Our landlord gave us an eviction notice just before Christmas and now three of our four children share a room
A FATHER has revealed how him and his wife were left devastated after being served an eviction notice weeks ahead of Christmas.
Trevor and Tnaesha Twohig were told in November they had just two months to find a new property after being issued a Section 21 notice.
The couple are one of thousands of households who have been handed so-called no-fault evictions in the last 15 months ahead of a ban later this year.
Trevor and Tnaesha, 44 and 34, from Ashford, Kent, scrambled to find a new place to live with their four kids in the same town, moving in last month.
But the new property means three of the children, aged seven, five and four, are having to share one bedroom while schools for all four are now miles further away.
Trevor said: "It was absolutely devastating to receive the section 21 (notice).
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"Knowing how hard it is to find accommodation and the possibility of uprooting our children around Christmas was anxiety-inducing.
"Our children are our priority so for them to be far further away from school and away from friends was extremely sad for us."
Issues for Trevor and Tnaesha started after their landlord asked for an increase in rent of £200 a month - from £1,550 to £1,750.
They agreed, on the basis they could stay in the property for a year, but after deliberation the landlord said he would be selling the home due to "personal reasons".
The couple said they have since been told by a friend their old property has gone on the market for £2,200 a month - £450 more than the increased rate they had agreed to pay.
Trevor and Tnaesha, both teachers, said they lived there for three and a half years, with the landlord never flagging any issues.
They made it clear their finances were in relatively good order, but the eviction had taken a toll on them emotionally.
Trevor said: "I wouldn't say I was struggling (financially).
"But obviously having four children, the extra rent was manageable but a challenge.
"It was very upsetting for my wife and it made her very emotional. There were definitely a few sleepless nights."
It wasn't just being served with the Section 21 notice, but the timing that Trevor said had caused particular stress.
"Obviously it happened in the run up to Christmas and we had to look for a new place.
"Where we live at the minute, for every one house around 20 people are applying for it."
THOUSANDS AFFECTED
Trevor and Tnaesha are one of thousands of households who have been served Section 21 notices in recent months.
The latest data from the Ministry of Justice showed 32,287 accelerated possession orders were made in 2024 compared to 30,230 in 2023.
These orders can be made by landlords if tenants have not left their property by a date specified in a Section 21 notice.
What to do if you've been served a section 21 notice
Here is what you can do, according to the Renters' Reform Coalition...
Check the form - A section 21 notice must be on an official form, known as a 6a form. Your landlord can't issue an eviction notice just by telling you in person or by text/email.
Check if the form is valid - you must be given at least two months notice to vacate a property. You also can't be given a section 21 if your tenancy started less than four months prior. If you are on a fixed term contract you can't receive a section 21 unless there is a break clause in it.
These things can also make a section 21 notice invalid:
- The council have given your landlord an improvement notice to fix things, or an emergency works notice, in the last 6 months.
- Your deposit isn't in a deposit protection scheme. In that case the landlord must return it to you before they can issue a section 21.
- The property is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) but it doesn't have a HMO licence from the council. In some areas all rented properties need a licence - check with your council.
- The landlord has charged you illegal fees - such as a deposit worth more than 5 weeks rent, or admin fees. In this case they must return the money to you before serving a section 21.
- You never received key paperwork for the property - the Energy Performance Certificate, the 'How to rent' guide, and a gas safety certificate (if there is gas).
What to do if the section 21 is valid:
You don't have to leave the property at the end of your section 21 notice. Your landlord still has to apply to court for a possession order and a warrant for eviction, to use court bailiffs to evict you.
If you are remaining in your property after the end of a section 21 notice, make sure you inform your landlord and continue to pay rent while you look for another place to live.
If you can't find somewhere to rent and are facing homelessness, tell your council immediately. They should be able to advise you on what to do and provide emergency temporary accommodation or other support.
The figures also showed there were 2,947 evictions by bailiffs following a section 21 notice being made between October and December last year.
This was an almost 10% increase from 2,671 over the same three month period in 2023.
The figures come ahead of an upcoming ban on no-fault evictions as part of the Government's Renters' Rights Bill.
The Bill has already gone through the House of Commons and is expected to become law this year.
Tom Darling, director at the Renters' Reform Coalition, which campaigns for renters' rights, said: "For far too long, section 21 has allowed landlords to threaten and bully tenants with impunity.
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"Landlords' power to evict without reason has made insecurity a basic fact of life for millions of private renters, driven up homelessness and seen thousands of families forced out of their homes and communities every year.
"After years of campaigning by renters groups, the Renters' Rights Bill will finally put a stop to this - but to make a real difference the bill must be watertight, with no loopholes, and properly enforced."
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