The number of households removed from their privately rented properties by bailiffs in England via a Section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction increased by 19% during the first three months of the year to 2,682 households, official data shows.

A further 7,863 landlords began the Section 21 process during the same period, a rise of 15%.

Shelter says the figures are another reason why this kind of eviction should be banned, which the Government has promised will happen once its Renters (Reform) Bill becomes law later this year.

It says no-fault evictions are a major contributing factor to rising homelessness because they allow landlords to evict tenants with only two months’ notice, without having to give a reason. Recent government data found that no fault evictions resulted in a record 25,910 households being threatened with homelessness in 2023.

But the reforms are unlikely to change this – landlords will instead evict the same tenants but through a Section 8 eviction which will take longer and cost more.  

But the Ministry of Justice data doesn’t say why landlords use Section 21 evictions or explain why they are rising.

Rent arrears

Recent industry data from Propertymark showed that 46% were due to tenants in rent arrears followed by renters not looking after the property; tenant anti-social behaviour and also landlords selling a property or refurbishing it to then re-let it.

Paul Sowerbutts (picgtured), MD of evictions firm Landlord Action, says: “We have seen no fault claims increase as landlords have become concerned about the uncertainty of the Government’s reforms and so this record high comes as no surprise.

“The lack of clarity is only compounded by the backlog of eviction appointments due to a lack of bailiffs not to mention the ‘stay put’ policy adopted by many local authorities.”

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, says: “Evictions are rocketing to new heights whilst this government has put the threats of a small group of self-interested landlord backbenchers over the safety and security of 11 million private renters.

“It’s been five years since the government pledged to rebalance the scales in private renting, and what do we have to show for it? A Renters Reform Bill, left in tatters, which will keep renters trapped in the same hellish conditions they’ve endured for decades, or abandon them to the whims of their landlords and the terrifying spectre of homelessness.”