"These actions are part of routine and lawful tenancy management, not a deliberate attempt to circumvent the law"
- Criterion Capital
Property company Criterion Capital has pushed back against reports that it is rushing through evictions before England's no-fault eviction ban takes effect, saying the Section 21 notices issued to 87 tenants represent routine tenancy management rather than an attempt to sidestep incoming legislation.
The company's response comes as the Renters' Rights Act, which will abolish most no-fault evictions, is due to take effect on 1 May 2026, and as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer instructed ministers to investigate the reports. Critics argue the timing of the notices undermines the spirit of the reforms, even if the process remains technically lawful.
What Criterion Capital says happened
A spokesperson for Criterion Capital said the notices affected fewer than 5% of its residential portfolio. "These actions are part of routine and lawful tenancy management, not a deliberate attempt to circumvent the law," the spokesperson said. "Many tenants served notices chose to move on their own, and for those wishing to remain, we are negotiating renewed terms."
The company, which is associated with billionaire property owner Asif Aziz, has been the subject of allegations that at least 130 notices were served at a single south London block. Criterion Capital reiterated that the forthcoming reforms did not drive the decision to issue the notices.
Political pressure mounts
The reports drew a sharp response from London mayor Sadiq Khan. "I am appalled by reports that multiple private tenants were handed Section 21 no-fault eviction notices ahead of the ban," he said. "It is unacceptable to force people out without good reason, and we urge Criterion Capital to explain its actions."
Starmer's intervention, directing ministers to look into the matter, signals the political sensitivity of the issue as the May deadline approaches. Tenant advocacy groups and local councillors have also stepped in to support those affected, raising concerns about the concentration of notices and the practical impact on renters who may struggle to find alternative accommodation in a tight London market.
The legal and systemic risks
Legal practitioners have raised concerns that go beyond the specifics of the Criterion Capital case. "There is understandable concern about the way section 21 notices are being used in the period immediately before their abolition on 1 May," said Kristine Ng, partner property dispute resolution at Morr & Co.
"While serving notice seeking possession before the Renters' Rights Act comes into force may still be lawful, action taken at scale and at this late stage of the reform timetable inevitably attracts scrutiny, particularly where it creates uncertainty for large numbers of tenants."
Ng warned that notices which do not result in voluntary moves will feed directly into an already overstretched court system. "Where section 21 notices do not result in voluntary moves, disputes are likely to progress into possession proceedings, adding further pressure to an already overstretched court system and increasing delays for all parties," she said.
The consequences, she argued, extend well beyond individual landlord and tenant relationships. "Tenants who are unable to secure alternative accommodation may turn to local authorities for temporary housing, shifting cost and responsibility onto councils at a time of acute housing pressure," Ng added.
She also highlighted a less visible effect on bargaining power. "Faced with the prospect of eviction, some tenants may feel compelled to accept new tenancy arrangements on less favourable terms, including higher rents or more onerous conditions, simply to secure continuity of housing. That dynamic risks distorting bargaining power at precisely the point when the reforms are intended to rebalance it," she said.
Taken together, Ng argued, these effects do not produce greater clarity but redistribute pressure across the sector. Once the ban takes effect, landlords will need to justify possession by reference to specific statutory grounds rather than the unilateral service of notice, a fundamental shift in how the private rented sector operates.
What happens next
"The critical issue now is how the transition is managed because actions taken in the final weeks of the current regime will shape confidence in the private rented sector for some time to come," Ng noted.
"The key takeaway is that the issue is not simply whether section 21 notices remain lawful today, but how large-scale use in the final weeks risks displacing pressure and uncertainty across the system just as the sector is preparing to move to a more structured post-reform framework."
With the 1 May commencement date drawing closer, attention will turn to how ministers respond to Starmer's instruction and whether any further action is taken in relation to Criterion Capital specifically.
For tenants in the private rented sector, the episode underlines both the importance of the ban's implementation date and the degree to which the transition period itself carries real consequences for renters, landlords and local authorities alike.
