Labour GLA member calls for end of Section 21 evictions as over 100 people faced homelessness in Havering.

Elly Baker AM is calling for an end to Section 21 evictions as 121 households faced homelessness because of these notices in Havering last year, new data shows.

Section 21 notices are commonly known as “no-fault evictions”, where landlords can evict tenants without giving a reason. They provide an opportunity to get rid of tenants who request repairs, challenge rent increases or raise other problems. After receiving a Section 21 notice, tenants have just two months to find somewhere new to live.

This week’s figures account for only those residents who approached Havering for assistance, not the total number of Section 21 notices issued.

No-fault evictions account for 17% of those households threatened with homelessness across London, with 4,240 households being pushed to access council services to help find somewhere to live after being forced to leave the private rented sector.

London is home to approximately 2.7 million private renters, a figure which has risen considerably since the 1990s. Section 21 notices contribute to housing insecurity for these tenants, where the threat of eviction gives landlords huge power over them. Even for those who have the means to find another home quickly or somewhere else to stay, section 21 can cause anxiety and insecurity – particularly for the 1.8 million rental households with children or older people renting privately.

The Government pledged to abolish no-fault evictions in 2019 to help prevent “revenge evictions” from rogue landlords who remove tenants who request repairs, but no action has been taken. 

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has called on the Government to ban Section 21 evictions to help improve stability for renters in London, following an increase in average rental prices to more than £2,500 a month. 

Elly Baker AM said:

“Tenants should have the right to a secure home and a stable life, free from the anxiety of being evicted for no justifiable reason. 

“The government promised to abolish no-fault evictions more than 4 years ago but have done nothing to protect renters from being forced to leave their homes.

“121 residents and families in Havering have found themselves facing homelessness during this time. This did not need to happen.

“The Government must bring forward legislation to end section 21 notices and address the crisis in housing urgently.”

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