More than 215,000 households in England are at risk of eviction or repossession – the equivalent of 4,140 homes every week – according to new research released today.

According to Inside Housing:

Shelter based the research on Ministry of Justice data from April 2013 to March 2014 showing how many homeowners and private or social tenants received a possession notice. The research showed 215,305 possession orders were issued in the period.

Shelter is concerned this number could rise with growing interest rates.

Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said: ‘These staggering figures show just how many families go through the trauma of learning that their home is at risk, every single week.

‘People are hearing that the economy is recovering, but we’re seeing the reality that many families across the country are still battling to keep their heads above water and keep their homes. Just one thing such as a job loss or serious illness can tip any of us in to a downward spiral that puts our home at risk.’

The housing charity’s research shows that London boroughs dominate the list of councils issuing possession notices with the top 14 areas in London. Nottingham is the top hotspot outside the capital with one in every 54 homes at risk, followed by Peterborough, one in 60 homes, and Salford, one in 60.

Table of top 20 eviction and repossession risk capitals in England:

Rank (national) Local Authority Region Number of mortgage and landlord possession claims Rate of mortgage and landlord possession claims – 1 in x households
1 Newham London 2,944 1 in 34
2 Barking and Dagenham London 1,975 1 in 35
3 Southwark London 3,138 1 in 38
4 Hackney London 2,460 1 in 41
5 Haringey London 2,459 1 in 41
6 Brent London 2,643 1 in 42
7 Lewisham London 2,608 1 in 45
8 Greenwich London 2,213 1 in 46
9 Waltham Forest London 2,116 1 in 46
10 Enfield London 2,599 1 in 46
11 Croydon London 2,970 1 in 49
12 Lambeth London 2,646 1 in 49
13 Ealing London 2,413 1 in 51
14 Tower Hamlets London 1,962 1 in 52
15 Nottingham UA East Midlands 2,353 1 in 54
16 Redbridge London 1,706 1 in 58
17 Islington London 1,592 1 in 59
18 Hillingdon London 1,705 1 in 59
19 Peterborough UA East of England 1,241 1 in 60
20 Salford North West 1,717 1 in 60
Source: Mortgage and landlord possession claim statistics, Ministry of Justice, May 2014; Census 2011.

 

Meanwhile …..

Britain’s biggest mortgage lender has imposed new restrictions on mortgage lending, amid fears of a property bubble.

Lloyds Banking Group has today said it will cap applications for mortgages of more than £500,000 at no more than four times the borrower’s salary.

It comes after Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England, warned on Sunday that large mortgages of up to five times income are a cause for concern that ‘could store up bigger problems for the future’.

Both Nick Clegg and David Cameron have said the coalition government will take action on help to buy if it is recommended by the Bank off England. Vince Cable, business secretary, has also warnedthat booming property prices are contributing to mounting household debt causing ‘real, real, real worry’.

Lloyds made its announcement after data released yesterday by the Office for National Statisticsshowed house prices rose by 8 per cent across the UK and by 17 per cent in London in the past 12 months.