EXCLUSIVE: Warnings renters rights reforms risks 'tidal wave' of illegal evictions
The Renters' Reform Coalition have raised concerns landlords who have relied on section 21 to evict tenants may increasingly turn to illegal methods once the bill is passed
Flagship renters rights reforms could lead to a “tidal wave” of illegal evictions, ministers have been warned.
The Renters' Reform Coalition (RRC) has claimed the system is barely policed - and it could get worse if the Renters Rights Bill is passed. First promised in 2019, the bill will look into banning bidding wars, allow renters to have pets, and more importantly it will ban Section 21 evictions - known as "no fault evictions" - for new and existing tenancies.
However, the RRC have raised concerns landlords who have relied on section 21 to evict tenants may increasingly turn to illegal methods once the bill is passed.
Illegal evictions include eviction through force, threats or harassment, landlords changing the locks, or removing essential services such as energy and water.
Ministry of Justice statistics show there were at least 32,000 section 21 evictions in England last year. Research from Safer Renting and the University of York revealed there were at least 8,748 illegal evictions in England in 2022 – the last available data. However, the Ministry of Justice recorded just 26 convictions of landlords over the same time period, with a prosecution rate of just 0.3%.
Tom Darling, Director at the RRC, called for the government to ensure that police forces and councils crack down on illegal eviction.
He said: "This is already a hidden crisis - each year thousands of renters, often those who are already struggling to make ends meet, are made homeless by criminal landlords using brutal tactics.
"Few things are more serious than losing your home, but illegal evictions have a prosecution rate of less than 1%.
“England risks seeing a tidal wave of these evictions unless the government ensure that police forces and councils crack down on illegal eviction as the serious crime that it is, and show landlords that criminal behaviour won't be tolerated."
Roz Spencer, Head of Service at renter advocacy service Safer Renting, added: “Every hour someone is illegally evicted in England. Renters do not know where to turn.
“Once S21 so called 'no fault eviction' is abolished, landlords who want to get rid of tenants will turn to illegal means to evict them. Emboldened by the fact that the Government won't act to fix the problems of enforcement, those landlords face less than 1 percent chance of prosecution."
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “Our Renters’ Rights Bill will give councils stronger powers to crack down on lawbreaking landlords and ensure that they can face criminal prosecution.
“This will level the playing field and give tenants greater security, rights and protections in their homes as part of our Plan for Change.”