Feb

EXCLUSIVE: ITV Tonight’s Dan Hewitt to investigate Covid evictions

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Evictions expert Paul Shamplina is due to appear in the latest special investigation by ITV’s flagship Tonight programme, this time into the rental sector – and fronted by ITV journalist Daniel Hewitt. It is to be aired on 24^th February.

Hewitt, whose report into social housing made headlines in September after he uncovered shocking conditions endured by some council housing tenants, is now looking at the private rented sector and, in particular, evictions during Covid.

He visited the offices of Landlord Action to film an interview with its founder Paul Shamplina who is also Chief Commercial Officer at parent company Hamilton Fraser.

The film crew had earlier followed Shamplina as he attended evictions in Hounslow in London and Banbury in Oxfordshire, as well as serving three eviction notices at different properties in North London that morning.

“My understanding is that the programme will be about tenants and landlords and how they have been affected by the large rent arrears built up during Covid, and the consequent rise in evictions,” he tells LandlordZONE.

Surge

“I told Hewitt how the pandemic has led to a surge in landlords evicting their tenants, post the eviction ban and a rise in the number of landlords cashing in and leaving the market.”

“Remember that 70% of our work at Landlord Action relates to Section 8 rent arrears cases, but we are increasingly seeing more landlords using Section 21 to gain possession and sell their properties.”

Shamplina says he hopes the programme will include his claim that the number of possession claims in England is likely to double over the next 12 months compared to 2021 as both social and private landlords ramp up their activities.

“But the biggest challenge to loom over landlords is not so much increasing evictions but the huge costs of upgrading properties to reach EPC band C by 2030.

“I am confident that the programme will be a balanced look at the private rented sector, and reflect the common feeling among many landlords that they are under fire from all directions,” he adds.

Shamplina has appeared on The Tonight programme in the past.

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