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Written question asked by Lord Jamieson (Conservative) on Monday, 13 April 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 27 April 2026. It was answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Labour) on Wednesday, 22 April 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Private Rented Housing: Evictions

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk of pre-emptive evictions of private rented sector tenants prior to the full commencement of the abolition of no-fault evictions; and what is their policy on ministerial engagement with individuals or companies undertaking such activity.

Answer

The Government is clear that there is no need for landlords to evict tenants ahead of the ban on no fault evictions on 1 May and landlords should give tenants the housing security they deserve. We will continue to engage across the sector ahead of 1 May to prevent unnecessary evictions and ensure smooth implementation of the new tenancy system.

Landlords will have robust grounds for possession where there is good reason to take their property back. As such, my Department does not expect a spike in section 21 evictions ahead of implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act on 1 May 2026. The latest Ministry of Justice official possession statistics (attached) show that there was a 17% decrease in section 21 accelerated possession claims in England in October to December 2025 when compared to the same quarter in the previous year.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL16233
Session
2024-26
Attachment
MoJ official possession statistics
Subjects
Landlords Evictions Private rented housing
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk