WIREDGOV

Simon Baynes MP (Conservative, Clwyd South) has received a response to his question about financial support available for landlords during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a written question to the Treasury asking what steps are being taken to support people who rely on rent from tenants for income during the coronavirus pandemic, Kemi Badenoch MP, The Exchequer Secretary, Kemi Badenoch MP s began by stating “we recognise the pressures which residents and landlords are facing.”

The response continues:

“That is why the Government has extended the suspension of evictions from social or private rented accommodation for a further 2 months and included Buy-to-let mortgages in the extension to the window for applying for a mortgage holiday until 31 October 2020.”

It comes just a week after Munira Wilson MP (Liberal Democrat, Twickenham) received a response to her written question, asking what steps the Government is taking to ensure that tenants who have not been financially affected by the covid-19 outbreak continue to pay rent.

In response to this, Housing Minister Christopher Pincher wrote:

“The Government has published relevant guidance for landlords and tenants during the period affected by the Covid-19 outbreak which is available on the GOV.uk website. This guidance makes clear that tenants should continue to pay rent and abide by all other terms in their tenancy agreement to the best of their ability, and that rent levels agreed in the tenancy agreement remain legally due.

“The Government has introduced an unprecedented financial support package to help renters continue to pay their living costs, including rent, during the period affected by the Covid-19 outbreak. This includes support for businesses to pay staff salaries, strengthening the welfare safety-net with a £7 billion boost to Universal Credit, and increasing the Local Housing Allowance rates so that they are set at the 30th percentile of market rents in each area. If a tenant’s ability to pay rent is affected during this period, tenants should speak to their landlord at the earliest opportunity.”

Five point plan

The NRLA is calling for more support for landlords at this time, with the association urging landlords to write to their local MP about their experiences of the eviction ban. The association has created a toolkit to enable members to easily do this.

The NRLA has a five-point plan to help support the private rented sector, and you can read more about this in detail here.