As thousands of renters in Wales face the prospect of eviction from next month, a community union fighting their corner is taking action to demand Welsh Government steps in to protect them.
On Saturday 22nd August, the Cardiff branch of ACORN – a community based union of tenants, workers and residents – will hand an eviction notice to First Minister Mark Drakeford & Housing Minister Julie James, after picketing Cardiff court ahead of the lifting of the eviction ban. The ban had been due to lift on Monday, but was extended by just 4 weeks amid growing outcry at a wave of Covid related evictions.
ACORN – the union taking today’s action – say they are resisting evictions and defending communities as the Welsh Government’s Covid eviction freeze comes to an end, leaving thousands of people at risk of homelessness. Eviction precedings are now due to resume on 20th September.
The union says there are around 15,000 private tenants across Wales who have been served eviction notices and face losing their homes due to Covid-related rent arrears. When the ban is lifted, their housing security is under huge risk.
Under a Section-21 notice, also known as a no-fault eviction, a landlord can evict a tenant without having to give a reason. From 23rd July the notice period for these evictions was extended to six months, but for renters who received eviction notices between 27th March and 23rd July, the notice period is just 3 months.
During lockdown however, courts have not heard eviction cases, meaning no one can be legally kicked out of their home for no reason.
When the eviction ban is lifted in September, courts can begin serving possession orders again. This means that someone who received a possession order in May can be evicted at the behest of their landlord in a matter of days. And from September 1st, the notice period for no-fault evictions reverts back to just 3 months, leaving thousands at risk of losing their home at Christmas.
One solution would simply be to ban Section-21 notices altogether, something Welsh Government could do immediately to protect renters. As well as calling to outlaw Section-21 notices, the union is also demanding a cancellation of rent debt and the introduction of rent caps.
According to Rent Smart Wales, nearly 40% of an estimated 180,000 tenants in the private rental sector in Wales have fallen behind on rent in lockdown. Research from Shelter Cymru indicates that over 15,000 private tenants are facing eviction.
With Britain entering its deepest recession since records began, it is expected that the number of renters in arrears will increase rapidly. In April, voice.wales produced a major feature looking at the shocking treatment of renters in Wales.
ACORN Cardiff member Nicki said “This health & economic crisis has hit tenants with job losses, pay cuts and insecurity – compounded by the risk of losing their home. We need the Welsh Government to step up to protect our communities from widespread evictions. Thousands of families are at risk of homelessness in the middle of a pandemic when the six month ban on eviction notices ends in September. So far, the Welsh Government has only organised loans for renters – pushing people in crisis further into debt. If the Welsh Government doesn’t act to stop a homelessness crisis, then ACORN will.”
“Today we’re taking action to send a message to the Welsh Government and to Welsh landlords: we will fight unjust evictions in our communities. We will not allow the burden of the COVID19 economic crisis to be put on the poorest in our communities”
They say they want to give the First Minister a taste of what it feels like to be served an eviction notice.
Today, Saturday 22nd August, ACORN Cardiff will be demonstrating outside the eviction court house on Park Street in Cardiff, to symbolically highlight the injustices of those falling into debt because of this pandemic.
The union says that hundreds of people have attended ACORN’s Community Protection Training sessions over the last 2 months, getting trained in eviction resistance and joining Community Protection Teams in order to defend their neighbours and their communities when evictions begin.
