The Government has been asking for views about section 21, or no fault, eviction notices in a consultation. In our response, we describe why we think the Government should remove the option for landlords to use this type of eviction, in order to help people remain in their homes and prevent homelessness. We also outline some of the support that we think should be made available to vulnerable people who are living in the private rented sector.
Section 21 notices allow landlords to evict their tenants with no reason given, and sometimes with little notice. The end of a tenancy is now the biggest cause of statutory homelessness, and we think that landlords should have to give an appropriate reason (such as wanting to move into the property) when they end a tenancy. At St Mungo’s we have been calling for reform to this system since launching our Home for Good campaign in October 2018.
We hope that, following this consultation, the Government will reform the renting system to prevent unfair evictions, and provide vulnerable tenants with the support they need to keep their homes.
