LANDLORDS in England evicted a tenant every 90 seconds over the last year, homelessness charity Shelter revealed yesterday.

More than 352,000 people were threatened with being turned out onto the streets as 149,542 main tenants were issued with court possession claims between October 2014 and last September.

Shelter, which analysed Ministry of Justice data, said one in every 55 households renting privately or from a social landlord was at risk of homelessness.

Possession claims do not always end in eviction, but figures suggest that a third of tenants do end up losing their homes.

Fast-rising rents, housing benefit cuts and a woeful lack of truly affordable homes are ramping up the pressure on cash-strapped households.

Angela, who has a five-year-old son, fell into arrears after her rent increased. They were both evicted by bailiffs last month and have been sleeping on a friend’s sofa since then.

She said: “My son was born in that house, he learned to walk and talk there. We had friends and a garden and a stable home and now it has all gone.

“I’ve tried to explain our situation the best way I can to him and I’m trying to stay positive for him, but it’s so hard.”

Shelter services director Alison Mohammed said: “We speak to parents every day who are desperately trying to keep a roof over their children’s heads.

“But with rents soaring and housing support being slashed, many are finding themselves at breaking point.”

London dominated the list of eviction hotspots, with Enfield ranked the worst borough. One in every 21 renting households in the capital has been at risk of losing their home.

Other hotspots include two more London boroughs, Barking and Dagenham and Redbridge, along with Rochdale, Bolton, Chorley, Peterborough, Solihull, Slough and Leicester.