A mum evicted by her landlord is searching for another new home after 22 moves in 20 years. Mum-of-four Jessica Whittam has been handed a Section 21 Notice.
This is known as a no-fault eviction and allows her landlord to force her to leave without having to offer a reason for the action. Jess said she has been advised to stay in her current property for the time being and is awaiting further support and advice from professionals.
It means that the 42-year-old needs to find her 23rd home after being settled in Stoke, Plymouth, for the past three years, Plymouth Live reports. Jess and her four children, aged 22, 19, 13 and 11, will go to live with her mum temporarily - but she is also caught up in the UK's housing crisis so the family may not be able to stay for long.
They were first given the notice last year but it was not followed through. Instead a second Section 21 Notice, was given in January to Jess and her family, with instruction to leave in April.
She said: "I have never been in this exact situation, but have had housing issues in the past. This next move will be our 22nd in 20 years! We were initially served with a section 21 at the end of summer last year. However as the landlord did not follow through with the first one we had another one issued in January for us to leave in April."
She is advising anyone who finds themselves in the same position to "stay strong". She said: "Don't give up, utilise your friends and family and make sure you're heard. Too many people are facing these dire circumstances and the fact that a private landlord can just throw a family out knowing the housing crisis we're in is deplorable."
Jess said she's received "hit and miss" advice and is often given contradicting advice by people who work in the same place, which has made it difficult to understand. She said: "The advice which I have received has been very hit and miss. I have been told different things by different people who all work in the same place, so there has been a lot of confusion."
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Section 21 Notices are set to be abolished, with the long-awaited Renters’ (Reform) Bill introduced to Parliament last month, promising to deliver on a 2019 Conservative manifesto commitment to abolish the notices. The earliest the Section 21 will be abolished is estimated to be spring of 2025, according to The Independent Landlord.
The Government said the changes in the Bill will “empower renters to challenge poor landlords without fear of losing their home”.
Renters 'forced to uproot entire lives'
Matthew Upton, from Citizens Advice, said: “Our advisers are increasingly hearing from renters who are being forced to uproot their entire lives after receiving a Section 21 notice. For too long, renters have lived in precarious situations with few protections while landlords have held all the cards.
“Reforms to the private rental sector are welcome but they’re open to abuse from unscrupulous landlords. The Government must ensure reforms are watertight and not include loopholes which allow Section 21 evictions to continue by the backdoor.”
A Government spokesperson said “any attempt to get around the law will not tolerated and our reforms will prevent section 21 from being replicated through rent hikes”.
They added: “Where landlords seek possession through a court, they must prove their intention to sell or move themselves or family members into the property. To prevent landlords from exploiting these grounds, they will not be able to re-market or re-let their property for three months after using them."
