Families have 'nowhere to go' as no-fault evictions rise

A charity claims it has been giving out sleeping bags to help prepare desperate families facing homelessness after being evicted.

A manager at the Oasis Centre in Gorton, Manchester, said he had seen a sharp increase in people being evicted by bailiffs after being handed a section 21 notice - also known as a no-fault eviction.

Rhys Massey said people were queuing outside the centre before it opens because they had "nowhere to go".

Manchester City Council urged anyone anyone at risk of homelessness to get in touch as "early" as possible.

It comes as BBC analysis showed a rise of more than 22% in the number of landlords applying to court for possession of properties in the north west of England after giving a section 21 notice to their tenants in the first quarter of 2024, compared to the same period last year.

The Oasis Centre, which is a community hub which provides advice and support for residents in East Manchester, said it had days where people were queuing outside three hours before it opened.

"People are coming to us with suitcases and belongings after being evicted," he said.

"We've issued sleeping bags and emergency clothing provision in order to prepare people," he added.

Solange, a mother of two, was among those queueing up at the centre after being served a section 21 notice.

She said they had lived at the property five years and had nowhere else to go and had no family nearby to help.

Councillor Joanna Midgley, deputy leader of Manchester City Council said the average time period between households being given a notice to quit on a private rented tenancy (s21 notice) and a bailiff eviction is seven months.

She added: "We opened 6,354 homeless applications in 2023, which was the second highest in the country, and which reflects the level of homelessness in the city and our commitment to help people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

"We would ask anyone who is at risk of homelessness to get in touch with us early so we can do all that we can to prevent an eviction taking place."

The Labour councillor said the council "would be happy to discuss any apparent issues" with the Oasis Centre.

Adam Vinten lives in Toxteth, Liverpool, and has just been given a section 21 notice with his flatmates.

It will be his fourth eviction in as many years, although not all are no fault evictions, he said.

Mr Vinten said it has caused "extreme" disruption to his life both "financially and emotionally".

He said many landlords are now asking for between six and 12-months rent in advance making it very difficult to find somewhere else to live.

"I'm on disability benefits because I have two different types of nerve disease. I don't have 12-months rent in advance so the outlook is very, very bleak," he said.

A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesperson said: “We have been very clear we will ban Section 21 evictions as soon as possible.

“The Renters (Reform) Bill is progressing through the House of Lords and we are confident it will pass by the end of this Parliament.”

However, Ena Parkinson, who manages about 150 properties for private landlords in Cheshire and the surrounding area, is against a ban on section 21 notices.

She said it was "necessary to protect landlords" in circumstances such as when they want to sell their property.

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