Jenrick extends ban on evictions and notice periods

Jenrick extends ban on evictions and notice periods

16:00 PM, 21st August 2020, About 4 years ago 12

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The ban on evictions extended for another 4 weeks and new 6 month notice periods to be in place until at least 31 March 2021.

Renters affected by coronavirus will continue to be protected after the government extended the ban on evictions for another 4 weeks, meaning in total no legal evictions will have taken place for 6 months, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has announced today (21 August 2020).

The government also intends to give tenants greater protection from eviction over the winter by requiring landlords to provide tenants with 6 months’ notice in all bar those cases raising other serious issues such as those involving anti-social behaviour and domestic abuse perpetrators, until at least the end of March.

The government will keep these measures under review with decisions guided by the latest public health advice.

When courts do resume eviction hearings they will carefully prioritise the most egregious cases, ensuring landlords are able to progress the most serious cases, such as those involving anti-social behaviour and other crimes, as well as where landlords have not received rent for over a year and would otherwise face unmanageable debts.

The government has taken unprecedented action to support renters during the pandemic, preventing people getting into financial hardship and helping businesses to pay salaries – meaning no tenants have been evicted since the start.

As a result, according to independent research, 87% of tenants have continued to pay full rent since the start of the pandemic, with a further 8% agreeing reduced fees with their landlords.

The vast majority of landlords have shown understanding and leadership, taking action to support tenants.

With coronavirus still posing an ongoing risk to public health, the government will continue to take action where necessary to further protect households in both the private and social rented sector are supported over winter, helping to keep them safe.

Today’s extension to the stay and 6-month notice periods will ensure those most at risk are protected. If tenants are unable to afford their rent we encourage them to speak to their landlord to agree a solution, and some households may decide to consider moving.

Government will continue to work with the judiciary and stakeholders to ensure that the courts are prepared for eviction cases to be heard safely.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick MP said: “I know this year has been challenging and all of us are still living with the effects of COVID-19. That is why today I am announcing a further 4 week ban on evictions, meaning no renters will have been evicted for 6 months.

“I am also increasing protections for renters – 6 month notice periods must be given to tenants, supporting renters over winter.

“However, it is right that the most egregious cases, for example those involving anti-social behaviour or domestic abuse perpetrators, begin to be heard in court again; and so when courts reopen, landlords will once again be able to progress these priority cases.

Further information

Case listing, including prioritisation, is a judicial function and we are working with the judiciary through the Master of the Rolls’ Working Group on possession to consider the categories of serious cases that would be prioritised when hearings resume. Further detail on those categories will be set out in due course and we will engage with key stakeholders on this.

Independent polling for the National Residential Landlords Association recently found that 87% of private tenants have paid their rent as normal throughout the pandemic so far. An additional 8% said that they had agreed a reduced rent, a rent-free period or made some other agreement with their landlord or letting agent.

The extension to the ban on evictions and prioritisation of the most serious case applies to courts in England and Wales

The intention to extend notice periods to 6 month applies to England only.

On 5 June the government announced that the suspension of housing possession cases in the courts had been extended by a further 2 months.

To support those on Universal Credit or Housing Benefit in the private rented sector, Local Housing Allowance rates have been set to the 30th percentile of rents in each area. For those who require additional support Discretionary Housing Payments are available.

As announced at the spending round for 2020/21 there is already £180 million in Discretionary Housing Payments for Local authorities to distribute for supporting renters with housing costs in the private and social rented sectors.

We remain committed to bringing forward reforms to provide greater security to tenants, but it is only right that this is balanced with an assurance that landlords are able to recover their properties where they have valid reasons to do so. This is vital to ensuring the future supply of good quality housing in the rented sector.

We will bring forward legislation in due course, once the urgencies of responding to the pandemic have passed, to deliver a better deal for renters and a fairer more effective rental market.


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Comments

paul robinson

16:38 PM, 21st August 2020, About 4 years ago

When does the 3 months change to 6 months notice?

Surely this is getting, the Scrapping Section 21 through the covid “back door”

David Lester

16:56 PM, 21st August 2020, About 4 years ago

Maybe someone should coin the phrase "Landlords Matter" or Landlords Lives Matter". When will some of these idiots in Government realise that PRS is a business not a charity!

Stephen Turner

17:06 PM, 21st August 2020, About 4 years ago

Typical, my possession case is in two days!!

My tenant has not paid rent since last October...almost 12 months! .....Surely the judge can use his discretion?

Whiteskifreak Surrey

18:11 PM, 21st August 2020, About 4 years ago

If someone want to sell is it 6 months too? I guess so...

Jaye

18:19 PM, 21st August 2020, About 4 years ago

-So what about landlords who want to rent out for only 6 months contract?
-Is repossession by the bank 6 months advance notice too?
-Do tenants also give 6 months notice if they want to move out?
So technically, 6 months notice to evict, 2 months to get court date & 2 months for bailiffs = 10 months to a year of no rent payment and property probably trashed!!

Mike T

18:35 PM, 21st August 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by paul robinson at 21/08/2020 - 16:38
Good question Paul and I join you in wanting some clarification. Just 5 weeks ago I served a section 21 knowing that 3 months notice was now required. I gave 4 months notice in an attempt to be helpful to the tenant. Now what ?? Do I have to re-serve a 21 /6A giving 6 months from now ???
Beginning to think enough is enough and sell up all of them....

James

18:39 PM, 21st August 2020, About 4 years ago

My rented property was stc, in early March with a Section 21 issued.My buyer has been patiently waiting for my tenant to vacate and while he had difficulty finding alternative accommodation,he apparently was planning to vacate on 19/09/20.
Does the new 6 month notice take effect from last March or does it start from 20/09/20??
Would welcome any opinions as if the new 6 month notice requirement starts in September,I will definitely lose my buyer who has already been unbelievably understanding.
Thanking you in anticipation.

Kind regards.

The Forever Tenant

19:23 PM, 21st August 2020, About 4 years ago

An interesting thought... All of this would make you unable to evict a regular tenant until the point where the stamp duty goes back. I wonder if the Government have done this to stop landlords from selling right now and having to wait until they have to pay more coffers into the treasury.

paul robinson

10:15 AM, 24th August 2020, About 4 years ago

Fully support not throwing the vulnerable out on the street, but sadly that not the full story and it’s very likely that some rentals will be repossessed by the mortgage company where tenants just refuse to pay the rent, despite being able to afford too!

yet again the Gov have shafted landlords with no specific details of how tenants who can still afford to pay rent should or why. Just letting landlords sort it out. Plenty of other covid advice for everything else so why not the PRS.

They initially shafted landlords with the mortgage “holiday” idea, fudged from owner occupiers and totally impractical for the PRS, infact just adding fuel to the fire of tenant activists encouraging others not to pay, despite being able to afford to do.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jenrick-extends-ban-on-evictions-and-notice-periods

Any government that puts this on their website no longer wants a PRS or is so out of touch with the kind of smaller decent landlord who’s actually providing decent accommodation, but can only do so with receiving regular rent.

Love this bit “where landlords have not received rent for over a year as this would be unmanageable debt” 😂😂

If this isn’t sneaking in the Scrapping of Section 21 through the covid back door, what is it? 🤔

Dylan Morris

11:05 AM, 24th August 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by The Forever Tenant at 21/08/2020 - 19:23
They’re definitely not that smart.

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