More than 100 tenants renting homes owned by billionaire landlord Asif Aziz’s company have been slapped with eviction notices of as little as two months – weeks before a landmark new law comes into force to abolish ‘no-fault’ repossessions.
The residents, who rent from Criterion Capital, have been issued Section 21 notices, the mechanism that allows landlords to repossess property without providing a legal reason.
While this practice is set to be outlawed in England on May 1, Criterion Capital, which owns high-profile London assets such as the Trocadero Centre, denies any ‘attempt to accelerate’ evictions before the new legislation takes effect.
The impacted buildings are believed to be Britannia Point in Colliers Wood, Delta Point in Croydon and Emerald House in New Malden. The buildings contain 606 flats combined.
The situation has reached the highest levels of government, with the Prime Minister ordering the Housing Secretary to investigate, while the Mayor of London slammed the move as ‘unacceptable’.
Criterion Capital’s CEO is billionaire Mr Aziz, who appeared in The Sunday Times Rich List in 2008 when he was estimated to be worth £79million.
He hit the headlines in 2005 when he bought the Trocadero leisure complex on Piccadilly Circus in a £225million deal.
He also runs a charitable foundation which sponsors community events such as the 2026 Ramadan lights in central London.
Billionaire landlord Asif Aziz’s company, Criterion Capital, has issued ‘no-fault’ Section 21 eviction notices to its residents, utilising a legal loophole that permits repossessions without a specific justification
The affected buildings are believed to be Britannia Point in Colliers Wood, Delta Point in Croydon and Emerald House in New Malden (Pictured: Delta Point in Croydon)
Alessio Ambrosj and his partner have rented a flat privately in Britannia Point in Colliers Wood, south-west London, for four years and say they received a notice from the landlord terminating their tenancy in two months’ time, the BBC reported.
Mr Ambrosj said: ‘Two months is madness. It’s like, move your home to somewhere else in two months. It’s incredibly hard, incredibly unjust.
‘It was a shock, to be honest. It was a shock that this was legal. I think it’s going to wreak havoc on many families, families with disabled children, it’s going to be a very hard time for them.’
At Prime Minister’s Questions last week, the MP for Mitcham and Morden, Siobhain McDonagh told Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer: ‘Silently and in semi-secrecy London and the South East of England are experiencing the largest mass eviction by a private landlord in decades.
‘Criterion Capital have issued at least 130 no-fault evictions across their portfolio including in Britannia Point in my constituency. Those affected have done nothing wrong.’
Siobhain McDonagh told the DM: ‘Hundreds of law-abiding tenants are facing homelessness in one of the largest mass evictions by a private landlord in decades.
‘These tenants have done nothing wrong. They have paid their rent, looked after their homes and worked hard – and now they face losing their homes.
‘At least 130 no-fault eviction notices have been issued across Criterion Capital’s portfolio, including at Britannia Point in my constituency.
From May 1, 2026, the use of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions will be officially abolished for all new and existing tenancies in England (Pictured: Britannia Point in Colliers Wood)
‘Tenants are being told to contact Criterion Capital if they want to stay, but many say their calls and emails are going unanswered. As far as residents can see, these evictions are still going ahead.
‘In the final weeks before Section 21 no-fault evictions are abolished, it is critical that rogue landlords like Criterion Capital are held to account.’
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has written to billionaire Asif Aziz over allegations that his property firm is carrying out ‘mass evictions’ of London residents through the use of soon-to-be banned Section 21 notices.
From May 1, 2026, the use of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions will be officially abolished for all new and existing tenancies in England.
This landmark change ends the ability of landlords to repossess a property without providing a legal reason, a practice that housing campaigners have long argued contributes to renter instability and homelessness.
Under the new regime, any landlord wishing to end a tenancy must instead serve a Section 8 notice, citing specific, evidenced grounds such as rent arrears, anti-social behavior, or the intention to sell the property.
A critical ‘buffer’ period exists for notices served just before the changeover. Landlords who serve a valid Section 21 notice on or before April 30, 2026, can still proceed with an eviction through the courts.
However, they must officially begin court proceedings by July 31, 2026.
The May 1 commencement date also triggers a suite of broader protections under the Renters’ Rights Act.
These include a ban on ‘rental bidding wars,’ making it illegal for agents or landlords to accept offers above the advertised price.
Furthermore, landlords will be prohibited from requesting more than one month’s rent in advance and will no longer be able to blanket-ban tenants who have children or receive state benefits.
Criterion told the DM there was no attempt to accelerate action ahead of legislative change and said: ‘Claims of mass evictions involving private tenants paying market rents are false.
‘They misrepresent routine and lawful tenancy management…the tenancies in question are private arrangements at market rents, governed by standard framework.
‘Fewer than 5% of the portfolio have been served statutory notice…we will continue to engage directly with our tenants and ensure all processes are conducted lawfully and responsibly.’
