Campaign Focus

Reform UK has launched a campaign to stop landlords from evicting British tenants under Section 21 notices in order to take up government contracts to house illegal migrants. The party argues these practices are displacing vulnerable British citizens for profit.

Key Claims by Reform UK

• Landlords are evicting tenants to secure seven-year government deals to house migrants, reportedly 15–20% above market rates.

• Displaced tenants include veterans with PTSD and other vulnerable individuals.

• Some councils are warning of housing waits of up to 100 years due to a lack of available housing.

Party Leadership Statements

Zia Yusuf, Chairman of Reform UK:

• Warned landlords in Reform-controlled councils of strict enforcement of HMO regulations, including:

  • CCTV requirements in communal areas

  • Bin storage compliance

  • PAT testing of electrical appliances

  • Monitoring of anti-social behaviour

• Called the use of Section 21 to displace British tenants a “moral outrage.”

• Criticised Labour and previous Conservative governments for enabling what he described as a “betrayal on a biblical scale.”

Legal and Regulatory Action

• Reform has assembled a pro bono legal team, led by a King’s Counsel, to:

  • Challenge planning violations, including hotels operating as hostels without permissions.

  • Enforce HMO rules in areas under its local control.

• Cited the 2022 Great Yarmouth injunction as a legal precedent to potentially halt migrant housing schemes.

Political Context

• Reform UK gained 31% of the vote and 42% of seats in the May 1, 2025 local elections.

• The party now controls 10 English councils and mayoral posts in Hull and East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

• Despite limited powers compared to national government, Reform says it has a mandate to resist migrant housing contracts in favour of local residents.

Controversy and Implications

• The campaign raises questions about the use of Section 21 notices and the future of the Renters Reform Bill, under which Labour plans to abolish Section 21 evictions next year.

• The framing and rhetoric used—e.g., “betraying your country”—may prove divisive and provoke wider political and legal debate.

• The move reflects broader tensions between national migration policy and local housing pressures, particularly in areas with limited social and private rental supply.