Michael Gove vows to ban no-fault evictions by next election after 30,000 notices were dished out last year
MICHAEL Gove yesterday vowed to ban hated no-fault evictions in time for the next general election.
Ministers first pledged to outlaw Section 21 notices in the 2019 Tory manifesto – but a new Bill to seal the deal still hasn’t passed.
It comes as the number of tenants evicted from rentals through no fault of their own shot up by a third last year.
Landlords dished out 30,230 Section 21 notices – the highest number since 2016.
Mr Gove is facing huge pressure to get the Renters Reform Bill through the Commons.
Labour and the Lib Dems have accused him of de-prioritising the issue due to pressure from MP landlords.
But yesterday Mr Gove told England’s 11 million renters: “We will have outlawed it, and we will put the money into the courts in order to ensure that they can enforce it.”
Responding to the pledge, Tom Darling, Campaign Manager at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said: “We will hold the government to this commitment.”
He added: “We’ll also be making sure the government doesn’t give in to landlord attempts to gut the Bill – if these evictions are banned in name only then the government won’t be getting a pat on the back from anyone.”
Meanwhile, Mr Gove was unable to promise that the number of families stuck in temporary accommodation will be down when voters next take to the national polls.
Nationally, over one million people are still on social housing waiting lists.
In 2022, 2,300 people died while still queuing.
Mr Gove insisted he’s “determined” to bring numbers down “but the pressures … are significant.”
Labour’s Shadow Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook, said: “After 14 years of failure on housing, not only does no one believe a word you’re saying, Michael, but no one is even listening anymore.
“The Tories have exacerbated the housing crisis and it will fall to a Labour government to fix it.”
Deputy Lib Dem Leader, Daisy Cooper, said: “It is shocking that this Conservative government has repeatedly chosen to delay their promised ban on no fault evictions.
“Michael Gove’s words will ring hollow for those who have waited for so long for this urgently needed reform.
“Renters shouldn’t have to face losing their homes through no fault of their own any longer.”
WHAT IS NO-FAULT EVICTION?
WHERE your landlord asks you to leave your home even if you have done nothing wrong.
While you will have to move out if the notice is valid, you don’t have to do so immediately.
Reagan Jones, director of compliance at rental service Zero Deposit, says: “Your landlord must provide at least two months’ notice, and if you have failed to vacate by the date specified, they will also need to go through the court process to evict you.
“This can take weeks depending on how busy the courts are, and even after a possession order has been granted it can be a few more weeks until bailiffs turn up at your door.”