Renting Residential Property and Coronavirus

With the effects of coronavirus being felt everywhere, the government turned their eye on the rental market and announced a series of measures to help protect renters and landlords affected.

It isn’t an exaggeration to say that coronavirus has for the most part brought the world to a standstill. People from all walks of life are finding themselves unexpectedly out of work and financial pressures increasing day-by-day. The government has decided to try and reduce some of these pressures by announcing that renters will not be forced out of their homes during this difficult time, for at least 3 months. This means no renter, whether private or social, has to worry about the threat of eviction for at least the next 3 months in the event they are unable to pay their rent due to coronavirus. The government has also announced that landlords will have a 3 month holiday from making mortgage payments where their tenants are experiencing financial difficulties due to coronavirus. In theory, this should reduce pressure for all parties involved.

After this period of suspension is over, the government expects landlords and tenants to work together to agree suitable repayment plans that take into account each tenant’s circumstances. To aid this, the government is set to widen the current Pre-Action Protocol for Possession Claims to include private renters, which means that landlords will have to engage with tenants to find out their financial positions before proceeding with their possession claim.

Poole Alcock have a wealth of experience in dealing with residential property possession matters. We are here to help you find a way forward and are here to facilitate any negotiations that you may need to have with your landlord or tenant during this difficult time. We are open for business and if you think you might need our help with your rental property, get in touch now on 01270 625478 or contact us using our online form and we will call you back at a convenient time.