Newcastle Big Issue vendor facing no-fault eviction weeks after new law banning section 21 notices gets royal assent

Tuesday 28 October: Labour’s Renters’ Rights Bill finally become an Act after King Charles granted royal assent yesterday evening (27 October), meaning that renter reforms such as banning no-fault evictions – many of which have been on the cards for more than six years – will finally become law.

However, the government has already said that some parts of the bill will come into force at a later date with an implementation period to allow landlords and letting agents time to adjust to the new rules. 

That means that some renters who are already facing a section 21 eviction may still be kicked out of their home in the meantime.

It’s the situation Big Issue vendor Preda Illie, 45, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and his family find themselves in. Illie received a section 21 eviction notice in June and he and his family are set to be evicted from their home of 15 years on 15 November.

The landlord told Illie that he is looking to evict his family to make way for his own daughter to live there. Under the new rules, landlords will still be able to evict renters in order to sell the property or if they or family members are moving into it. But they will not be allowed to evict under these grounds within the first year of a tenancy and will need to give tenants four months’ notice.

The law also includes safeguards to try to prevent landlords from abusing these eviction grounds – but these reforms is still likely to come too late for Illie and his family.

“I’ll be honest: all of my family are very stressed with this situation. It’s not very easy for me,” Illie, who sells the Big Issue outside M&S in Alnwick, Northumberland, tells the Big Issue magazine.

“When my wife sees the landlord, she is very scared that he will kick us out onto the street. I’ve given the landlord a ring many, many times to explain my situation. I’ve provided a lot of documents.

“I’ve asked him to give me more time. He said: “You have to leave, because otherwise I will put the rent up to like £1,000 or £1,200.” For me, there’s no chance to pay this money.”

Former prime minister Theresa May first promised to scrap section 21 no-fault evictions back in April 2019 before the Conservatives failed to pass the Renters Reform Bill.

Labour picked up the mantle with the Renters’ Rights Bill, introducing the legislation to parliament back in September last year. The bill completed its journey through parliament last week and was granted royal assent on Monday (27 October) evening.

The Renters’ Rights Act will immediately abolish no-fault evictions, which allow landlords to evict tenants without giving a reason and are considered a leading driver of homelessness. 

Read more about the Renters’ Rights Act and vendor Illie’s story on bigissue.com.