The Liberal Democrats is calling for an emergency ban on no fault evictions and banks repossessing people’s homes over the festive period.
According to an analysis of Department for Levelling Up data from last year, the political party has estimated that around 3,500 families could be threatened with homelessness over the holiday break between 23 December and 1 January. The research also found that 560 of these families, equal to around 16 per cent, are facing the threat of homelessness due to a no fault eviction.
The Liberal Democrats says that this means around 349 families per day could face homelessness every day during the festive period.
UK Finance figures show that 2,120 households have been repossessed so far this year.
The Renters Reform Bill has now reached the committee stage in the House of Commons earlier this month, having been introduced in parliamentary sessions in 2022-2023 and 2023-2024.
One of the main measures includes ending no fault evictions, along with developing a new decent homes standard and a new property portal for rental housing amid others.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the private rented sector warned that without adequate support the reforms will not succeed, especially with regards to rooting out rogue and criminal landlords.
The Mortgage Charter, which covers around 90 per cent of the mortgage market, also means that a “borrower will not be forced to leave their home without their consent unless in exceptional circumstances, in less than a year from their first missed payment”.
Ban on no-fault evictions needed
Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “Rishi Sunak and his cabinet are totally out of touch with people facing soaring rents and mortgage bills this Christmas. Families are having to live with the threat of losing their home looming over them every day over the festive period.
“Renters and homeowners shouldn’t have to face losing their homes through no fault of their own. We need an emergency ban on banks repossessing people’s homes over the Christmas period, and the long-promised ban on no-fault evictions must be brought in now without further delay.”
He continued: “No one should be left out in the cold this winter. The Conservative Party have crashed our economy with all their chaos, the British public should not be left to pay the price.”
