Landlords eviction ban extended to end of August in good news for renters

Evictions will be banned until August 23 in England and Wales. Property owners have been blocked from removing tenants since lockdown began in the UK. The special arrangement was to expire on June 23.

But it was extended after campaigners argued it could lead to widespread evictions during the pandemic and even risk a second wave.

The UK’s Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick confirmed the news yesterday.

Mr Jenrick said: “Eviction hearings will not be heard in courts until the end of August and no-one will be evicted from their home this summer due to coronavirus.”

He added: “We are also working with the judiciary on proposals to ensure that when evictions proceedings do recommence arrangements are in place to assist the court in giving appropriate protections for those who have been particularly affected by coronavirus.

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“This is including those tenants who have been shielding.”

Mr Jenrick, tweeted on Friday evening: “Eviction hearings will not be heard in courts until the end of August.

“No one will be evicted from their home this summer due to coronavirus.”

The Government said it wanted courts to be a last resort and urged landlords to “exhaust all possible options”, such as agreeing flexible rent payment plans with tenants.

This was to minimise the likelihood of eviction proceedings.

The housing charity Shelter said the extension merely delayed the eviction problem until the end of August, and that the government should act quickly to change the law to prevent a “tidal wave of homelessness after the end of August”.

Polly Neate of Shelter, the housing charity, said further action was needed to protect renters.

She said: “The Government has reset the clock on the evictions ban, buying the families who were only weeks away from losing their homes a vital stay of execution.

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“But it’s only a stop-gap.”

“The ban hasn’t stopped people who’ve lost their jobs during this pandemic from racking up rent arrears.

“Even if they have a plan to pay them back, these debts will throw struggling renters straight back into the firing line of an automatic eviction as soon as the ban does lift.”

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