Four-week rental eviction ban extended in England and Wales
Tenants were protected during the coronavirus crisis by an eviction ban, which was introduced in March and extended into June.
Now the government has said the ban in England and Wales will be extended for another four weeks, until Sunday, September 20.
He also announced that in England the notice period that landlords must give before starting eviction proceedings will be extended from three to six months until at least March 31, 2021, to offer tenants greater protection. In Wales, it’s been six months already.
The ban on deportations had already been extended until March 2021 in Northern Ireland and is expected to be so in Scotland. In Scotland owners must give six months’ notice, while in Northern Ireland it is 12 weeks.
Courts have resumed in Scotland for those who received eviction notices from their properties before April 7 and for anti-social behavior cases, after three months.
Earlier this summer, the Shelter housing charity said up to 230,000 tenants may have racked up arrears during the pandemic and could face eviction once the current ban on prosecution is lifted.
For more information on the help available to tenants during the coronavirus, see our Finances and invoices related to the coronavirus to guide. For more general cost reduction help, see our 50+ tips for tenants.
What if I am having trouble paying my rent?
If you are having trouble paying your rent during the coronavirus outbreak, you should speak to your landlord as soon as possible to let them know about your situation and develop a repayment plan. While in England and Wales you can’t be evicted for another month, you may be in arrears, so it’s important to talk to your landlord and let them know what’s going on.
The government’s guidelines “encourage tenants and landlords to work together to set up a rental payment system”. We have seen this orientation be interpreted in different ways, however. While some landlords proactively reach out to tenants and reassure them that they can find new repayment terms if they run into financial difficulties, others play hard and offer no adjustments.
If you are having difficulty, also check to see if you are receiving all the financial assistance you are entitled to, which may include the universal credit benefit. Universal credit can include the local housing allowance, which covers at least 30% of the lowest rents in your area. See our Credit and universal benefits against the coronavirus guide for more information.
What is the government saying?
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “I know this has been a difficult year and we are still living with the effects of Covid-19.
“That is why I am announcing today a new four-week eviction ban, which means that no tenants will have been evicted for six months.
“I am also increasing protections for tenants – six month notice periods must be given to tenants, supporting tenants through the winter.
“However, it is only fair that the more egregious cases, for example those involving anti-social behavior or perpetrators of domestic violence, start to be heard by the courts again, and so, when the courts reopen, the landlords can again push forward. these priority cases. “