Evictions of private tenants are returning to pre-pandemic levels, government figures show.
"I got an email to say she was serving us notice… I was quite upset, quite emotional, it was panic mode."
The government introduced a ban on evictions in March 2020 to protect renters during the pandemic, but this was lifted in May 2021. The eviction notice from her landlord was under Section 21 - a "no fault" eviction where no reason needs to be given for the decision."She said it was within her rights not to give a reason why. She wanted to rethink being a landlord… it was pretty vague in that respect," Rachel said.
But the approaching eviction now meant trying to save a second deposit while still paying rent, a situation that led to her falling into arrears. "I had organised for a removal man to remove all my stuff and put it into storage and me and my partner were going to go and stay in a Travelodge. [But] what I was finding is that three days are £215."
But Shelter's director of campaigns Osama Bhutta warned that the fund would "not be enough to protect every family who is barely hanging on to their home" and called on the government to provide further support.