Rise in no-fault evictions in London - City Hall

James Cleverly (right) with Tom Drummond, the Conservative candidate for Sutton and Cheam

The number of no fault evictions in London increased 52% in the last year, according to analysis from City Hall.

The increase is more than five times the rise seen in the rest of England and Wales over the same period.

A Conservative bill to ban landlords from being able to evict tenants without a reason did not make it into law before Parliament was dissolved ahead of the general election.

When asked about the lack of a ban while he was campaigning in Sutton on Thursday, Home Secretary James Cleverly told BBC London the Tories had built over 2.2 million houses across the country.

Section 21 notices are used by landlords to evict tenants with two months’ notice and without any reason needing to be given.

According to the latest government data, there were 11,880 of these no-fault eviction claims in London in the year to the end of March 2024, up 52% from 7,834 in the year to March 2023.

This rise compares to an increase of 9% in the rest of England and Wales over the same period, City Hall said.

Labour's London mayor, Sadiq Khan, said the data showed how the government’s failure to ban the evictions – also known as section 21 notices – had been a “huge betrayal”.

“The government’s failure to pass the Renters (Reform) Bill before the dissolution of Parliament today is a huge betrayal of London’s 2.7 million private renters, who are left with the threat of eviction hanging over their heads," he said.

The mayor added the delay in the legislation had left more London renters at "unnecessary risk of housing insecurity and homelessness".

Luke Taylor, the Liberal Democrat candidate in Sutton and Cheam

The Conservatives had promised to enact the ban in their 2019 election manifesto but it has been shelved, alongside Rishi Sunak's flagship policy to phase out smoking.

A separate government bill to reform leaseholds was the last piece of legislation to be debated in the House of Lords last Friday.

Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden told the Local Democracy Reporting Service last week that Parliament had "large amounts of legislation on the books" and it was not able to "conclude it all" in two days.

On Thursday, Mr Cleverly told BBC London: "Across the country we have built over 2.2 million houses. We recognise that the answer to increased housing costs is the increased supply in housing.

"What we see over and over again is both the Lib Dems and Labour failing to take the opportunity to build more homes."

However, Luke Taylor, the Liberal Democrat candidate in Sutton and Cheam, said his inbox as a councillor was full of people concerned about eviction.

"The Tories promised to end that in their last manifesto. Again they failed to do that," he said.

He added that the Liberal Democrats had pledged to bring in a ban if elected.