Presenter Kay Burley reminded Hollinrake that it was former Conservative prime minister May who first promised to scrap no-fault evictions almost six years ago.
“It is fair to say that the leader of the opposition, Kemi Badenoch, has a different view on that,” said Hollinrake.
“Because if you stop a landlord from saying to a tenant – particularly a tenant that is not paying their rent or damaging a property or guilty of anti-social behaviour – from evicting that tenant, that cannot be a good thing. Particularly for landlords who own a few properties or somebody who wants to rent their property because they are moving to a different part of the country or different part of the world.
“If you say to those landlords you cannot get your property back in those circumstances, or it will take nine months to get that tenant out because they are not paying the rent, then those landlords will be less willing to rent out their property, which won’t be good for their tenants.
“That’s the natural consequence of saying that you cannot evict a tenant in those circumstances.”
The Tory U-turn raises fresh questions on the direction the party is heading under Badenoch by abandoning a promise that helped the Tories seize power six years ago and, on which, they failed to deliver.
Scrapping section 21 evictions is the headline measure of the Renters’ Rights Bill, which aims to boost standards and security for tenants and reset the power balance with landlords.
Even the landlord lobby has accepted that no-fault evictions, widely considered a leading driver of homelessness, are ending.
A statement signed by the National Residential Landlords Association, British Property Federation and Goodlord said this week: “We accept that section 21 repossessions are ending, and support measures to ensure every rental property is of a decent quality.
“However, the government’s proposed changes risk making access to rented housing harder for the very people we want to support.”
Labour’s bill also includes new grounds for eviction which could see tenants guilty of anti-social behaviour evicted with a four-week notice period.
Measures to allow landlords to recover their property when a tenant is in arrears are also part of the bill, although the notice period has been extended from two to four weeks, while tenants must now be in three months of arrears rather than two.
Ben Twomey, chief executive at Generation Rent, said: “Everyone needs a safe, secure home. It is the foundation of our lives, but for private renters it can be snatched away only too easily. Banning section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, which the Tories first promised in 2019, will give renters across England desperately needed security whilst reducing homelessness.
“Under the new law, landlords will still be able to evict if they want to sell the property or move themselves or a family member in and evictions related to rent arrears and anti-social behaviour will remain.
“72% of the public support ending section 21. Meanwhile, Tory MPs, like those of every other major party, were voted in on a commitment to end it.”
Hollinrake’s admission comes in the week where The Independent that Labour had asked for the Tory MP to recuse himself from the Renters’ Rights Bill debate over his financial interests.
The Thirsk and Malton MP’s register of financial interests shows that he has shareholding valued at more than £70,000 in an estate agency franchising group, which The Independent alleges has lobbied regulators and government bodies on the Conservatives’ Renters Reform Bill.
The register also reveals he is a private landlord with five properties in York and a stake about 15% in a letting and estate agents firm.
In response to the allegations, Hollinrake said: “My interests have been properly and transparently declared in line with parliamentary rules.
“During my decade in parliament, I have always sought to represent the best interests of consumers, evidenced by successfully arguing for the abolition of tenant fees which had a significant negative financial impact on businesses in the letting sector.
“That’s why I’ve consistently argued against the Renters’ Rights Bill as it will be disastrous for tenants as supply will fall, choice will reduce and rents will increase.”
The Big Issue has contacted Hollinrake’s office for further comment.
But the situation has attracted criticism from tenants’ union Acorn.
“It comes as little surprise to hear comments from the shadow housing secretary Kevin Hollinrake in favour of keeping section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, and to hear that he holds shares in a property company that has lobbied against pro-renter reforms,” said Martin Mawdsley, a renter in Liverpool and Acorn representative.
“Section 21 evictions are cruel, devastating and give landlords an unacceptable level of power over tenants. This is something that has almost universal agreement, with even the Tories attempting to scrap them with their Renters Reform Bill during their last five years in office. But with members of the party, including the new leadership, with a vested landlord interest, it is little surprise that they failed to pass these reforms.
“The new Renters’ Rights Bill will still allow landlords to get properties back for valid reasons, but we’re pleased that they will no longer have the power to kick people out through no fault of their own. This will give renters greater stability and peace of mind, the right to a secure home from which they can live their lives.”
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