London politicians join campaign to end no-fault evictions

Housing campaigners have long been calling for an end to Section 21. Now two London Assembly members are calling on Mayor Sadiq Khan to ban it in the capital.

The London Assembly has agreed on a motion calling on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to back a campaign to abolish Section 21 – the legislation giving landlords the right to evict tenants without specific reason. 

London politicians – including Labour AM Tom Copley and Green Party AM Sian Berry – are hoping the Mayor will then help lobby government to change the law.

A landlord can terminate a tenancy at any time through placing a Section 21 notice. And while it is legal for a tenant to stay past the given date on the notice, many prefer to avoid possible court costs.

Housing campaigners with Generation Rent and other groups have argued that the recently government-proposed extension of assured shorthold tenancies from 6 months to three years would not succeed in giving people more residential stability if landlords are still able to evict renters through Section 21.

Berry said after proposing of the motion:

“The Assembly has firmly put its weight behind Generation Rent’s campaign to end section 21.

“London renters need to feel secure in their homes and know they can’t be thrown out on the streets for no reason. I’ve known far too many friends and colleagues forced to move out of their homes at really short notice at times when they would least choose to move.

“Having to move at short notice is one of the worst parts of being a private renter and ending section 21 would make a dramatic difference and solve this problem – it would also align our policies with other countries.”

Politicians in the capital argued that no-fault evictions have been a cause on insecurity and stress for tenants across the country and especially in London, where the housing market is particularly competitive.

Campaigners also argue that Section 21 has lead to many living in sub-standard conditions, failing to report problems such as mould or broken heating to the landlord fearing repairs would lead to revenge evictions.

Copley, who seconded the motion in the London Assembly today, said:

“Our tenancy laws were introduced 30 years ago when only 1 in 10 Londoners rented from a private landlord. Now more than a quarter of us do, including increasing numbers of families with children.

“It is unacceptable that landlords can use section 21 to evict tenants for no reason. Private tenants deserve security to protect them from arbitrary or revenge eviction, the fear of which makes tenants reluctant to come forward to complain about substandard housing.

“The Government has just announced a consultation on three year private tenancies, but this will be meaningless unless no fault eviction is abolished. I hope the Mayor will use this consultation to urge the government to abolish section 21 eviction.”

Generation Rent tweeted that the motion passing was “big” for the movement and that “pressure is growing to ban no-fault evictions”. It also thanked Berry and Copley for their support.

The Mayor is yet to comment on the policy.

Joana Ramiro is a reporter for Left Foot Forward. You can follow her on Twitter for all sorts of rants here.

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