Jessica Whittam and her four children have been dealing with housing issues for a long time and now find themselves at risk of homelessness, despite not being at fault.
Jessica, 42, had been living with her children, aged 22, 19, 13, and 11, in a property in Stoke for three years. They first received the notice last year, which allows landlords to evict tenants without giving any reason, but it wasn’t enforced.
However, in January, they received a second Section 21 notice, also known as a no-fault eviction, instructing them to leave in April.
Jessica told Plymouth Live: “I have never been in this exact situation, but have had housing issues in the past. This next move will be our 22nd in 20 years! We were initially served with a section 21 at the end of summer last year.
“However as the landlord did not follow through with the first one we had another one issued in January for us to leave in April.”
The mother of four says she has received inconsistent advice, making it difficult to understand the situation. She said: “The advice which I have received has been very hit and miss. I have been told different things by different people who all work in the same place, so there has been a lot of confusion.”
As a result, Jessica and her four children currently have nowhere to live and will have to temporarily stay with her mother, who is also facing housing issues. However, this arrangement is only short-term, as Jessica explained: “That may not be an option for long. It will be cramped as I will have to store my family’s belongings in the downstairs room, so my two eldest will have to be on blow-up beds in the front room.”
Jessica has been advised to remain in the property for now and is waiting for further support and guidance from professionals. She advises others in a similar situation to stay strong and make use of their friends and family for support.
She said: “Don’t give up, utilise your friends and family and make sure you’re heard. Too many people are facing these dire circumstances and the fact that a private landlord can just throw a family out knowing the housing crisis we’re in is deplorable.”
The issue of no-fault evictions affects more than just Jessica. Citizen’s Advice has increasingly heard from private renters facing the same situation. Last year, 150 households in Devon received “no-fault” eviction notices from their landlords, with Plymouth being the most affected area.
Between April and June 2022, 76 households in Devon were at risk of homelessness due to Section 21 no-fault evictions, representing a 63 percent increase compared to the same period in 2021.
Matthew Upton from Citizen’s Advice said: “Our advisers are increasingly hearing from renters who are being forced to uproot their entire lives after receiving a Section 21 notice. For too long, renters have lived in precarious situations with few protections while landlords have held all the cards.
“Reforms to the private rental sector are welcome but they’re open to abuse from unscrupulous landlords. The Government must ensure reforms are watertight and not include loopholes which allow Section 21 evictions to continue by the backdoor.”
Section 21 notices are set to be abolished with the introduction of the Renters’ (Reform) Bill, fulfilling a Conservative manifesto commitment made in 2019. However, the earliest estimated timeline for the abolition of Section 21 notices is spring 2025, according to The Independent Landlord.
The Government aims to “empower renters to challenge poor landlords without fear of losing their home”. They state: “Any attempt to get around the law will not tolerated and our reforms will prevent section21 from being replicated through rent hikes”.
They added: “Where landlords seek possession through a court, they must prove their intention to sell or move themselves or family members into the property. To prevent landlords from exploiting these grounds, they will not be able to re-market or relet their property for three months after using them.”
Plymouth City Council says anyone at risk of becoming homeless should get in touch. The PCC website states: “If you’re looking for somewhere to live or are worried about losing your home, talk to us as soon as possible. We can provide help, advice and support to prevent you from becoming homeless.”
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