128 households faced homelessness because of Section 21 notices in Redbridge last year, new data shows.
128 households faced homelessness because of Section 21 notices in Redbridge last year, new data shows.
Section 21 notices are commonly known as “no-fault evictions”, where landlords can evict tenants without giving a reason. They provide an opportunity to get rid of tenants who request repairs, challenge rent increases or raise other problems. After receiving a Section 21 notice, tenants have just two months to find somewhere new to live.
This week’s figures account for only those residents who approached Redbridge for assistance, not the total number of Section 21 notices issued.
No-fault evictions account for 17% of those households threatened with homelessness across London, with 4,240 households being pushed to access council services to help find somewhere to live after being forced to leave the private rented sector.
London is home to approximately 2.7 million private renters, a figure which has risen considerably since the 1990s. Section 21 notices contribute to housing insecurity for these tenants, where the threat of eviction gives landlords huge power over them. Even for those who have the means to find another home quickly or somewhere else to stay, section 21 can cause anxiety and insecurity – particularly for the 1.8 million rental households with children or older people renting privately.
The Government pledged to abolish no-fault evictions in 2019 to help prevent “revenge evictions” from rogue landlords who remove tenants who request repairs, but no action has been taken.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has called on the Government to ban Section 21 evictions to help improve stability for renters in London, following an increase in average rental prices to more than £2,500 a month.
Elly Baker AM said:
“Tenants should have the right to a secure home and a stable life, free from the anxiety of being evicted for no justifiable reason.
“The government promised to abolish no-fault evictions more than 4 years ago but have done nothing to protect renters from being forced to leave their homes.
“128 residents and families in Redbridge have found themselves facing homelessness during this time. This did not need to happen.
“The Government must bring forward legislation to end section 21 notices and address the crisis in housing urgently.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
- Elly Baker is a Londonwide Labour Assembly Member.
- Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities data on the number of people identified by Local Authorities as threatened by homelessness can be found here, in Detailed local authority level tables: financial year 2022-23.
- Figures on the number of renters in London can be found in Greater London Authority research paper Understanding recent rental trends in London’s private rented market, accessible here.
- The Conservative Party 2019 Manifesto included “We will bring in a Better Deal for Renters, including abolishing ‘no fault’ evictions and only requiring one ‘lifetime’ deposit which moves with the tenant. This will create a fairer rental market: if you’re a tenant, you will be protected from revenge evictions and rogue landlords, and if you’re one of the many good landlords, we will strengthen your rights of possession.”
- Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s call for a ban on Section 21 notices can be found here.