One in five UK tenants has faced eviction in the past year, with the figure likely to be even higher in London, according to new research.
Campaign body Generation Rent said 20 per cent of its supporters nationwide had been told to leave their home in the past 12 months.
The shock situation, understood to be even worse in the capital, comes amid soaring bills and an ever-fiercer battle for available properties.
Of more than 1,000 people polled for the latest report, 60 per cent had been asked to pay higher rent in the last year. Nine in 10 of those faced with rises of £50 or less had accepted the hike.
Although there is a formal process that should be followed for price rises, which legally have to be "fair and realistic", many landlords try to use so-called no-fault Section 21 evictions to force them through, warns Generation Rent deputy director Dan Wilson Craw.
The fast-changing process of renting a home
Requirement |
Proportion of renters encountering it in 2017 |
Proportion of renters encountering it in 2023 |
Provide a photo, CV or personal statement to landlord or agent |
9% |
22% |
Place the highest bid possible |
3% |
21% |
Attend viewing alongside other househunters |
9% |
39% |
Sign a tenancy longer than a year |
7% |
12% |
Provide a guarantor |
25% |
34% |
Source: Generation Rent
"With rents going up so quickly, Section 21 is used to push tenants into accepting rent rises,” says Wilson Craw . “You are within your rights to negotiate but you might fear eviction."
Generation Rent called on the government to tackle this issue by urgently pushing through the eagerly anticipated Renters Reform Bill. The body also urged ministers to link local housing allowance to market rents and increase housebuilding.
Living in stress
The state of the rental market was laid bare by the report, with 39 per cent of private tenants viewing a property at the same time as others, up from nine per cent in 2017.
More than one in five respondents had experienced a bidding battle for a rental property, up from three per cent six years ago. Meanwhile 22 per cent reported being asked for supporting documents such as photographs or CVs in the latest poll.
Wilson Craw said that the overall impact of the current crisis was not only seen by those hit by huge rent rises but by people pressured into snap decisions and scared to leave an affordable but no-longer-suitable property to fight it out in the wild.
"People are living in stress and taking a hit to their quality of life," he warned. "Commuting further or living in more crowded conditions.
“London is the worst place for this, we've seen rents go up more quickly and it stands to reason that we see more of the types of practices highlighted in the report."
A government spokesperson said the Renters (Reform) Bill would help tenants challenge unreasonable rate rises.
“We are abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, giving tenants greater security in their homes and making it easier for landlords to get rid of anti-social tenants,” they added.
“We are committed to creating a private rented sector that is fit for the 21st century and works for responsible landlords while strengthening protections for renters.”
