Over 20 lose homes in 'no fault' evictions
More households in Sunderland have been threatened with homelessness through ‘no-fault’ evictions in Sunderland than before the pandemic, new figures show.
Despite a recent Government pledge to scrap them, landlords are still able to evict tenants through a section 21 notice - which can give tenants as little as eight weeks’ notice to leave, once the fixed term in their tenancy agreement expires.
Data from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities shows 24 households in Sunderland were made homeless or put at risk of homelessness between October and December last year after being served with section 21 notices.
This was an increase from just one in the same period in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic.
In England, 5,260 households faced homelessness due to no-fault evictions in the last three months of 2021 – a 37% rise compared to 2019.
Housing campaigners argue these "no-fault" evictions have contributed to worsening homelessness in the UK.
Shelter chief executive, Polly Neate, said: “If landlords follow the process, as it stands they can turf people out of their homes for no reason– and tenants are powerless to do anything about it.”
Alicia Kennedy, director of the housing campaign group Generation Rent, said a booming property market is to blame for an increase in evictions – as landlords cash in by selling up or replacing their tenants with people who can afford to pay more.
A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said it was bringing forward reforms to help renters, including ending no-fault evictions.