Eviction ban extended until May.
The government has made the decision to extend the ban on evictions until May.
Landlords currently have to notify tenants six months in advance of their intention to evict them, and this will continue to be the case until at least May 31.
Eviction hearings and court orders can still take place, while the courts are prioritizing the most serious cases, such as those involving domestic abuse and fraud.
The government has also extended the ban on commercial evictions until June 30.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “It is right that as we move forward on the roadmap, we make sure that businesses and tenants continue to receive support.”
“We have taken unprecedented action to support commercial and residential tenants during the pandemic, with a £ 280 billion budget package to keep businesses running and people in jobs and able to cover their expenses, such as rental.”
“These measures are based on government action to provide financial support as restrictions are lifted in the coming months, extending the licensing scheme, commercial rate holidays and increasing universal credit.”
David Greene, President of the Law Society, said: “We welcome the news that some struggling tenants who would otherwise face eviction will be able to stay in their homes until the summer, particularly given the closure, new variants of the virus, and the vaccine program makes its way into England.”
“However, it should be noted that those with significant rent arrears are exempt from the ban, and as time goes on, more tenants are likely to be evicted as a result of increasing back rent amounts. Over time, the ban will protect fewer tenants and they may be left homeless.”
“When the government begins to reduce these measures on June 1, it must ensure that protection is provided to both tenants and landlords and ensure that legal assistance is available to as many tenants as possible.”
Katherine Campbell, head of real estate disputes at the Reed Smith law firm, said: “Today’s decision to extend the commercial eviction bans and foreclosure activity will be welcomed by distressed retailers but once again, the owners are reduced to the open sector piggy banks.”
“The unpaid rent bill is estimated at 4.5 billion pounds, so as things stand it appears that the government is only delaying the inevitable reckoning once the measures are lifted. It feels a bit like relying on wallpaper to cover dry rot.”
“Commercial landlords have seen their armories stripped of all the tools they would normally rely on to survive, and today’s decision will stretch them even closer to breaking point. Currently, the only legal teeth left for UK landlords depend on the issuance of rental claims in county courts.”
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