‘Longer than Brexit’ - over 80,000 people put at risk of homelessness since Tory promise

Five years on from the Tory Government’s promise to abolish no-fault evictions and renting campaigners are expressing their anger at the “absurd” delays, blasting the influence of landlord lobbyists. 

Monday marks the fifth anniversary of the day the UK Government pledged to scrap section 21 evictions, however new figures have revealed that nearly 85,000 households have been put at risk of homelessness since the pledge was made to reform tenancy agreements.

No fault evictions add to the precarious and anxiety-inducing state of renting in Britain with campaigners accusing the government of causing “real human suffering and damage” as a result of the reform delays.

Michael Gove was served his second ‘eviction notice’ in a week, this time by campaigners for London Renters Union who were outside his house today in protest against the delays and landlord lobbying.

London Renters Union wrote on X: “While Gove lives rent-free in a £25 million grace-and-favour luxury home near Buckingham palace, 100,000s of people are being forced out of their homes from section 21. 

“We’ve had enough of broken Tory promises. End section 21 now!”

Campaign group Renters Reform Coalition, formed of 20 leading housing organisations,  found that 84,460 private renting households have claimed homeless prevention support after being issued a section 21 notice since the government’s promise to ban them in 2019, back when Theresa May was in Downing Street. 

Housing Secretary Michael Gove and the Prime Minister have been accused of caving in to Tory MPs lobbying in favour of landlord interests after the watering down of significant elements of the Renters (Reform) Bill. For example adding an amendment to the bill which would require all renters to commit to a minimum six-month period for new tenancies, which campaigners warned could trap people in unsafe or falsely advertised tenancies. 

Tom Darling, Campaign Manager at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said it was “absurd” that the government has taken longer than Brexit to deliver “basic reforms”.

“The delays as the government have played politics on this issue, making concessions to water down protections for renters, have led to real human suffering and damage – as evidenced by the nearly 100,000 private renting households who have faced homelessness following Section 21 notices,” Tom Darling said.  

“That’s not to mention millions of other renters who have been evicted but haven’t ended up calling their local authority to report that they are at risk of being out in the cold.

“Since this day in 2019, the proposals in this crucial legislation have only gotten weaker as the Government have caved to landlord pressure and sold renters down the river.

“If they were serious about producing a ‘better deal for renters’, they would engage with renter groups about what is needed to fill the gaping holes in the bill. Sadly, we haven’t seen much of that – and the result will be many more made homeless because of England’s broken renting system.”

The Renters’ Reform Coalition has called for the following amendments to the legislation: 

• An increase in eviction notice periods from two to four months, to give renters enough time to find a suitable place to live;

• A protected period of at least two years during which renters cannot be evicted under the new no fault grounds;

• A limit on rent increases within a tenancy, to stop landlords using rent hikes as a de-facto no-fault eviction.

The Renters (Reform) Bill will return to the House of Common after Easter recess. 

(Image credit: Screenshot, London Renters Union)

Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward, focusing on trade unions and environmental issues

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