Eviction Extension & New Notice Periods for Landlord & Tenants
You may be aware from recent news coverage that the government has extended the current ban on tenancy evictions for a further four weeks (from the 21st August 2020) taking the total time to six months.
The government announced:
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 government has also announced that landlords must serve tenants with at least six months notice to bring tenancies to an end and this will stay in place until at least the end of March 2021. With the new notice period and inevitable court back log it is essential that all parties work together to avoid the need for legal action, as we would predict landlords will be looking at a lengthy period to evict a tenant. We understand that in some cases this is the only option.
We are fully experienced with tenancy evictions and the court process and work with one of the UK’s leading eviction specialists to provide a cost effective service. If you require further information or advice please do not hesitate to get in touch.
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