Norfolk housing trust "disappointed" by no-fault eviction ban delay

The charity Shelter says it's costing £550 million pounds a year in unwanted moves

Author: Tom ClabonPublished 23rd Apr 2024

The head of housing trust in Norfolk is telling us she's "disappointed" that no fault evictions are yet to be banned, despite the repeated Government promises.

Data from YouGov suggests that nearly a million private renters in England have been handed a no-fault eviction in the last five years.

That's when a landlord can evict a tenant from their property without giving a reason, as long as they follow a legal process.

The charity Shelter says it's costing £550 million pounds a year in unwanted moves.

"It means that many who are just about on the edge will tip over"

Dr Jan Sheldon is from 'St Martins', a housing trust based in Norwich:

"If there's more delay around this, it means that many who are just about on the edge will tip over it.

"They will lose their homes through either a no-fault eviction or an eviction, where they just haven't got the money to pay their rent.

"We will see a steady stream of people continuing to lose their homes because they can't afford to put the roof over their head."

"That will have a impact on organisations, like ourselves"

She told us that concern remains - even if the Government follows through on their manifesto promise:

"Unless the new legislation is tied up really tightly, there will be loop-holes. So a landlord might say, we're planning on selling our property and so we 're going to evict you, but you may find further down the line that they're not selling that property at all.

"But we do need landlords and if you make the process too difficult then people are going to withdraw from the buy-to-let market and that will have a impact on organisations, like ourselves, who are desperate for move-on accommodation."

What's the Government doing?

The Government insists this ban will be in place by the General Election.

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