Some families have been evicted by landlords during the purchase process for new homes now being used by councils as temporary accommodation, reports Katherine Gray, Local Democracy Reporter
A government minister has said London’s borough councils must ensure no-one is made homeless when properties are bought on the open market for use as temporary accommodation.
The comment from homelessness minister Alison McGovern comes after an investigation revealed landlords may be kicking out tenants to enable the deals to proceed, meaning large numbers of people could be being made homeless in order to house homeless families.
Last month, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) revealed that one third of London councils don’t know if people are being evicted as a result of the sales.
At least two London local authorities – Westminster and Enfield – have been aware of evictions taking place during during their process of acquiring new properties for use as temporary accommodation. Both councils were approached for comment on the findings.
Through a series of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, the LDRS found that eleven London boroughs did not record whether landlords were evicting tenants to allow their homes to be used for temporary housing.
Others, including Enfield, were aware, with two households recorded in 2024 as having been evicted via Section 21 ‘no fault’ notices. These are now illegal following the renters’ rights legislation introduced by the Labour government on 1st May.
In response to the investigation, McGovern said: “Everyone deserves the security of a safe home, and it’s only right that everyone is treated fairly every step of the way. That’s why we expect councils to make sure no one is impacted when homes are being purchased.
“We’re also supporting councils to improve temporary accommodation by helping families move out of B&Bs and into more suitable homes.
“Backed by £39billion, we’re delivering a generational boost to social and affordable housing and supporting councils to provide better temporary accommodation, tackling the housing crisis head on and giving people the stability they deserve.”
In March, the LDRS also revealed that tenants in Kew were being kicked out of their homes so Westminster City Council could use them for temporary accommodation, sparking fury from Richmond Council.
Following the press coverage, Westminster City Council told some of the residents that they could remain.
Dr Glyn Robbins, an academic and campaigner on housing issues, said the phenomenon of making some people homeless to provide others with somewhere to live is not new.
He said that there are at least 100,000 long-term empty homes in London which could be brought into use to help solve the housing crisis.
Dr Robbins told the LDRS: “Before making people homeless to house the homeless, politicians and policy makers should develop an urgent, robust policy of bringing empty homes back into use, including emergency requisition of homes that property owners leave empty for extended periods – something that happened in parts of London in the early 1970s.
“In addition to empty homes, London now has millions of square feet of empty office space. This post-Covid legacy is highly unlikely to change. There are some appalling examples of non-residential buildings being converted for housing, but it doesn’t have to be this way. London councils could develop a city-wide strategy for proper and environmentally sensitive use of empty offices for housing.
“However, these suggestions, and others like them, require a total rethink of the place of housing in our society, with a Government that’s prepared to put money where its mouth is. Perhaps Andy Burnham can lead that shift?”
A lack of social homes and increasing number of people in need means councils are relying more and more on temporary housing.
The number of people living in temporary accommodation has been on the rise in London since 2011, from 38,805 to 74,858 in 2025, according to Trust for London. Much of this comes in the form of nightly paid accommodation which is self-catered, such as hotels – something London’s councils are desperately trying to move away from, which is why there’s a focus on buying homes for use as temporary accommodation.
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