Haringey has the highest rate of home repossessions amongst all London boroughs with 4,707 repossessions per 100,000 households, new data has revealed.
The figures show Haringey had a total of 12,323 repossessions since 2003, with accelerated landlord repossessions making up the largest share at 6,511 cases.
Accelerated landlord repossessions are when a landlord quickly reclaims their property from a tenant through a fast legal process which usually happens due to non-payment of rent or a breach of a rental agreement, and there is no dispute about the situation.
Head of Getamover.co.uk, which compiled the findings, David Burrows said: “The disparity in repossession rates across London highlights systemic challenges in the housing market.”
“Addressing these issues requires a multi-faceted approach, combining affordable housing initiatives with robust tenant protections to safeguard households.”
Burrows referenced recent research from Shelter and HSBC UK, which revealed that 21% of individuals struggled with mortgage or rent payments in 2023, and 3.1 million people fear the possibility of eviction.
Top ten areas in London most likely to lose their homes
According to repossession figures from 2003-2024 sourced from GOV.UK, Newham ranked second of London’s boroughs with 4,255 repossessions per 100,000 households.
With 14,935 total repossessions recorded, Newham’s high figures are also driven by social landlord repossessions, where housing associations or local councils reclaim properties when tenants fail to meet their rental obligations.
In Newham, these repossessions amounted to 2,925 cases.
Lewisham was in third place, with 4,172 repossessions per 100,000 households and private landlord repossessions were the third largest contributor at 1,963 cases.
These repossessions are often linked to issues such as non-payment of rent or landlords seeking to sell or occupy their properties.
Other boroughs with high repossession rates include Barking and Dagenham 4,012 repossessions per 100,000 households, Brent with 3,720, Enfield with 3,702, and Southwark 3,525.
In contrast, Richmond upon Thames stands out as the area with the fewest repossessions, with just 915 per 100,000 households.
In total, the analysis, based on data from GOV.UK, covered accelerated landlord, mortgage, private landlord, and social landlord repossessions across London, from 2003 to 2024.
London saw the highest rent increased in England last year
Rents in London have risen by 6.9% in the past year, the highest increase in England, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS)
This is above the UK average of 6.2%.
Based on the research conducted by property search website Zoopla in February 2024, the average rent was £2,121 per month for new lets.
This is nearly double the UK average of £1,220 per month.
Join the discussion