A Margate mum says she has just weeks to find somewhere new to live for herself and her five children after being served a section 21 eviction notice.
Rebecca Wilson has been in her three-bed flat in Godwin Road for seven years through a shorthold tenancy agreement.
But the 36-year-old says she has now received notice to quit and is concerned that it came after she made complaints about problems with mould, a leak, rubbish in the communal hallway and ‘falling through’ floorboards.
Paperwork shows issues lodged since last year include a leak from the bedroom ceiling, blocked sink, broken front door lock, a kitchen leak, a further leak in the bathroom, mould and a window that wouldn’t close.
Rebecca says she escalated her complaint by contacting Thanet council.
She said: “I went to the council and complained to them. I am now being evicted. I have to be out by 8th May.
“When I addressed them about the mould I was 8 months pregnant and (the agent) told me to clean it myself. My baby was born premature and I had to bring a prem baby home to mould in the bedroom.
“I think it is unfair and I think it makes others scared to speak out in case they are threatened with eviction.”
Inspection
A spokesperson for Lovetts Margate, which manages the property on behalf of the landlords, confirmed a section 21 notice had been served but said there had been no notification of a complaint to Thanet council and maintenance staff had been unable to gain access to carry out repairs at the property.
They added: “We were unaware of the tenant contacting the council regarding repairs. We usually are first made aware when we receive a letter of intent to inspect and have not had any letters regarding this.
“There was an inspection carried out on the 22nd November and the only issue reported was that the sealant around the bathroom basin needed re-doing. This inspection was done by an outsourced company who complete the write ups with photos of each area.
“Since then on the 23rd February there was a complaint made that there was some water coming through one of the bedrooms following a night of rain.
“My colleague has tried numerous times since then to make contact with the tenant to try to gain access to repair the issues. The maintenance team have also tried contacting and knocked on the door to gain access.”
Lovetts say the landlord wished to have his property back.
Thanet council has confirmed a complaint has been received and says the tenant should contact the authority for further help.
Section 21
Rebecca is one of thousands of people across the country who face being homeless when a no fault eviction is served.
Figures released last November for July to September 2023 showed that 8,747 people in England and Wales were served with a Section 21 or a ‘no-fault’ eviction notice – which was a 32% increase from the same time the previous year.
The Mortgage and Landlord Possessions statistics, from the Ministry of Justice, also show that the number of actual evictions carried out by bailiffs for Section 21s increased by 31%.
Between October and December 2023 there were 90 landlord possession claims in Thanet and eight mortgage possessions.
A Renters (Reform) Bill which includes abolishing Section 21 evictions is currently making its was through Parliament but will only come into force once the court system has been reformed. The aim of the ban on ‘no fault’ evictions is to protect tenants and give them the security to call out poor standards without fear of losing their home.
Matt Downie, Chief Executive of Crisis, said: “With each eviction notice served comes the stress of finding somewhere else to live. In many cases, there are simply no affordable homes available.
“While the Westminster Government reaffirmed its commitment to scrap no fault evictions in the King’s Speech, we are seriously concerned that these won’t be abolished fully until reforms to the court system take place, which may take years.”
What is a section 21 and what happens next
If you get a section 21 notice, it’s the first step your landlord has to take to make you leave your home. You won’t have to leave your home straight away.
If your section 21 notice is valid, your landlord will need to go to court to evict you.
Your landlord doesn’t need a reason for giving you a section 21 notice – for example, they might just want to move back into the property.
You can only get a section 21 notice if you have an assured shorthold tenancy. If you’re not sure what type of tenancy you have, use Shelter’s tenancy checker to find out.
Your landlord should give you 2 months’ notice.
Don’t leave your home before the date on your section 21 notice if you haven’t found somewhere else to live.
You can ask the council for help as soon as you get a section 21 notice – they might be able to help you stay in your home or find somewhere else for you to live
Find advice about the process at https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/eviction/eviction/renting-privately/if-you-get-a-section-21-notice/
Get advice
Thanet council Housing Team 01843 577277 or advice at https://www.thanet.gov.uk/info-pages/advice-for-private-rented-tenants/
