Sadiq Khan slams reports of shelved plans to end Section 21 evictions

By Joe Talora, Local Democracy Reporter

Sadiq Khan has hit out at the Government for supposedly abandoning plans to scrap “no fault” evictions for private renters.

A report in The Times today revealed that Prime Minister Liz Truss was planning to shelve legislation prepared by former Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, which included the abolishment of Section 21 evictions.

Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 allows private landlords to evict tenants without having to provide a good reason. The Conservatives pledged to scrap the so-called no fault evictions in their 2019 election manifesto.

Reacting to the news that the ban may now be scrapped, the mayor of London posted on social media that Londoners “deserve better”.

Mr Khan said: “London’s 2.6 million renters face the constant threat of eviction due to the outdated and ruthless no-fault eviction law. In 2019 the Government pledged to change it, but today they shelved this promise. Peoples’ homes are at stake. Londoners deserve better.”

More than 26 per cent of all Londoners live in private rented accommodation according to Trust for London.

Alicia Kennedy, director of Generation Rent, said the Government would be “shooting itself in the foot” if it does reverse the “popular” decision to scrap Section 21.

She said: “No-fault evictions mean that families can face the disruption and upheaval of moving home and often schools with just two months’ notice.

“It means unscrupulous landlords can bully tenants into accepting shoddy conditions or unaffordable rent increases. It means that renters have to raid their own savings in order to move home at their landlord’s whim.

“This law has no place in modern society and getting rid of it has rightly been government policy for more than three years. Ministers have stuck by it through a general election, three Queen’s Speeches, and a pandemic, and finally this summer we got a package of reforms which had the broad support of the whole sector.”

A Government spokesman said: “The Government is committed to exploring policies that build the homes people need, deliver new jobs, support economic development and boost local economies.”

Pictured top: Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (Picture: PA)