Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has written to billionaire property owner Asif Aziz following allegations that his company is issuing large numbers of Section 21 eviction notices ahead of the planned ban on the practice.
The claims relate to properties owned by Criterion Capital, where several private tenants have reportedly received Section 21 eviction notices. Critics have described the approach as unacceptable given the government’s intention to abolish so-called no fault evictions at the start of May 2026.
It is understood that a number of residents living at Britannia Point in Colliers Wood, Delta Point in Croydon and Emerald House in New Malden, which collectively feature 606 flats, have been served notice to vacate.
Criterion Capital, a property firm that also owns the Trocadeo building in Leicester Square, said these were “routine and lawful tenancy matters” and denied it was accelerating action ahead of legislative reform.
A Mayor of London spokesperson said Khan is “appalled” at the reports and has written to Criterion Capital asking the company to “urgently explain their actions”.
“It is unacceptable to force Londoners out of their homes for no good reason – it leaves residents in an awful position, scared about the future for themselves and their family,” they added.
Through The Aziz Foundation, his family’s charity, Aziz has collaborated with the Mayor of London every year since 2023 to sponsor the official Ramadan Lights switch on, taking place as recently as 14 February.
In a letter sent directly to Aziz, the mayor followed up on an earlier request by London’s deputy mayor for housing Tom Copley, asking for “urgent clarification”.
Mr Khan wrote: “No such explanation has been forthcoming, and you have failed to provide assurances at all about the security of residents. This has created an increasingly worrying and uncertain situation for tenants, particularly now that further allegations have been put to us about evictions already underway.”
“The right to a good, safe and stable home is fundamental and I am steadfast in my opposition to the use of Section 21 no-fault evictions, let alone their potential use on a mass scale.”
According to Merton councillor Stuart Neaverson, Criterion Capital’s alleged actions would be “the largest mass eviction London has seen in recent years”.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “The mayor is appalled at reports Criterion Capital are mass evicting Londoners from their homes. We have written to them and asked them to urgently explain their actions.
“Sadiq has always been clear that every Londoner deserves the security and dignity of a stable home. However, unfortunately, we know that the biggest cause of homelessness is a Section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction.
“That is why we welcome the upcoming changes as part of this Government’s groundbreaking Renters’ Rights Act, which will ban Section 21 evictions in England from 1 May 2026.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has written to billionaire property owner Asif Aziz following allegations that his company is issuing large numbers of Section 21 eviction notices ahead of the planned ban on the practice.
‘several private tenants’
‘a number of residents’
‘large numbers of Section 21 eviction notices’
‘mass scale’
‘mass evictions’
Am I missing something??
RRA was always going to have unitended consequences and under the current regs the landlord is not doing anything wrong legally. I can’t imagine S21s will be served on well behaved residents who pay on time though.
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I know of a chap with 200 apartments who’s given the tenants till mid March to come up with a property owning guarantor.
If not a notice will be issued.
Squeaky bum time for the tenants.
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So is this news that even a Labour supporter disagrees with the government’s mandate. Admittedly he has a large portfolio as opposed to the average Joe with one or two units but nonetheless the same sentiment applies.
In due course the courts will be overloaded & more screams from all & sundry.
Section 21 worked & like all things if it “ain’t broke don’t try & fix it” – but there again Labour appears to have broken the UK.
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And still, local and central government are stumbling around in the dark chanting their anti landlord mantra. Citizen khan has been very vocal on the matter of private landlords but obviously even his mate aziz und
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In my opinion the only useful thing Khan can do is resign & tender his cv to Murphy’s construction group to fill in pot holes – if they would have him.
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Unable to edit previous comment- aziz understands how this terrible law will affect all landlords.
No matter how many toys khan throws out of his pram, there is nothing he can do!
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