Rongmala, a 57-year-old disabled woman who became an 'accidental' landlord after moving in with her children, is trapped in a financial crisis. Her tenant has stopped paying rent, leaving her £15,000 in arrears, yet she cannot evict them due to severe court delays.
'My children are helping me for everything, but I don't want that,' she says, describing the depression caused by lost income. She has had to cover boiler repairs, service charges, and a mortgage on the property despite receiving a court order for possession. Court-appointed bailiffs may not remove the tenant for up to 11 months.
The situation highlights concerns about the upcoming Renters' Rights Act, which bans 'no fault' evictions from May 1. Landlords warn that the new rules will increase reliance on an already clogged court system, while renters face their own struggles with soaring rents and insecurity.
Under current law, Section 21 notices allow eviction without reason. The new Act restricts evictions to specific grounds like rent arrears or anti-social behaviour. Landlords fear it will be harder to remove problematic tenants, but renter advocates celebrate the change as long overdue.
Government figures show that private landlords now wait a median of 26 weeks to repossess a property, up from 16 weeks a decade ago. The average rent loss per property exceeds £12,000 nationally and £19,000 in London.
A government spokesperson said reforms would 'reduce pressure on the courts in the long-term' and that 1,000 new judges and tribunal members are being recruited this year.