Renters in England face rising no-fault evictions as reform bill delayed again

Around one in five households in England now rents from a private landlord – double the number at the start of the millennium. Photograph: Jane Williams/Alamy

Private renters in England were hit by a triple whammy of bad news on Thursday as official figures showed soaring no-fault evictions, a net loss of more than 16,000 homes for social rent and a fresh delay to long-promised laws to give renters greater security.

The number of households evicted by bailiffs as a result of no-fault evictions rose 39% in 2023 compared with 2022, according to analysis by the housing charity Shelter of new Ministry of Justice figures.