Sir James, who has been a vocal critic of the reforms, warned in November that the act would trigger “a fire sale with tenants forced out at short notice” ahead of its implementation.
He told The Telegraph that the “arrogant Labour Government” had ignored his warnings and now small landlords were being pushed out of the market, while renters were also suffering as a result.
He said: “Good landlords, like the one I rent from, are selling up and leaving the market, leaving renters with fewer options and higher rates.
“It is completely counterproductive. Labour have hurt the very people they claimed they would help.”
The Renters’ Rights Act has been positioned as a crackdown on “rogue landlords” and a way of improving conditions for Britain’s 11 million private renters.
As well as the end of Section 21 evictions, the reforms will also bring an end to fixed-term tenancy contracts as renters move on to “rolling” agreements, as well as introducing a ban on “bidding wars” and clearer rules regarding pets.
Despite reports of a jump in no-fault evictions before the changes, Matthew Pennycook, the housing minister, said on Monday that his department did not expect a spike in Section 21 notices before May 1.
However Paul Shamplina, of Landlord Action, said the Government was “in complete denial”. He said: “The surge in Section 21s is going to go through the roof. We are in unprecedented times and the biggest losers will be tenants.”
Steve Reed, the Housing Secretary, said: “Banning unfair evictions is the biggest change to renting in a generation and will free families from the misery it has created.
“Kicking tenants out before they receive stronger rights is the type of disgraceful behaviour from shameless landlords which our act will stop.
“There is no need to evict their tenants ahead of this ban and landlords should give people the housing security they deserve.”
