NRLA Join the call to repeal the Eviction Ban
NRLA (National Residential Landlord
Association) is asking any of its members that have been forced into difficult
circumstances by the Governments extension to the COVID-19 eviction ban to
share their experience with their local MP.
The ban makes no sense. Tenants who have
experienced difficulties due to the lock down aren’t in the system yet, the
only people currently in the court system were delinquent tenants long before
COVID-19 kicked in. I have always advocated that a simple blanket ban on
evictions is both unnecessary and unfair. Of course COVID_19 affected tenants
should be protected, but this ban protects all those tenants who are currently
either, deliberately not paying rent or being evicted for other legitimate
reasons such as anti-social behaviour.
NRLA points out that some Landlords who had
significant rent arrears before the Coronavirus lockdown face the possibility
of at least five more months without rent if their tenants fail to pay in the
knowledge that evictions cannot happen. It’s a crazy situation and one that
with even the smallest bit of communication between the government and affected
parties would have been avoided.
The NRLA are calling for….
- a clear statement from the Government reiterating
that those who can pay their rent should do so;
- support for tenants most in need to pay their rents
by boosting the Local Housing Allowance, developing interest free hardship
loans for tenants;
- providing compensation to landlords who have
existing possession orders from the courts but cannot execute them, and have
therefore will have missed five months’ of rent payments as a result of
government actions;
- prioritising possession cases that began before the
lockdown but were then paused, those related to rent arrears built before
the lockdown, and cases of tenants committing anti-social behaviour or domestic
violence;
- clear plans to ensure courts process legitimate
possession claims more swiftly once they do reopen.
They have my support and I will certainly be
encouraging Landlords to speak up.
Contact me today for immediate help.
