2023 named worst year for homelessness caused by no-fault evictions

2023 saw the highest number of households facing homelessness as a result of Section 21 no-fault evictions since records began in 2018, according to new government figures for England.

Generation Rent is urging the government to strengthen protection for renters when the House of Lords debates the Renters (Reform) Bill.

The campaign group says that if Section 21 had been abolished this time last year, 10,000 households who were evicted by their landlord seeking to re-let the property between April and December 2023 would not have faced homelessness. 

However, 23,000 households faced homelessness in the same period because their landlord wanted to sell up. Under the Renters (Reform) Bill, this will continue to be a valid ground with tenants getting just two months' notice to leave, and no financial support with the cost of moving.  

Ben Twomey, Chief Executive of Generation Rent, said: "Abolition of Section 21 evictions has the potential to make a huge difference to renters' lives and reduce the number of us who have to get our council's help to avoid homelessness. 

"But the government's current plans will leave tens of thousands of us exposed to homelessness because of the lack of protection when landlords still have a valid reason to evict us, like selling the property.

"Renters need more time to move than the two months we currently get, and landlords who are uprooting their tenants' lives should support us with the costs of moving. That will both reduce the stress and hardship of an unwanted move, and reduce the homelessness epidemic that is currently shredding councils' finances."