Citizens Advice has reported a record surge in individuals seeking help with Section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction issues in May 2023, marking the highest recorded figure for a single month.
The charity warns that the proposed Renters Reform Bill, aimed at banning Section 21 evictions, risks inadvertently allowing ‘no fault’ evictions to continue through legislative loopholes.
Almost 2,000 people sought assistance from Citizens Advice in May with Section 21 issues, a notable 25% increase from May 2022.
The first five months of 2023 have seen an unprecedented 9% rise in demand for support from those served with a Section 21 notice compared to the same period last year.
Citizens Advice has voiced concerns over the Renters Reform Bill, stating that the ban on Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions could be undermined by new eviction grounds and excessive rent increases, which could be used to unfairly evict tenants.
The bill includes grounds allowing landlords to evict tenants just six months into a tenancy if they intend to sell the property or accommodate family.
The charity’s research found 48% of evicted renters were informed that their landlords wanted to sell the property. Alarmingly, the new rules do not necessitate landlords to provide proof of sale once a tenant vacates.
Citizens Advice warns of the potential misuse of excessive rent increases by landlords as a means to evict tenants. In the last year, 1.8 million households either experienced a rent increase or were threatened with one, leading to the eviction of 300,000 renters.
The charity highlights that less than 10% of renters challenging a rent increase succeeded, with available options limited and often inaccessible.
Citizens Advice is urging the Government to address these loopholes in the Renters Reform Bill to ensure increased tenant protection and security.
It is advocating for the extension of new tenants’ protection from ‘no fault’ eviction grounds from six months to two years, and for the implementation of measures preventing landlords from re-letting properties they claimed needed to be sold.
Matthew Upton, acting executive director of policy and advocacy at Citizens Advice, called for watertight reforms in the private rental sector and emphasised the need to prevent loopholes that could enable Section 21 evictions to continue.
“Our advisers are increasingly hearing from renters who are being forced to uproot their entire lives after receiving a Section 21 notice. For too long, renters have lived in precarious situations with few protections while landlords have held all the cards,” Upton said.
