Ripping off the sticking plaster

Ending the eviction ban without a plan puts thousands of renters at risk

Please note: this blog refers to England only.

Many of us have spent the last few weeks making the most of coronavirus restrictions lifting — looking forward to weekends in the pub with friends, or visiting family in their homes. But for hundreds of thousands of private renters, this weekend will be an anxious wait as a different type of restriction comes to an end — the ban on private-rented sector evictions.

At the start of the pandemic, the government promised that no renter who lost income because of coronavirus would lose their home. Lifting the eviction ban now, while so many renters are still struggling, puts this promise at risk, and leaves many facing an uncertain future and possible eviction in the coming months.

Ending the eviction ‘ban’

Earlier this month, the government announced that the pause on eviction enforcement will lift on Monday 31 May. This means that bailiffs can carry out evictions again. Notice periods for evictions will also reduce from 6 to 4 months, and can be as short as 4 weeks for people who have built up 4 months of rent arrears.

The eviction ‘ban’ has been a vital protection brought in to stop renters losing their homes during the pandemic. But, it was only ever a sticking plaster. It didn’t stop landlords giving their tenants eviction notices or taking court action — around 700,000 renters are estimated to have been issued with a ‘no fault’ eviction notice since the start of the coronavirus lockdown in March 2020. This means they could start to be evicted once the ban lifts next week.

Removing this sticking plaster, without a plan for what comes next, is risky.

What are the risks for renters?

Renters have been some of the hardest hit by the pandemic — 1 in 3 have lost income, making it harder for them to make ends meet. Earlier this year, we found that half a million private renters were in arrears. And while the economy is opening up, and some people’s incomes are recovering, the picture is worsening for others. The average amount of arrears renters have built up has increased from £730 in November last year, to £907 in April.

Our previous research found that it would take the people we help around 7 years to repay their arrears. Without support, these debts could continue to spiral, putting tenants at risk of eviction.

Those in arrears aren’t the only ones at risk. We’re seeing more people coming to Citizens Advice for advice on eviction — not just about arrears — just as protections are due to end. In the first four months of this year we supported 17% more people with eviction issues than in the same period last year. Many of these people will have already received eviction notices, and while they initially felt protected by the eviction ban, are wondering what happens next.

We need a plan

To deliver on its promise that renters won’t lose their homes because of the pandemic, the government needs a plan to support renters over the summer as protections are withdrawn.

Without a package of support we risk a wave of evictions in the coming months, putting pressure on already stretched courts and local authorities. Financial support to help renters repay pandemic arrears will be vital, as will helping local authorities and courts to cope with escalating demand.

How did we get here?

The pandemic has exposed the cracks in the private-rented sector. Over half of renters came into the pandemic with no savings, meaning they’ve had no safety net against its financial shocks. Renters also don’t have the same protections as in other essential markets — there’s no regulator to set standards or arrange payment holidays when things are tough.

The pandemic has also shown just how insecure the private-rented sector can be for tenants. The structure of housing law means that renters can be forced from their homes without their landlord needing a reason, through Section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction notices. That’s why the government had to step in to ‘ban’ people being evicted in the midst of a global pandemic. Many renters live in constant fear of eviction, avoiding raising concerns about disrepair in their homes because they don’t want to rock the boat.

This month, as well as announcing the end of the eviction ban, the government set out its priorities for the future through the Queen’s Speech. Before the speech, we wrote about our hopes that it would include the long-promised Renter’s Reform Bill — a chance to rebalance the sector to give renters security in their homes, and better protection when things go wrong.

The government seems to be taking the issue seriously — committing to a White Paper in the Autumn setting out proposals including ending Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, introducing lifetime deposits, and a register for landlords. Here at Citizens Advice we’re ready to work with them to make sure the proposals deliver a safe, secure home for all renters without the threat of retaliatory or no-fault evictions.

But, as the thousands of renters who face an uncertain future next week show, these changes can’t come soon enough.