120% increase in London landlords quitting temporary accommodation sector

Results from a new survey discovered housing pressures in the capital city are hitting ‘new extremes’ as properties are being withdrawn from being used as temporary accommodation.

A new survey conducted by London Councils, of which results were published at the end of August, highlighted the surge of landlords in London who have withdrawn from the temporary accommodation sector that helps provide homes for people facing life on the streets.

Experts found between September 2022 and April 2023, 15 boroughs reported receiving a Notice to Quit – a legal notice requesting the return of a property – from landlords for 3,531 properties in use as temporary accommodation.

This displays a 120% increase in the 1,601 notices received over the same period in 2021-22 and is equivalent to a loss of 6% of London’s total temporary accommodation stock.

Against this backdrop, London Councils is estimating that almost 170,000 people in London are now homeless and in temporary accommodation. This equates to one in 50 Londoners overall and includes one in 23 children in the capital.

Following this, there has also been a drastic increase – 781% – in homeless families placed in bed and breakfast accommodation beyond the legal six-week limit. This equates to 1,287 London families stuck in unsuitable B&B accommodation in April 2023 compared to 146 the same month last year. 

Cllr Darren Rodwell, London Councils’ executive member for regeneration, housing & planning, said: ‘Turbulence in the private rented sector is a key factor behind the capitals skyrocketing rates of homelessness.

‘The combination of fast-rising private rents and a dramatic fall in the availability of rental properties is driving housing pressures in the capital to new extremes.

‘Boroughs are seriously struggling to secure temporary accommodation for homeless families. Across London we see landlords withdrawing their properties from use as temporary accommodation, with the result that boroughs run out of alternatives and end up placing more and more families with children in unsuitable B&Bs.’

In addition, data collected by London Councils suggests boroughs’ monthly spending on temporary accommodation increased by 16.3% from April 2022-23. It is also estimated the net deficit across London boroughs’ homelessness services is on course to reach £244m in 2023-24, an increase of 37% on the estimated deficit in 2022-23.

Image: Evelyn Paris

More on this topic:

Mayor of London calls on Housing Taskforce as progress of new homes slows