The downturn in the economy has caused a surge in the number of illegal evictions from rented housing, it was revealed today.
National housing group Threshold said tenants struggling to make payments were being forced to leave their homes by landlords finding it difficult to cover high mortgage costs.
The body said landlords are also evicting residents to bring in new tenants at a higher rent.
Bob Jordan, Threshold Director, said the organisation generally dealth with 250 evictions a year, but was expecting 2008's figure to be significantly higher.
"The downturn in the economy has affected people living in the private rental sector and the number of illegal evictions," he said.
"Where as landlords in the past are more forgiving of tenants if they get into rent arrears, what we are noticing now is that a tenant who gets into a week's arrears or a month's arrears, that the landlords are moving very swiftly against them.
"They are not even willing to use the legal mechanisms there.
Mr Jordan said the reason was that some landlords were struggling to pay mortgages. He said there were also plenty of tenants keeping up with payments but landlords were forcing them to leave in order to get new residents and to charge a higher rent.
Threshold said the problem was country-wide with tenants coming home to find locks changed or people trying to force them out.
The organisation said the Government should make payments to tenants on low-incomes to help them cover rent when they face difficulties.
"If people become homeless or lose their homes the cost to the Exchequer will be much more," Mr Jordan added.
PA