Repossessions and Evictions.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation is an independent organisation working to inspire social change through research, policy and practice. In their annual report posted only this week they reveal the definitive picture of poverty in the UK.

The topic from the report we are spotlighting is on housing and specifically on repossessions and evictions.

In their report they state that Mortgage repossessions are at their lowest level for 10 years with particularly low rates in the South of England. Landlord evictions have been rising for five years and the rate in London is more than double the other English regions.

There were 38,000 evictions in England and Wales in 2014/15, almost five times the number of mortgage repossessions of 8,000. The number of mortgage repossessions peaked in 2008/09 at 37,000, and excluding a small rise in 2011/12 has been falling sharply since. In 2014/15 the number of mortgage repossessions was at its lowest for ten years.

Conversely, following five consecutive years of increases, the number of evictions of renting households is at its highest for at least ten years. About half of these evictions were carried out by social landlords. The number of such evictions increased sharply in the year to 2013/14 (up by 3,100) but only slightly in the year to 2014/15 (up by 850) to reach 19,000.

The number of evictions by a private landlord is much smaller at 4,600 in 2014/15. Although it is double the number ten years earlier, it only accounts for 12 per cent of evictions.

Most of the recent rise in evictions has been though the use of ‘accelerated possession orders’ which can be used by social and private landlords with shorthold tenancies once the initial fixed tenancy period has ended (typically a 6 or 12 month period). It allows possession orders to be made by the court solely on the basis of written evidence and without calling parties to a hearing. Some 14,000 evictions in 2014/15 used accelerated possession orders. The number of such evictions has risen by at least 1,000 every year since 2009/10 and has driven the rise in overall landlord evictions.

To see more on this specific report or Housing in general or to see the full report “Monitoring Povery and Social Exclusion 2015” visit: https://www.jrf.org.uk/mpse-2015?utm_content=buffer7b2ac&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Right to Manage: changes to legislation come into effect on Monday

On Monday 3 March further provisions within the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 come into force, including Section 49 which concerns the change of non-residential limit on Right to Manage (RTM) claims. This secondary legislation will mean that residential leaseholders within a mixed-use scheme will qualify for RTM when the commercial element of a…
Read More
Breaking News

Fall in construction workloads, warns Federation of Master Builders

Workloads for small building companies fell by 8% in the last three months of 2024, according to the latest Q4 2024 State of Trade Survey from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB said, “The latest State of Trade Survey, looking at SME construction activity during the last three…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Propertymark response to latest HMRC UK property transactions report

Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark, comments: “Upcoming threshold changes regarding Stamp Duty for those buying in England and Northern Ireland will no doubt have had people aiming to complete with a higher degree of urgency than normal on their new home before the April deadline. “Overall, the figures represent an encouraging underpinning for the housing…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Nationwide House Price Index – Thoughts from the Industry

Latest data from Nationwide showing property prices have risen by 3.9%, here are some thoughts from the industry. Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark: “Year on year it is positive to see progression within the housing market, and it is encouraging to see momentum continue as we head further into 2025. There are still aspects to…
Read More
Breaking News

Nationwide HPI – House price growth remains solid in February

Annual rate of house price growth remained broadly stable in February at 3.9%, compared with 4.1% in January House prices up 0.4% month on month Recovery in housing market transactions in 2024 Headlines Feb-25 Jan-25 Monthly Index* 543.7 541.6 Monthly Change* 0.4% 0.1% Annual Change 3.9% 4.1% Average Price (not seasonally adjusted) £270,493 £268,213 *…
Read More
Home and Living

What’s the Best Sofa for a Cozy Winter Living Room?

Winter transforms living rooms into sanctuaries of warmth and comfort, with the sofa playing a central role in creating that cozy atmosphere. A well-chosen sofa can make the difference between a merely functional space and a truly inviting winter retreat. The ideal winter sofa combines deep, plush cushioning with durable materials like velvet or high-performance…
Read More