Almost one in eight private renters face threat of eviction this winter, figures show

Almost one in eight private renters face the threat of being evicted from their homes this winter, grim figures show.

The finding in a survey shared with The Mirror highlights the scale of the housing crisis with tenants facing sky-high bills. Cash-strapped renters are also waiting for long-promised government reforms to prevent landlords evicting them on a whim and without reason.

According to a poll by the homeless charity Shelter, 8% of private renters had received an eviction notice or threatened with one between October and November. It also found over 4% of tenants are behind on their rent - putting them in danger of losing their home in the near future.

The government has promised to deliver on its pledge to ban no-fault evictions - section 21 notices - and the Renters' Rights Bill is currently making its way through the Commons. The promise to end the practice was first made by ex-PM Theresa May in 2019 - but never delivered on by the Conservatives.

Chief Executive of Shelter Polly Neate said: "With private rents at a record high and continuing to climb and no genuinely affordable homes available, sadly people up and down the country are feeling the consequences.

"Far from enjoying the festive period, over a million private renters instead are facing the terrifying prospect of losing the roof over their head this winter."

She added: “Every day in our frontline services, we hear from renters who are being forced into homelessness because they can no longer scrape together eye-watering sums to pay their rent each month, or cannot find somewhere affordable to live after receiving a no fault eviction.

"To finally take the pressure off private renting and end the housing emergency for good, the government must invest enough money at the spring spending review to build a new generation of genuinely affordable social homes. Until then, Shelter will continue doing all we can to fight for families facing homelessness.”

A Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: “Our Renters’ Rights Bill will deliver on our promise to transform the sector, so that people can put down roots and save for the future without fear of being evicted on a whim – including plans to end ‘no fault’ evictions for all existing and new tenants.

"Through our Plan for Change, we will tackle the housing crisis we inherited head on, building the homes we need, delivering the biggest boost in social and affordable housing in a generation and ending no fault evictions.”

'I'm waiting for the bailiff order'

Single mum Janiece was served with an eviction notice earlier this year and spent the festive period waiting for a bailiff order. The 43-year-old lives with her four children, her son's girlfriend, and their dog, Brandy.

She has repeatedly complained about repairs to her London home to the landlord including mould and a roof that leaks when it rains. While the landlord has carried out minimal repairs, Janelle said the mould returns each year.

She added: "Every switch in this house is upside down. Light switches, plug switches, they are all upside down. You can tell everything he has done by himself. I'm not a professional but I would have not even installed the switches upside down."

But back in May she was served a Section 21 "no fault" eviction notice - as the landlord wants to sell the property - and now faces the prospect of temporary accommodation. Janiece said: "I just want somewhere that's not mouldy, where they [the children] can breathe properly at home. You should at least have that."

She said: "I've got as far as the order of possession which told us to leave by November 27. So now I believe I'm waiting for the bailiff [order]. I don't know when they [the bailiffs] could come". She added: "I feel like I'm failing them [the children] in respect of having a roof over their head is supposed to be the least."

To donate to Shelter’s urgent appeal, visit shelter.org.uk/winterappeal