THE government was urged today to extend the ban on evictions after fears that the thousands of private renters made homeless during the pandemic will be the tip of the iceberg.

According to new government figures, a quarter of households in England who had applied to their local council for help with housing between January and March this year were renting from a private landlord.

A fifth of households, totalling 15,130, had lost their last settled home due to private landlords ending their tenancies.

Of these, a quarter lost their tenancy as a result of rent arrears.

Almost 5,000 households were threatened with homelessness as a result of being served with a section 21 “no-fault” eviction notice.

Existing research by housing charity Shelter shows almost 230,000 private renters in England have fallen into arrears since the pandemic started in March, which could put them all at risk of evictions in the near future.

And despite the freeze on evictions, which expires on Sunday, more than 170,000 private tenants have already been threatened with eviction by their landlord or letting agent.  

Shelter chief executive Polly Neate said: “With daily news of new job cuts and the eviction ban set to lift on Monday, the coming months are likely to see a devastating homelessness crisis unfold unless the government steps in to safeguard people’s homes.”

She urged the government to change the law so that judges have the power to stop renters being evicted because of Covid-19, and to provide enough funding for councils to help those threatened with eviction.

Shadow housing secretary Thangam Debbonaire said that there is an “urgent need” to continue the freeze on evictions ban.

The British Medical Association has also called for an extension of the ban on evictions to avoid a potential surge in cases of the coronavirus, and for a 12-month duty to be placed on councils to help people sleeping rough find accommodation.

People who are homeless are three times more likely to be chronically ill with lung and breathing problems, a serious risk factor in the development of the virus, the doctors’ union warned.