Renting reforms needed now not later, say charities

Couple Daisy (left) and Ramona were told they'd have to meet an "unaffordable" rent increase or be evicted

Daisy Gamble has tears in her eyes as she describes the moment her landlord told her she was being evicted.

She's been living in Brighton, at the flat she shares with partner Ramona Smith, for four years.

"It's heartbreaking," says Daisy. "There's very little I can do to stay in the place which has been my home."

Daisy says the couple's tenancy contract stated their rent would go up by 5% each year, but they were asked to increase this to 12%.

They were given a choice - agree to the "unaffordable" rent hike or face Section 21 eviction.

It's piece of housing law allowing landlords to kick tenants out without giving a reason - often known as a "no-fault" eviction.

This is different to a Section 8 eviction, which requires a valid legal reason to be successful.

Once the process starts, tenants have just two months until their landlord can apply for a court order to get them out.

The use of Section 21 is on the rise, with the latest official data showing warrants and orders at their highest since 2017.

Citizens Advice data shown to BBC News suggests the charity's also had many more inquiries about no-fault evictions in May and June this year than at any point over the last 16 months.

It's hard to say exactly what's behind the rise.

Landlord Andrew says he's selling up and getting out of the private rental sector because of rising costs and government reform.

Some have suggested that numbers are returning to pre-pandemic levels after a ban on evictions was lifted.

But others, like Andrew McCausland, say rising costs and reform have convinced landlords like him to sell up and exit the private rental sector.

And he says getting rid of Section 21 has "encouraged some landlords to advance their plans".

"They don't want to be left with just the Section 8 route," says Andrew, who runs retrofitting business Eco Homes in Birkenhead, Wirral.

"That's going to increase my legal costs and the chances are I won't get possession back for 12 months or more".

There are worries about the supply of rental properties falling short of demand, with data commissioned by the BBC suggesting 20 people apply to view the average listing.

The average rent paid in England is £960 per month, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The BBC has asked Rightmove to work out what kind of properties could be secured for that level of rent around the country.

In May, the government confirmed it planned to ban no-fault evictions as part of its Renters (Reform) Bill to change England's private rental sector.

They promised a "fairer deal for renters" but the bill hasn't been debated since the announcement, and Parliament's currently stopped for summer recess.

Campaign group The Renters' Reform Coalition has written a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, signed by organisations including homelessness charity Shelter and The Big Issue.

They want to speed up the bill so it becomes law, and say the government has been much quicker to bring in measures to help people with mortgages than renters.

The government's Department for Levelling Up says its Renters (Reform) Bill will "deliver a better deal for both renters and landlords" and that it's "abolishing Section 21 'no-fault' evictions to give tenants greater security in their homes".

It says it's "committed to creating a private rented sector that is fit for the 21st Century and works for responsible landlords while strengthening protections for renters".

Timing for the next stage of the process to make the bill law will be announced "in due course", they say.

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For Daisy and Ramona, reforms have come too late.

"If the bill had happened sooner, that would be really great for us," Daisy says.

"It is great that the government are bringing these changes in but it needs to be tackled with the same amount of urgency as other changes like mortgage rates.

"These housing issues all sort of go hand-in-hand."

Ramona agrees that some positive changes are promised but "something has to give".

"It doesn't necessarily change a housing system that has really failed a lot of the younger generation.

"That is indicative of a system that isn't working any more."

How can you get to the front of the renting queue

Agents say there are some simple ways to make it easier to secure a rental property, including:

• Start searching well before a tenancy ends and sign up with multiple agents

• Have payslips, a job reference, and a reference from a previous landlord to hand

• Build up a relationship with agents in the area, but be prepared to widen your search

• Be sure of your budget and calculate how much you can offer upfront

• Be aware that some agents offer sneak peeks of properties on social media before listing them

There are more tips here and help on your renting rights here.

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