What does the proposed eviction ban mean for renters and landlords?

The government has announced emergency legislation to suspend evictions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. So what does this proposed eviction ban mean for landlords and tenants?

At present, the information is limited and we await specific wording, however, what we do know is:

• There will be a suspension to new evictions by social and private landlords for three months;
• There will be no new possession proceedings through the Court for the next three months; and
• Buy to Let mortgages are now included in the protection provided by the three-month mortgage payment holiday.

What does this eviction ban mean for landlords and their tenants?

The proposal suggests that the finer details of the legislation will include a new pre-action protocol for landlords to meet prior to seeking possession. This means landlords will be required to notify and co-operate (as best as they can) with their tenant prior to issuing possession proceedings.

Additionally, at the end of the three months, landlords will be expected to establish a repayment plan with their tenants.

What else do we need to know?

We are yet to find out whether legislation applies to all landlords and tenants, and all evictions, or just those evictions relying on rent arrears and which are COVID-19 specific.

We also do not yet know the positioning in respect of current possession proceedings or the long-term impact of the proposed eviction ban legislation.

How we can help

We await more information on this new legislation, which we hope will address many of these outstanding questions. In the meantime, and once we do know more, our specialist property litigation team can help.

Our solicitors advise landlords and letting agents in all areas of property law. Our expert team deals with both contentious and non-contentious areas of tenancy matters. To get in touch, call us on 0117 325 2929 or fill out our enquiry form.