The number of evictions by landlords in England and Wales reached 1,516 in the three months to the end of June, official figures reveal.

The period captures only one month following the lifting of the ban on evictions on May 31.

However, the figure was down by 80% compared to the corresponding quarter of 2019 before the pandemic struck.

The Ministry of Justice’s latest dataset uses comparisons with 2019 because last year eviction proceedings were put on hold as part of lockdown measures to protect tenants.

When compared to the same quarter in 2020, landlord possession claims, orders, warrants and repossessions by county court bailiffs all increased by over 100%.

Possession claims rose from 3,023 to 7,000, orders from 656 to 5431, warrants from 274 to 3,709 and repossessions from zero to 1,516.

When compared to the same quarter in 2019, claims were down by 74%, orders by 75%, warrants by 73% and repossessions by 80%.

Yet the Q2 2019 data covers three months of normal eviction activity, whereas the Q2 2021 data only includes one month of activity following the restrictions lifting.

Generation Rent director Alicia Kennedy says: “These figures are a huge increase on the previous quarter, despite restrictions on evictions by bailiffs only being lifted in June. 

“There are thousands more who have lost work and got behind on their rent during the pandemic, and will find it difficult to repay that, even if their income recovers. 

“It is almost impossible to move to a new home if you are relying on benefits, so these renters face huge uncertainty in the months ahead while they wait to be told when the bailiffs will arrive.

“Only a Covid rent debt fund to clear these rent arrears will help renters back to their feet and remove the threat of homelessness from thousands of families. 

“The government must act urgently to relieve this hardship.”