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Housing

Big Issue founder launches bid to ban no-fault evictions as soon as Renters’ Rights Bill is made law

Lord John Bird has tabled amendments to Labour’s Renters’ Rights Bill that will ensure most of the rent reforms come into force this summer. The move comes as government statistics show rise in tenants facing homelessness due to no-fault evictions

Big Issue founder Lord Bird has tabled a number of amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill to force section 21 evictions to be banned when the bill becomes law.

Section 21 evictions – also known as no-fault evictions – allow a landlord to evict a tenant without giving a reason. They are set to be axed when the Renters’ Rights Bill comes into force with the government aiming to pass the legislation in the summer.

The bill is currently making its way through the House of Lords and is set to reach its committee stage next month.

Renters have been waiting almost six years for successive governments to deliver on its promise to ban section 21 evictions.

Conservative opponents to the bill have called for the ban to be delayed until courts can be reformed to deal with the changing legislation while other amendments look to allow smaller landlords to continue to use section 21 evictions.

Crossbench peer Lord Bird said tenants have already waited too long for no-fault evictions to be scrapped.

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“Section 21s undermine the security of all tenants living in private accommodation – regardless of whether their landlord has any intention of using them. Too many tenants hit by these evictions end up homeless, adding to this country’s spiralling homelessness crisis and increasing the pressure on local councils and public finances,” said Lord Bird.

“Renters have waited too long for Westminster to come good on the promises of successive governments to end no-fault evictions. The Renters Rights’ Bill must be passed and implemented by the summer, as the government have promised, so this time next year, no renter will live in fear of this sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.”

Lord Bird has submitted four amendments to the bill which “would bring the majority of the act into force on the day that it passes, with the exception of some areas where regulations or consultation are needed”.

The move came as government statistics released on Thursday (27 February) underlined that section 21 evictions remain a leading driver of homelessness.

The number of households threatened with homelessness overall reduced by 1.3% between July and September 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

But the number of households faced with homelessness after receiving a section 21 notice increased compared to a year ago.

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A total of 6,800 households were faced with homelessness due to a section 21 eviction notice – an increase of 0.6% on the same quarter in 2023.

Overall, the ending of a private tenancy accounted for over a quarter of all homelessness cases, the largest single cause of homelessness. 

Tom Darling, director of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said: “Everyone should be able to have peace of mind in their own home, but section 21 powers mean millions of private renters are forced to endure day-to-day insecurity, afraid to even ask their landlord for basic repairs for fear of eviction.

“The statistics released today show the urgency of ending section 21 immediately as it grows as a cause of homelessness. It’s nearly six years this was first promised to renters under then-PM Theresa May, and every month without it happening sees more tenants out on the streets. Renters cannot afford to wait any longer – the government must get past peers holding up the bill.”

Labour’s reforms follow the Conservatives’ failure to pass its Renters Reform Bill into law. While in opposition, Labour backed amendments to the Renters Reform Bill which would have brought the provisions to end section 21 on the day that legislation received royal assent.

Campaigners hope Lord Birds’ amendments will convince Labour to commit to banning section 21 evictions this summer.

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As well as banning section 21 evictions, the Renters’ Rights Bill is also looking to improve the standards of private rented accommodation by introducing a decent homes standard, give tenants greater rights to keep a pet and block landlords from discriminating against tenants with children or on benefits.

While it also looks to ban bidding wars between tenants, there are few measures in the bill to make renting more affordable.

Nye Jones, head of campaigns for Generation Rent, said: “The government’s plans to end section 21 evictions through the Renters’ Rights Bill is welcome. It will stop thousands of people from having to experience homelessness because their landlord feels like it. 

“However, there are also few measures in the bill to prevent landlords using rent hikes as evictions. Putting a limit on how much landlords can raise the rent would prevent this and go a long way to turning off the tap from private renting to homelessness and temporary accommodation.”

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