More at risk of homelessness through no-fault evictions in Wigan
and live on Freeview channel 276
Despite a recent pledge from the Government to scrap them, landlords are still able to evict tenants through a section 21 notice, which can provide tenants with as little as eight weeks’ notice to leave – sometimes without reason – once the fixed term in their tenancy agreement expires.
Housing campaigners argue these "no-fault" evictions have contributed to worsening homelessness in the UK.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdData from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities shows 93 households in Wigan 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 the 31 households threatened with homelessness for the same reason in October to December of 2019, before the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Across England, 5,260 households faced homelessness due to no-fault evictions in the last three months of 2021 – a 37 per cent rise compared to 2019.
Shelter, a charity working to end homelessness, has described no-fault evictions as “blunt, brutal and indiscriminate".
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdChief 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.”
The same Government data shows, in total, 351 households were found to be homeless in Wigan between October and December.
This compares to 191 households assessed as homeless over the same period in 2019.
Of those already understood to be homeless, 138 found accommodation last autumn.