Foreign
MORE than 800,000 British households renting a home are worried about being evicted in the next few months, new research suggested on Monday.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) said 400,000 have already been served with an eviction notice or told they may be evicted.
A ban on evictions in England ends on Monday, leading to warnings from housing campaigners that tenants face a wave of proceedings as bailiffs were allowed to resume using court orders for repossession.
JRF said the temporary ban on bailiff-enforced evictions introduced in March 2020 and extended several times since has provided much-needed security to renters during the pandemic.
Its survey of more than 10,000 households suggested ‘clear warning signs of a spike in evictions and homelessness as the ban is lifted, the report said.
Around 400,000 are expecting to be evicted and a further 450,000 households are in arrears with rent, JRF said.
Rachelle Earwaker, of JRF, said: “For the 450,000 families locked in rent debt, the prospect of securing a mortgage is simply unimaginable and, worse still, many will now struggle to secure a new home in the private rented sector just as the eviction ban ends.
“High levels of arrears are restricting families’ ability to pay the bills and forcing many to rely on hidden borrowing.
“This is not only deeply unjust, but it is also economically naive and risks hampering our economic recovery, which is reliant on household spending increasing as society continues to reopen.” (dpa/NAN)
– May 31, 2021 @ 13:28 GMT /
Tags: 000 British households Eviction worries affecting 850 report warns
