Shelter is now claiming that PRS Tenants in England are being handed Section 21 notices ‘every seven minutes’.

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The charity’s latest statement says that around 230,00 private renters have been served with an S21 notice since April 2019 when the government announced its intentions to ‘abolish’ this eviction method.

The charity’s ‘somewhat misguided’ claim and says that in spite of the fourteen month eviction ban during the three year period because of Covid, that this is a ‘true’ figure.

The latest figures from the charity’s YouGov survey found  25 per cent of all private tenants have rented three plus PRS homes over the past five years.

PRS renting families with children is 20 per cent of all private renting tenants and the charity says: “Based on these findings and what it sees in its frontline services, Shelter is concerned about the destabilising impact on children of constantly having to move” the charity states.

It also claims that losing a PRS tenancy in England is apparently the second highest cause of homelessness throughout the country and coupled with the ever increasing cost of living burden, “could push even more private renters to the brink.”

Shelter is demanding the government’s pledge to introduce its Renters Reform Bill should be honoured and included in next month’s Queen’s Speech.

It says: “The bill must include banning Section 21 no-fault evictions to give renters greater security in their homes” Shelter demands.

Polly Neate the charity’s chief exec, states: “It’s appalling that every seven minutes another private renter is slapped with a no-fault eviction notice despite the government promising to scrap these grossly unfair evictions three years ago. It’s no wonder many renters feel forgotten.

“Millions of private renters are living in limbo – never truly able to settle - in case their landlord kicks them out on a whim. It’s a well-founded fear as our frontline services support renters all the time who are scrambling to find a home after being told to up sticks with just two months’ notice.

 

“With inflation and bills skyrocketing, renters desperately need a secure home as many will struggle to stump up the costs of having to move unexpectedly. To give private renters stability during a time of deep uncertainty, the government must introduce a Renters’ Reform Bill that bans no-fault evictions this year. Anything less would be a kick in the teeth for England’s 11 million private renters.”

Richard Merrick of PIMS,said: “ There will also be another ‘kick in the teeth’ for tenants as no doubt Section 21 will be scrapped or if not highly diluted to being practically useless and with ever increasing taxes, licensing schemes, EPC statutes will see many landlords ‘giving up the ghost’ in the sector.

Richard adds: “How will social housing cope with having to house those who become ‘homeless’ due to the short sightedness of the government and councils continually ‘bleeding landlords to death’?