According to charitable organizations, there has been a notable increase in landlords evicting tenants just before the impending legal changes that will prohibit such actions starting next month.
The renters’ group Acorn reported to the Guardian that in October, no-fault evictions accounted for 20% of the cases they received from their members, which grew to almost 33% by January.
The Renters’ Rights Act, which was developed last year, is set to take effect on May 1, 2026. This legislation will repeal section 21 of the current Housing Act, which permits landlords to evict tenants without needing to provide a reason to the court.
A representative from Acorn remarked, “This surge in evictions is not coincidental. Landlords are evidently hastening to carry out last-minute evictions before the legislation is enacted.”
Tenant organizations across England, especially in densely populated urban regions, share these concerns, where competition for housing is particularly fierce.
Kim Mansell, a 36-year-old resident of Lady Florence Courtyard in Lewisham for the past five years, now anxiously checks her mailbox daily for a possession order that would require her to vacate. Ironically, her landlord is the 999 Club, a charity focused on homelessness in London.
Last year, while the renters’ rights bill underwent parliamentary review, the charity raised Mansell’s rent by 11%. Despite her attempts to negotiate, she received no response. In June, she was issued a no-fault eviction notice.
Feeling distressed, she reached out to the 999 Club to discuss the situation, but they informed her that a meeting “would not be productive or appropriate.” Since then, the charity has not altered its stance, and as Mansell faces the possibility of homelessness, they have listed her flat for rent at a rate 36% higher than what she currently pays.
Other tenants have corroborated that the charity typically engaged in rent negotiations previously and cannot recall any instances where it evicted tenants solely to raise rents.
When presented with these claims, the charity responded, stating, “Any enforcement action is taken only after thorough legal consultation and in cases where there are significant, ongoing issues.” They added, “While we do not comment on individual tenancies, we have never evicted anyone to facilitate a rent increase.”
Hugh Wilkinson, who leads housing initiatives at the Central England Law Centre, mentioned a rise in section 21 eviction cases. He noted that his clients, primarily from Coventry and Birmingham, are often long-term tenants who are taken aback by sudden disruptions in their relationships with landlords.
Isaac Rose, 33, an organizer with the Greater Manchester Tenants Union, recently received a section 21 eviction notice after a dispute regarding a proposed 29% rent increase.
His landlord initially attempted to submit a section 13 notice for a rent hike, but after that failed due to incorrect filing, they resorted to a section 21 eviction.
Meera Chindooroy, deputy director for campaigns at the National Residential Landlords Association, commented, “Landlords are currently assessing their existing tenants to determine which tenancies they wish to maintain post-May, especially if they harbor concerns regarding rent arrears or antisocial behavior.”
Numerous unions, charities, and other organizations across England have expressed that the legal changes are long overdue. Many have campaigned for the reform and contributed to its drafting.
The housing charity Shelter stated, “It is particularly unacceptable that some landlords are taking advantage of this brief period to issue no-fault evictions. This clearly underscores the necessity for these new regulations for renters.”
While the law is set to change, any proceedings initiated before May 1, 2026, will proceed under the current regulations.
