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Government announces ‘complete ban’ on evictions for social and private renters
The government has announced a “complete ban” on evictions in both social and private rented housing during the coronavirus crisis.
Emergency legislation suspending new evictions will be passed as “an urgent priority”, meaning landlords will not be able to start possession proceedings against tenants for at least three months.
Landlords and tenants will be expected to work together to come up with “an affordable repayment plan”, which takes tenants’ individual circumstances into account, for rent arrears built up during the eviction ban, the government has said.
Private landlords whose tenants are struggling to pay the rent will be protected through a three-month buy-to-let mortgage payment holiday, though there is currently no financial support available to social landlords.
The National Housing Federation (NHF) and Local Government Association welcomed the radical measures.
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It comes after the NHF said that housing associations should not evict tenants impacted by coronavirus.
Prime minister Boris Johnson revealed that private renters would be protected from eviction during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick said: “The government is clear – no renter who has lost income due to coronavirus will be forced out of their home, nor will any landlord face unmanageable debts.
“These are extraordinary times, and renters and landlords alike are of course worried about paying their rent and mortgage.
“Which is why we are urgently introducing emergency legislation to protect tenants in social and private accommodation from an eviction process being started.”
Housing charity Shelter previously warned that 50,000 households were at risk of eviction over the next six months amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
A three-month mortgage holiday for homeowners was announced on Tuesday.
People struggling to pay back Help to Buy equity loans will also be offered interest payment holidays.
Kate Henderson, chief executive of the NHF, said: “We understand some people living in social housing will be worried about how they’re going to pay rent and we want to reassure them that no one in a housing association home will be evicted due to coronavirus.”
She added: “Where people’s circumstances change due to the coronavirus, the welfare system must step in to ensure they can pay their rent and have money to live off.
“Housing associations will continue to work closely with residents to help them manage their rent and ensure they can access all benefits they are entitled to.
“We want to work with government to ensure there is support in place for housing associations dealing with any loss of income from rent.”
The government has also promised to issue guidance asking landlords “to show compassion and to allow tenants to remain in their homes wherever possible”.
Ministers have worked with the courts to widen “pre-action protocol” rules on possession proceedings to include private renters, in a bid to encourage dispute resolution between landlords and tenants.
Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “Landlord groups welcome government support.
“We recognise the exceptional circumstances and we will work collaboratively with government to ensure these measures protect both landlords and tenants.”
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