44,000 renters faced homelessness in our wait for eviction reform
In April 2019, the government promised to abolish Section 21 “no fault” evictions. Two years later, we’re still waiting for Parliament to change the law.
55,000 households left with no protection
The eviction moratorium ends on Sunday, and courts start hearing landlord possession cases again on Monday.
When it extended the ban for one final month, the government also said it would extend the notice period for most evictions from three months to six months (and did the following week). This will help a lot of people, but it doesn’t help renters who were served notice up to 29 August and have not already moved out – an estimated 55,000 households.
After the eviction ban: what’s next?
The Government recently announced a two month extension to the eviction ban. Renters will be able to safely stay in their homes until the end of August, but what happens next?
Renters take unfair evictions to the government’s door
There are just a few days left to have your say about the government’s plans to scrap Section 21, the law that allows landlords to evict tenants without needing a reason.
The Ministry of Housing’s consultation on abolishing Section 21 closes on Saturday and today, alongside other members of the End Unfair Evictions coalition, we went down to Westminster to call on the government to give tenants the protections needed to enjoy a stable home.
Landlords should pay tenants’ moving costs: the case for relocation payments
We polled 2,000 people on their experience of moving home.
These are the places you’re most at risk of a no-fault eviction
Renters in south east commuter towns and the edges of Greater London are at the highest risk of a no-fault eviction, our analysis of government data has revealed.
The worst place for evictions is the London Borough of Havering where last year 39 in every 1000 private renters were made homeless by landlords selling up, re-letting or evicting to avoid making repairs. And that’s just people who sought help from their council – many more will have found a new home, but moved at their own expense.
Check out how your local area compares
Queen’s Speech 2017: are you listening Westminster?
Before today’s Queen’s Speech, which set out the government’s parliamentary programme for the next two years, there were two theories about how housing and private renting might feature, and what kind of prominence it would be given.
Evicted for trying to help
Michael James has been living in his flat in Tower Hamlets, East London, for 24 years. The building he lives in is getting on a bit and when he found a loose piece of concrete on the walkway, which could have fallen off and hurt children playing below, he asked his landlord to fix it. When this request fell on deaf ears, he went to the council.
(image from ITV London News)
When the landlord found out, Michael received an eviction notice. Tower Hamlets Renters has been helping Michael to fight the eviction and thankfully he is still there.
Last night, ITV London News reported on Michael’s case and the new Private Member’s Bill in Parliament that could stop these revenge evictions.
Help ban revenge evictions
Have you ever delayed getting a landlord to maintain your home because it’s not worth the bother? Have you ever felt they’ll just string you along or worse, evict you as a trouble maker? Well that could soon be over.
MP Sarah Teather has tabled a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament that will outlaw so-called revenge evictions.
The truth is that only the worst landlords will boot a tenant over a maintenance issue, but you don’t know if you’re one of the unlucky ones until you make that complaint. The behaviour of a small number of dodgy landlords creates a very real fear for millions of tenants.
Write to your MP now to demand they support this Bill
Many thanks,
Alex
A chance to protect tenants
Raising two young sons on her own, Venice Allan did not need extra worries about her housing situation.
“The flat we were in was in the basement and it was damp. After a few months black mould started to appear on the walls. That was bad enough for my sons’ health but then we discovered a live wire that needed fixing.