Property industry reacts to end of evictions and repossessions ban

The industry has been commenting on the end of the repossessions ban in the rental housing market in England and Wales, which occurred on the 20 September.

Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), said:

“After a six-month ban on repossessions it is important that landlords can start to take action to tackle the most serious cases.

“This includes those where tenants are committing anti-social behaviour or domestic violence and situations where rent arrears were building before lockdown and have nothing to do with COVID-19.

“The framework put in place by the judiciary and the Government largely strikes the right balance between the needs of landlords in such situations and those of tenants affected by the pandemic.

“We continue to encourage landlords to work with their tenants to sustain tenancies wherever possible, making use of the guidance we have prepared.

“To support this the Government should follow the example of Scotland and Wales and develop a stronger financial package to help tenants to pay off rent arrears built since the lockdown started.

“Ministers also need to address the crisis faced by those landlords who have rented their homes out whilst working elsewhere. The six months’ notice required in such circumstances freezes them out of accessing their own homes, effectively making them homeless.”

Neil Cobbold, chief sales officer at automated payment and reconciliation platform PayProp, added:

“The resumption of evictions will be a welcome milestone for landlords who have had to wait six months to take action against tenants with serious rent arrears or those committing offences of anti-social behaviour or domestic abuse.

“Letting agents will need to make sure that landlords understand the new notice periods set by the government. These include a six-month notice period for the majority of repossessions, alongside shorter notice periods of between two weeks and three months for the most serious and urgent issues.

“The new evictions system is more complex than before, with landlords seeking to repossess a property through the courts due to rent arrears required to provide information relating to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on tenants.

“For a variety of reasons, seeking an eviction from today could be a longer and more difficult process than before. Therefore, agents will need to remind landlords that repossessing a property through the courts is not to be taken lightly and should be considered a last resort – while also being prepared to assist with the changing process where necessary.

“At the same time, agents will play a crucial part in helping landlords to reduce the need for evictions caused by rent arrears. They can do this through organising affordable repayment plans, digitally recording all payments and automating arrears chasing.

“Because of the length and complexity of the new eviction process, agencies will need a dedicated eviction expert to help them navigate it.”

 

Kindly shared by Property Wire

Main article photo courtesy of Pixabay