Crisis urges the Westminster government to move the Renters’ Rights Bill through parliament quickly as bailiff enforced evictions increase by nearly a quarter  

New figures released today (Thursday 13th November) show that 108,854 households in England have received a Section 21 or ‘no-fault’ eviction notice since April 2019, when the previous Westminster Government first promised to end no-fault evictions. 

The figures from the Ministry of Justice also show: 

• There has been nearly a quarter (23%) increase in households being evicted by bailiffs in July to September this year, compared to the same period last year, with 2,830 evictions carried out this year. 

• 34,738 households have been evicted by bailiffs since April 2019, when the ban on Section 21 was first announced in Parliament. 

• 8,425 households in England were served with a Section 21 or a ‘no-fault’ eviction notice between July and September 2024.  

The former Conservative government committed to ending Section 21 evictions in England in 2019 through the Renters Reform Bill but failed to progress this through Parliament before it eventually fell, when the general election was called earlier this year.  

The new Labour government introduced the Renters’ Rights Bill this year and is progressing this through parliament currently. The Renters’ Right Bill ensures that Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions will be abolished shortly after Royal Assent, notice periods will be extended to four months for most grounds, periodic tenancies will be established in full, and in-tenancy rent increases will be limited to ‘market rate’ and a maximum of once a year. 

Matt Downie, Chief Executive at Crisis, said:  

“These figures show the horrifying truth that tenants are still being evicted from their homes and left to face the nightmare of housing insecurity and homelessness. It's a relief to see this bill is finally moving through Parliament, and we need to see the Renters’ Rights Bill become law as quickly as possible. 

“We do need to see stronger measures in the Renters’ Rights Bill, like limiting rent increases for occupying tenants and a limit on the amount of rent that can be requested in advance. This would provide better protection for low-income households at risk of homelessness, and families trying to move on from temporary accommodation. More widely, we also need the Government to maintain investment in housing benefit, so everyone can afford a safe home.  

“No-fault evictions are one of the leading causes of homelessness. We need urgent action and stricter measures to protect people at risk of homelessness now and in the future.” 

-ENDS- 

Notes to Editors  

Data from the Ministry of Justice available here. 

Q2 2019 used as the benchmark for when the ban on Section 21 evictions was first mentioned in Parliament in April 2019. We have looked at the totals from all quarters since then for this analysis which shows that 108,854 people in England received a Section 21 or ‘no-fault’ eviction notice since Q2 2019.