Families hit by surge in no fault evictions before ban

"Exactly one week before Christmas we are surrounded by boxes with no home to go to," says Ana*, a mother of two from Sheffield.

- ALBERT TOTH

The 51-year-old has been served a Section 21 "no fault" eviction notice, which runs out on 28 December. This means she and her husband are spending their Christmas stressed and worried, preparing to leave their family home with no idea what the future holds.

"Obviously our first concern is for the children," she says. "They need stability, especially at Christmas. We want them to have a lovely, peaceful, calm time at home. We're having to put on a brave face. But we're not eating, not sleeping." Because she has been served the Section 21 notice, Ana's landlord doesn't need to give a reason for evicting her and her family. Despite living in the property for four years, a letter through the post was how they found out they had just two months to find a new place to live.

"He said he wants to sell the property," Ana says. "We have appealed to him, to his better nature, to ask him to reconsider or ask for more time. Laughably, he said we're impinging upon his rights to ask that. And we've had no more contact from him."

The use of these Section 21 notices has long attracted controversy, criticised by campaign groups and politicians alike.

Labour has now begun implementing legislation to ban their use, delivering on a manifesto commitment and finally meeting a promise made by the Conservatives over five years ago, in April 2019.