The BBC reports that the eviction ban, originally due to end to end on Sunday 23 August, is to be extended until 20 September.

Yesterday, Mortgage Strategy reported that landlords and tenant groups are at loggerheads over the deadline, with the former group saying they can’t be left out of pocket for much longer and the latter warning that thousands of people could be left homeless.

Figures from homeless charity Shelter show that 230,000 private renters have fallen into arrears since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March, and that 170,000 have been threatened with eviction.

Towards the end of July, MPs questioned housing minister Chris Pincher over what steps were being taken to protect tenants threatened with losing their homes because of the pandemic.

“A blanket ban extension is unacceptable, especially so close to the deadline,” says National Residential Landlords Association chief executive Bean Beadle.

He continues: “An enormous amount of work as gone into finding a balance between supporting tenants who have been affected by the pandemic and preventing significant financial harm to landlords, in accordance with the government’s promise. This announcement satisfies no-one.

“Landlords have been left powerless in exercising their legal right to deal with significant arrears unrelated to Covid-19, antisocial behaviour and extremely disruptive tenants who make life miserable for their neighbours and housemates.

“Private landlords cannot be expected to foot the bill for government failure. There must now be a plan to support households to pay their bills and to compensate landlords fully for their lost income.

“Only this will give both tenants and landlords security and reduce the risk of widespread tenancy failure.”

Shelter chief executive Polly Neate says: “It is right for the government not to lift the ban when it risks exposing people to eviction and the threat of homelessness with no means of defence.

“The government must use this short window of time wisely to put proper safeguards in place for renters.

“A bullet may have been dodged with this extension, but as soon as Parliament returns, it must give judges extra powers to stop renters being evicted because of ‘Covid-arrears’. Facing eviction this Christmas, is not a present anybody wants.”