Nearly 20,000 renters were evicted in the last month before the Renters’ Rights Act came into force, new research has found.
An analysis of 150,000 rentals by shared living platform COHO shows that the reforms have led to a further 73,900 evictions since 2023 as landlords took action ahead of the ban on no-fault evictions under Article 21 from May 1.
During the final countdown to the new rules, evictions reached their peak, with 27% of renters, or one in four, evicted in the month before the May 1 deadline.
COHO co-founder Vann Vogstad says: “Landlords are not looking for perfect tenants, they are looking for tenants who can pay the rent and live without any problems. In most cases, they will give people the benefit of the doubt for quite some time.
“Section 21 gave landlords a safety net.
“It allowed them to assist tenants with payment arrears or challenges, knowing there was a final route if things didn’t improve.
“Removing that option has understandably changed behavior.
“What we’re seeing isn’t landlords evicting for the sake of eviction; it’s landlords responding to a shift in risk.
“Without Section 21, dealing with serious late payment or anti-social issues can take months, so some have had to act before that change.
“It is important to remember that landlords do not want vacant properties. Rental income makes the investment viable.
“Many still choose to work with tenants who owe them rent, hoping the situation improves, rather than issuing a notice of termination.
“Ultimately, abolishing no-fault evictions will likely make landlords more cautious and selective, which could have wider implications for the entire rental market.”