Coronavirus: Prime Minister pledges to protect private renters following three-month ‘mortgage holiday’ for homeowners

Photo: Africa Studio - stock.adobe.com

The Prime Minister has promised to bring forward legislation to protect private renters from eviction

The Prime Minister has promised to bring forward legislation to protect private renters from eviction.

The announcement came following a question during Prime Minister's Questions today (Wednesday 18 March) from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn about support for those in rented accommodation, following the news that homeowners impacted by the coronavirus would be able to take a ‘mortgage holiday’ of three months.

In response, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed he would 'bring forward legislation to protect private renters from being evicted'.

The three month mortgage payment holiday announced will also be extended to landlords whose tenants are experiencing financial difficulties due to coronavirus. This will alleviate the pressure on landlords, who will be concerned about meeting mortgage payments themselves, and will mean no unnecessary pressure is put on their tenants as a result.

At the end of this period, landlords and tenants will be expected to work together to establish an affordable repayment plan, taking into account tenants’ individual circumstances.

The government will also issue guidance which asks landlords to show compassion and to allow tenants who are affected by this to remain in their homes wherever possible. The National Housing Federation and Local Government Association have welcomed the new support for social renters and made clear that no one should be evicted because of the coronavirus.

Responding to the government pledge to protect renters amid the coronavirus outbreak, Councillor Richard Watts, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Resources Board, said: “Councils are leading local efforts to support communities as they try and cope with the coronavirus outbreak. They will be working with tenants who are experiencing financial challenges as a result to support them to stay in their homes. Many are already suspending debt recovery and will try and use discretionary funding to support struggling households as quickly and effectively as possible.

“Councils need the flexibility to ensure hardship funding announced by the government is best-used to support economically vulnerable people and households and are also seeking clarity on how it can be integrated with other financial hardship support that is being provided locally and through the benefits system.

“We are pleased the government has committed to bringing forward measures to protect tenants from eviction and look forward to seeing the details. This needs to include urgently addressing the growing shortfall before housing benefit and private sector rents that has opened up.”