MORE than a dozen rental properties have been repossessed without an explicit reason given in York since the Government pledged to ban no-fault evictions in 2019, new figures show.

And an MP in the city said people are being left with "no security", which can lead to "lasting depression and anxiety".

The Government published the Renters Reform Bill in May, but it is yet to pass through Parliament - and the Shelter charity has urged the Conservatives to prioritise the bill and protect renters.

The latest Ministry of Justice figures show 13 repossessions have been made through 'accelerated possession orders' in York since the beginning of April 2019.

Of them, 10 were completed in the year to June – up from two in the year before.

An accelerated possession order means the landlord served a Section 21 eviction and the tenant must vacate the property within two months. The landlord does not have to provide a reason.

York Central MP, Rachael Maskell, said more needs to be done to give residents the security they need.

Ms Maskell said: "Renters in York are being served eviction notices on an almost daily basis, escalating the York housing crisis. This Government’s failure to legislate has left renters vulnerable, never knowing when they will be asked to leave their homes.

York Press: An accelerated possession order means the landlord served a Section 21 eviction and the tenant must vacate the property within two monthsAn accelerated possession order means the landlord served a Section 21 eviction and the tenant must vacate the property within two months (Image: Newsquest)

"Sometimes families find alternative accommodation only to be served another Section 21 notice and they have to go through the process all over again. It is horrendous for families to repeatedly have to go through this. There is no security and it can leave people with lasting depression and anxiety. People need security. 

“While some cases have ended up in the courts, the majority of tenants get a text, email or letter telling them that they have to vacate their property. Some landlords have used this to then turn their property into a more lucrative Short Term Holiday Let, or even to continue in the private rental sector with significantly higher rents. 

“Despite now publishing its Renters Reform Bill, there is no scheduled date for a Second Reading, so we may see nothing on the statute books for some time to come. Labour has long tried to amend previous legislation to demand an end to ‘no fault evictions’, improve standards in the private rental sector and to protect tenants."

These 'no-fault' evictions have accounted for 22,440 repossessions across England and Wales since April 2019, when the Government pledged to ban them in its election manifesto.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said its Renters Reform Bill "will protect renters by abolishing section-21 ‘no-fault’ evictions".

"We are committed to creating a private rented sector that is fit for the 21st century, which works for responsible landlords while giving tenants greater security in their homes," a spokesperson said.