Many private tenants ‘terrified’ that the eviction ban is coming to an end

by Mary-Anne Bowring/Landlord Today

The government’s decision to not extend the ban on landlords evicting renters beyond 23 August is a major concern for many private renters worried about being able to pay their rent when the coronavirus lockdown ends, according to Ringley property management.

Renters across England and Wales received greater protection in mid-June after the government extended the suspension of new evictions until 23 August, taking the moratorium on evictions to a total of five months.

The move was designed to ensure that renters continue to have certainty and security during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, with the government now easing lockdown measures, there is growing concern among private renters, many of which are concerned that they may lose their homes.

Mary-Anne Bowring, group managing director at Ringley and creator of automated lettings platform, PlanetRent, commented: “There’s no doubt that thousands of renters that are suffering financial difficulty will be terrified to hear the news of no extension to the eviction ban.

“With all of the uncertainty going on at the moment, tenants deserve to be protected by the government from evictions that could be through no fault of their own, and could well be down to financial hardship brought on by being furloughed or losing their job altogether.

“However, it should be noted as recent research by the National Residential Landlords Association [NRLA] pointed out that the majority of landlords are trying to work with their tenants to resolve any issues such as rent arrears.”

https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2020/7/many-private-tenants-are-terrified-that-the-eviction-ban-is-coming-to-an-end