No fault evictions hit a seven-year high of 8,339 in the third quarter of the year, as the government confirmed it would delay Section 21 possession orders in the King’s Speech this week.  

Data from the Ministry of Justice today shows that no-fault evictions were 38% higher between July and September from 12 months ago.  

These eviction orders are the highest since the second quarter of 2016 when they came in at 9,330.  

The data comes as the government confirmed in the King’s Speech on Tuesday that its Renters (Reform) Bill would not abolish this type of eviction “until stronger possession grounds and a new court process is in place”.  

But housing charity Shelter says: “Section 21 evictions are a major contributing factor to rising homelessness because they allow landlords to evict tenants with only two months’ notice and no reason given.   

“The most recent homelessness stats found that no fault evictions resulted in 24,260 households being threatened with homelessness in 2022/23 – up 23% compared to the previous 12 months.”  

The government said it would scrap no fault evictions in its 2019 manifesto, and this proposal was in the Renters (Reform) Bill, which began its second reading in Parliament last month.  

However, Conservative backbenchers raised concerns that landlords do not have enough court protection to remove tenants.  

The government says in its background briefing to the King’s Speech: “We are starting work on this now, with an initial commitment of £1.2m to begin designing a new digital system for possessions.   

“As work progresses, we will engage landlords and tenants to ensure the new system supports an efficient and straightforward possession system for all parties.”  

But Shelter chief executive Polly Neate says: “It beggars belief that this government is prepared to use cynical tactics to delay the banning of no-fault evictions, while record numbers of renters are being removed from their homes without cause.     

“Renters have waited four long years for the government to come good on scrapping Section 21, to make that now dependent on unspecified court reforms taking place is ludicrous.”  

The data on no fault evictions came as the number of buy-to-let mortgages in arrears rose 29% to 11,540 from the second to third quarter this year, according to UK finance figures. 

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