Pressure mounts on government over evictions ban as campaigners warn of ‘catastrophic wave of homelessness’
Pressure is growing on ministers to extend the evictions ban after housing campaign groups and public health bodies have warned of a potential “catastrophic wave of evictions and homelessness”.
The ban on evictions of private renters is due to be lifted on Sunday (picture: Getty)
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In a letter to housing secretary Robert Jenrick, the London Renters Union, Acorn, Living Rent and 16 health bodies claim that as a result of the pandemic a large number of renters are behind on their payments to landlords, which could lead to an “avalanche of evictions”.
The warning comes just a day after Labour urged ministers to extend the ban on evictions of private renters, which is due to be lifted on Sunday (23 August).
The letter from the housing groups and health bodies, seen by Social Housing, states: “Until now, the government’s temporary ban on eviction and its funding for emergency homelessness support has helped to stave off some of the worst impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Now that these measures are being withdrawn, we are deeply concerned that the government does not have an adequate plan to address the growing rent debt crisis and to prevent a catastrophic wave of evictions and homelessness as we head towards autumn and winter.”
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The letter also urged the government to end Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions before the ban is lifted. A government commitment to scrap Section 21, which allows a landlord to evict a tenant without reason, was confirmed in last December’s Queen’s Speech.
The groups, which include the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Physicians, also warn that an evictions crisis could “significantly contribute to an increase of COVID-19 infections”.
The evictions ban came into effect in March across England and Wales as coronavirus took hold in the UK. However, concerns were raised at the time about how the government was implementing the policy.
The moratorium was initially until 25 June, but was subsequently extended to 23 August.
Shelter estimates that 227,000 private renters have fallen into arrears since the pandemic – around three per cent of all private renters in England – and could lose their homes when the ban on evictions is lifted.
Yesterday, Labour’s shadow housing secretary Thangam Debbonaire wrote to Mr Jenrick warning him that lifting the ban could lead to a “self-made homelessness crisis at the worst possible moment” as the furlough scheme is due to end in October.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and mayor of Salford Paul Dennett have also warned Mr Jenrick that an end to the ban could lead to homelessness in the region on a "scale not seen since the 1930s".
Last week, the Scottish government announced that new rules giving tenants an extended period of six months’ notice for eviction will stay in place until next March.
And the Labour-led Welsh government has doubled the notice period that landlords must give tenants for evictions to six months, except cases relating to anti-social behaviour.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “The government has taken unprecedented action to support renters, preventing people getting into financial hardship and helping businesses to pay salaries – meaning no tenants have been evicted at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are working on how best to continue supporting renters and landlords during the pandemic and will make an announcement on the next steps shortly.”
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