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Sadiq Khan calls for eviction ban extension to prevent ‘tsunami’ of homelessness

London mayor Sadiq Khan has written to the housing secretary warning that local authority housing services could be overwhelmed if the government does not act to protect renters impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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London mayor Sadiq Khan
London mayor Sadiq Khan
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Khan calls for eviction ban extension to prevent “tsunami” of homelessness #ukhousing

.@SadiqKhan “deeply concerned” about the end of the government’s evictions ban #ukhousing

“Triple lock” of protection needed for renters during COVID-19 pandemic, says @mayoroflondon #ukhousing

Mr Khan called on Robert Jenrick to implement measures including banning evictions until the end of the pandemic, providing more funding and guidance for council homelessness services and ending the Right to Rent policy.

Last week the government confirmed that it will lift the ban on evictions – in place since March – on 23 August.

The mayor repeated his demand that the government introduce a “triple lock” of protection for renters by increasing welfare benefits to cover any shortfall in rental payments, preventing private landlords from serving Section 8 (arrears) notices for tenants affected by COVID-19 and scrapping so-called ‘no-fault’ Section 21 evictions.

In his letter to Mr Jenrick, Mr Khan said he is “deeply concerned” by the evictions ban coming to an end in August.


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He added: “The capital also faces the impending prospect of a tsunami of evictions. In a matter of weeks, local authority housing services could be overwhelmed, and we could see a flood of people being forced onto streets.

“I therefore urge you to implement the full range of measures that I have set out so that no renter accrues arrears or faces the threat of eviction or homelessness as a result of ongoing impacts of COVID-19.

“Until they are enacted, the ban on evictions must remain in place.”

As well as boosts to the existing welfare system, he said, the government must make benefits available to those who currently have no recourse to public funds.

He called for a flexible approach to rent payments post-pandemic and suggested that landlords with mortgage holidays be required to notify their tenants of this and exempt them from rent payments for the duration of the mortgage holiday.

Homelessness charity Shelter has warned that nearly 250,000 renters could be at risk of eviction when the ban is lifted next month.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “The government has taken unprecedented action to support renters during the pandemic and we are working with the judiciary to ensure that arrangements are in place to give protections for those who have been particularly affected by coronavirus when proceedings start again.

“We have also put in place a support package to prevent people getting into financial hardship or rent arrears during the pandemic.”

Update, 10am, 13/07: Story edited to include government response

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