AIBU to worry about Section 21 ending causing mass evictions?

Huh? You raised it and said it wasn’t happening, it is, and it’s getting worse. Pretending it’s not relevant because you were given evidence to the contrary to what you said is just odd.

Yanbu more people will be evicted due to it.

I had new tenants move in in December just before Xmas because they were evicted with 2 little kids. I felt sorry for them. They said they could afford the rent. So far every month about a week before the rent is due I've had a text begging for extra time to pay, complaints the rent is higher than their housing benefit and have been sent multiple text complaining about minor things including a bedroom door squeeks. DH and I have made the decision to issue section 21 towards end of April which is our only chance as we can't issue to tenants until they have lived there for 4 months. We made final decision when they told us they were expecting again in October. So always complaining that they can't afford rent but having another DC. We can't risk not issuing section 21 as after May 1st it would be much harder. I'm happy with my other 10 tenants though so they won't get notices.

The decline has been going on for three years, so not completely relevant to the topic.

From 1 May, fixed term tenancies will convert to rolling tenancies, so you are not necessarily all good for another year if your landlords do decide to sell or move back in (both will still be valid reasons to evict - although more notice will need to be given)

Taken from Shelter:

No more fixed term tenancies
There will be no more fixed term assured shorthold tenancies (AST).
If you have a fixed term AST, it will become a 'periodic' assured tenancy.
This means it will not have a set end date.
It will be a 'rolling' monthly or weekly tenancy.
Find out about options when your fixed term tenancy ends.
You will have better protection from eviction because your landlord will need a reason to give you notice to leave.

Blackrock are not ‘snapping up’ 130 year old terraces in Huddersfield, or random apartments here and there.
They are buying complete new estates or blocks, so they have complete control over all the costs, and quality.

But there has, and it the next set of data will be dismaying. As people now rush to sell before the regulations come in. It’s fine if you have a deposit and can buy, but if you need to rent, it’s going to become very hard.

www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2026/03/uk-private-rental-sector-suffers-largest-decline-this-century/#:~:text=It%20decreased%20by%205.1%25%2C%20despite,in%20a%20row%2C%20says%20Savills%2C

Berliners fought to get rid of corporate landlords. When have corporates ever cared about their ‘customers’. The wouldn’t even entertain buying property if they couldn’t see substantial profit.

Extract from Guardian article:

The successful referendum to expropriate the city’s apartments from corporate landlords is a potential template for Europe

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/sep/29/berlin-vote-landlords-referendum-corporate

https://novaramedia.com/2021/10/04/berlin-just-voted-to-abolish-major-corporate-landlords/

Because some are still making profit, or they’re fearful about selling, or they want to leave an asset to their family, or they like the ‘job’? So far, there hasn’t been a landlords exodus that was much predicted last year on here and in the media.

Indeed. This would be excellent. Pretty much all government bodies have no money though. Thats why we need to attract private investment to build more rental properties. The UK is trying its hardest to put them off though.

Because whenever a big investment firm tries to do this in the UK people assume it’s a massive conspiracy (they want to provide stable secure rental properties the evil bastards!) and demanded they don’t. Then wonder why we have a rental scarcity. So many people just don’t think things through.

I was also surprised at that statement. On two points, a/thinking it’s unearned, and b/that lots of renters are doing so through choice and can easily just buy instead.

Its not an unearned income stream though is it. Houses dont just rain out of the sky into the hands of Peter Rachmann types. A lot of work and expense goes into it and I know of 3 independent landlords who have struggled for years with bad tenants etc, they have just had enough of being out of pocket because some people think paying rent is optional so they are throwing the towel in and selling

That would be the final nail in the coffin. Hurrah, you say. The housing market will be flooded with cheap houses. Maybe, but what happens to the people for which home ownership will never be an option? Be careful what you wish for.

The RRA is what Shelter wished for. Try telling the people who are being evicted and at risk of becoming homeless due to scarcity of available rentals that this is a good thing and it’s for their benefit.

Both Italy and New Zealand implemented very strict letting laws skewed in the tenants’ favour and they’re rental market is experiencing the same issues as the UK.

Stupidly, the UK didn’t bother to wait and see what the consequences would be and learn from this - no they’ve ploughed right in with no amendments and the outcome will be the same. Mass evictions.

Plus do you think Black Rock will accept rental controls?

Look at all the huge companies that bought out the small veterinary practices - their prices are extortionate now. Where’s your small reasonably priced vet now? They’ve practically been wiped out. Same will happen with housing. Black Rock et all will be your only option. Try calling them when you’ve got a leak at 10pm on a Sunday night.

All the things that are being banned or addtional requirements for landlords to do, are changing the balance of risk vs reward for landlords. In all financial investments there's a decision to be made for how big a risk of potentially losing money you are willing to accept for the hope of potentially getting more. Under older rules landlords could minimise their risks - eg by excluding people on benefits or with young children who are at the highest risk of failing to pay rent, could refuse pets which are more likely to cause damage greater than the value of the deposit, and could choose not to carry out repairs and maintenance that would be expensive. They could also maximise income by requiring tenants to sign up for a new fixed term regularly rather than allowing rolling contracts. Using all these options made being a landlord more profitable than other investment types, and that has caused house prices to increase significantly. The new regulations are shifting the landscape so that the potential for losing money is much greater - and so naturally people will only stake their capital on a higher-risk investment if the payback is higher ie rents go up. If rents don't go up they will invest their money in other non-housing opportunities and house prices go down.

Lots of landlords are evicting their tenants now, this is a well intentioned law but the reality is why would you rent out a property if it’s hard to evict your tenants?

Some local councils are buying up the former BTL properties that are coming on the market - this is good news if it increases social housing stock and reduces the insane amount that councils are currently spending on putting people up in temporary accommodation.

I’d be interested to understand whether the rental system in Europe, where renting long-term is much more common, does actually work well. If so, how come they can do it and we can’t?

Exactly, the dreaded service charges. Also the other crap that comes with leasehold tenure. The days of sellers making money on flats are long gone, generally speaking. There is an enormous number of flats for sale, often reduced and on sale for months and months. I would never buy one, no matter how cheap. More broadly, the property market is nowhere near as buoyant as a few years ago, so some landlords hoping to sell are in for a rude awakening.

@Buzzlightfear plus you can’t say no to dogs or charge more for them. Great you may say.

I had a tenant once who had 3 huge dogs, she didn’t tell me at the time, when she moved out, after only living there a short while, I had to rip up all the carpets as they stank of dog wee. I still remember the stench - it was awful.

The new Act says tough you have to accept this. Another reason why LLs are exiting.

The corporate landlord we had was by far the best and easiest to deal with.

Section 21 notices allow landlords to evict on a known pathway and the tenant can’t spin it out indefinitely - we evicted a non paying tenant under a section 21 a few years ago in preference to using a section 8 (which was designed for non payers) because it was so much more straightforward. The courts are backed up now so getting rid of nightmare tenants in the future is going to be hideous and I have a monthly mortgage to pay…
The non paying tenant still owes us £11k.
i will be selling up when our current tenants give notice.

This is what we have done. Had two rental properties which were used by us or family and then kept on to rent out.
We always let at very good rental prices (below going rate) and were good landlords.
we sold both last year due to changes with the section 21 clause and because financially it just wasn’t making any sense to continue anymore.

Yep. And the mass sale of private rentals. It was obvious it would happen. But the private rental market now is horrifically expensive and very very limited. I really feel for the vulnerable in this equation. But it was a self fulfilling prophecy. Private landlords will stop being landlords if there is no benefit to them.

@Buzzlightfear

To answer your question. I’m a landlord and am on a FB and various other LL forums - basically they’re scared. Why?

The fines are huge for not being compliant.
Before May we have to issue a notice to tenants about the new changes - failure to do so £7000 fine. Failure to protect a deposit within 30 days 1-3 times the deposit amount. Failure to register with ICO £4000 fine and so on. if you need a selective licence for your property up to £1000. Yes , a LL should adhere and be compliant but a mistake will be costly.

There are also tenant forums advising people to play the system - move in don’t pay your rent it’ll take 18 months to get you out. Nice cheap living. Not many want to take the risk of this happening.

These are just some of the reasons why they’re exiting.

I have lovely tenants but as soon as they move out I will be selling up. Not because of the new rules but because of age.