Delay over Renters Reform Bill could lead to homelessness spike
Further delays to enshrining the Renters Reform Bill in law could lead to thousands more Londoners being threatened with homelessness due to unfair evictions, Labour’s London Assembly Housing Spokesperson, Sem Moema AM, has warned. Government data shows that the number of section 21 evictions that have led to Londoners needing urgent housing support from their council, rose by 81% during the last financial year. Ms Moema is now raising concerns that the Government’s promised rental reforms could “fall by the wayside again”.
Since April 2019, section 21 evictions, also known as ‘no fault’ evictions, have faced being outlawed under the Renters Reform Bill. These evictions enable private landlords to eject tenants without having to provide a reason, with as little as 8 weeks’ notice.
Housing campaigners say that this loophole leaves renters vulnerable to ‘revenge evictions’ if they complain to a landlord about housing conditions, rent levels or ask for repairs.
Following a consultation process in 2019, the white paper on the Renters Reform Bill was originally expected in Autumn 2021. After being pushed back, it was finally published in May 2022 and included proposals for the ban on section 21 evictions.
In a recent letter to Ms Moema, the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to getting the Bill passed and into legislation during the current Parliamentary term- at the latest, by May 2023.
Over the three-year period between April 2019 and March 2022, almost 8,000 London households have been threatened with homelessness due to a section 21 notice. These households were owed a prevention duty by their local council. This means that the council must take reasonable steps to identify a solution to their housing situation.
Labour’s London Assembly Housing Spokesperson, Sem Moema AM, said:
“Over the last three years, Ministers have come and gone, but section 21 evictions still haven’t been outlawed as promised. The cost of the Government’s inertia is that almost 8,000 London households have seen their lives uprooted and faced being forced onto the streets due to this unfair process.
“Like many housing campaigners, I was pleased and relieved to see the Renters Reform Bill white paper finally published in May. The Government have now told me that the Bill should be passed into law by May, but we have seen it kicked into the long grass before.
“As we struggle through this cost of living crisis, there is a real possibility that the number of section 21 evictions, leading to the threat of homelessness, will reach pre-pandemic levels.
“The ban on these evictions cannot be allowed to fall by the wayside again. Renters need stronger protections now more than ever”.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Notes
- The latest Government figures show that over the 2020/2021 financial year, there were 1,560 recorded section 21 evictions in London that led to councils owing a homelessness prevention duty. During the following 2021/2022 financial year, this number was 2,820, marking an 81% rise. In the three-year period between April 2019 and March 2022, there have been 7,950 section 21 evictions in London that have led to councils owing a homelessness prevention duty. The Government’s figures do not reflect the full number of section 21 evictions that have been issued by private landlords;
- A letter from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, (dated 11th August) in response to Sem Moema AM, says: “We remain committed to introducing a Renters Reform Bill in this session of Parliament”. A copy of this letter can be found attached;
- Section 21 evictions, also known as ‘no fault’ evictions, enable private landlords to eject tenants without having to provide a reason, with as little as two months’ notice. Housing campaigners say that this loophole leaves renters vulnerable to ‘revenge evictions’ if they complain to a landlord about housing conditions, or ask for repairs;
- The proposal to ban these evictions, as part of the Renters’ Reform Bill, went through a consultation stage between July and October 2019;
- In May, the Government published a policy white paper on the Renters Reform Bill. This was originally expected in Autumn 2021, but was pushed back;
- Sem Moema AM is the London Assembly Member for North East London (covering Hackney, Islington and Waltham Forest).