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Tenants increasingly worried about eviction, as ban ends

Christina Hoghton
Written By:
Christina Hoghton
Posted:
Updated:
28/05/2021

There’s been a surge of calls to Citizens Advice on housing issues before the end of the eviction ban on Monday

Rising numbers of renters are calling Citizens Advice for help, as the protections put in place for them during the pandemic come to an end in England.

The ban on evictions comes to an end on Bank Holiday Monday, while the notice period landlords need to give their tenants will be reduced from six to four months.

Citizens Advice data shows a 17% increase in people calling with worries about being evicted from their private rented accommodation, compared to last year.

There has been a 36% increase in the number of tenants seeking help with all types of housing problems over the same period.

The charity’s online housing advice has been viewed over two million times in the first four months of the year.

Falling behind

A survey for Citizens Advice also revealed that almost one in 10 private renters are behind on their rent, totalling over 350,000 tenants across the country.

The average amount of arrears owed has risen by 24% in the last few months, from £730 in November 2020 to £907 in April 2021.

Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: “Next week, the sticking plaster applied to the English private rented sector during the pandemic will be ripped off. Ending the eviction ban puts thousands of renters at risk of losing their home.

“The government should put in place a system of grants and government-backed loans for renters in England who are still financially struggling because of Covid-19.”