Possession claims look set to double amid cost of living crisis

Paul Shamplina (left) with Daniel Hewitt
Paul Shamplina (left) with Daniel Hewitt

Possession claims look set to double this year due to a combination of benefits freezes, soaring food and energy bills and the end of Covid eviction bans.

The number of possessions in the private rented sector could jump by more than 40,000 this year year, a well-known evictions expert has has predicted as landlords take action to protect their property investments.

Landlord Action’s Paul Shamplina told ITV’s Tonight programme: “The courts are getting better at processing possession cases, but even now the eviction restrictions have been lifted, it will take a landlord the best part of six months to get their property back.”

Tonight, which airs today at 8.30pm on ITV, looks at the PRS where thousands of people risk losing their homes.

The buy-to-let market has seen a number of regulatory changes in recent years, particularly during the pandemic with eviction suspensions and extended notice periods but, with the ban on bailiff-led evictions at an end and a growing cost of living crisis, there is a new wave of imminent evictions looming.

Shamplina provides an exclusive insight into evictions and arrears by showing viewers the real-life eviction process as well as exposing the different elements that are causing the volume of possession claims to increase.

He takes along ITV’s political correspondent Daniel Hewitt as he serves notice to a number of tenants, including one tenant living at a property in Harrow who had significant rent arrears, and an eviction in Hounslow featuring a tenant in serious arrears.

Shamplina added: “The Tonight programme really portrays the level of claims we’re seeing right now, provides the reality of how both landlords and tenants alike are struggling and looks at what the government can do to help with this tougher economy in 2022 and beyond.”

 

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5 Comments

  1. PossessionFriendUK39

    I think they ( Possession –  debt cases ) will certainly rise,  but as for  ‘ Double ‘  – I think that’s a publicity-chasing comment.

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  2. Typhoon

    Cobblers!  Attention. Grabbing Sound bites.  The man doesn’t know what he is talking about

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  3. Woodentop

    40,000 possessions. Back to normal then.

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    1. A W

      This is accurate.From 2016 onward the average claims were around 30-35k per year, obviously there was a drop off from 2020… so realistically we’re merely going back to the norm.

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  4. AcornsRNuts

    I wonder what is the difference between significant arrears and serious arrears?

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