don’t think Polly will be standing, she earns more than an MP already.
Member Since November 2016 - Comments: 227
4:05 PM, 9th February 2024, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by northern landlord at 09/02/2024 – 15:59
Earns?
Gets paid, more like.
Member Since November 2017 - Comments: 261
4:37 PM, 9th February 2024, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Fred M BARRETT at 09/02/2024 – 15:02
The most constructive thing Shelter could do is act as full guarantor for tenants who otherwise cannot find accommodation. If Landlords knew their expenses and costs would be paid by Shelter a lot of the issues would vanish.
Of course, once Shelters coffers had been bled dry, they might start to appreciate what the PRS has to deal with on a regular basis.
Member Since November 2016 - Comments: 227
5:44 PM, 9th February 2024, About 2 years ago
Agree, and with their money they could build or buy housing to rent out.
They like to give the impression they provide ‘Shelter’,