Claims to evict people from Watford homes double in a year

Mayor Peter Taylor confirmed Watford Borough Council has been dealing with more people in need of housing support amid the cost-of-living crisis and encouraged people at risk not to wait to seek help and advice.

From October to December last year landlords tried to remove tenants from 63 homes in Watford and lenders made five bids to evict mortgage holders.

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One household was evicted by court-ordered bailiffs as a result of Section 21 "no-fault" proceedings, which allow landlords to remove tenants without a reason.

For the same months in 2021, the Ministry of Justice figures show that just 34 were submitted.

Watford mayor Peter Taylor said: “We are seeing an increase in the number of people needing housing support due to mortgage repossessions and private rental eviction claims.

“This is due to the fallout from the mini budget last year and its effects on interest rates as well as the ongoing cost-of-living emergency putting pressure on household budgets.

Watford mayor Peter Taylor (Image: Watford Borough Council)“Unfortunately, we expect to see more of these cases as homeowners and landlords find it more difficult to re-mortgage."

He advised those in financial difficulty to get in touch with Citizens Advice Watford as soon as possible.

“The earlier people reach out, the better the chance of dealing with the problem and avoiding repossession,” he added.

Unlike England and Wales as a whole, where eviction claims are still down compared with four years ago, the latest figures for Watford were higher than before the pandemic.

In the final quarter of 2019, 52 bids to evict people were made in Watford.

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A government spokesperson said it recognised that many are struggling with the cost of living.

They said: “Ensuring a fair deal for renters remains a priority.

“We will deliver our commitment to abolish Section 21 no-fault evictions as soon as we can in this Parliament – protecting 1.3 million families – and have provided £366 million for local councils to help prevent evictions and provide temporary accommodation.”

They also highlighted the Energy Price Guarantee which the government says will save the average household £900 this winter.