The government has announced a raft of measures that aim to help renters affected by the coronavirus over the winter months.

These consist of three strands: emergency legislation to increase notice periods to six months until at least the end of March 2021; a Christmas truce on eviction bans in areas affected by local lockdowns; and £180m to local authorities to support renters who are vulnerable.

Exceptions will be made for the first measure, increasing notice periods to six months, for “the most egregious cases,” such as the exhibition of anti-social behaviour or fraud.

The government adds that from 21 September courts will begin hearing possession cases again. Landlords need to be aware of new process and rules, which are as follows:

Cases that involve anti-social behaviour, crime or extreme rent arrears that would leave landlords facing “unmanageable” debts will be prioritised; cases from before 3 August 2020 will not proceed to a hearing immediately but will have to be re-activated by landlords and are subject to a new review hearing; and landlords will need to provide information on how tenants have been affected by the pandemic.

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick says: It’s right that we strike a balance between protecting vulnerable renters and ensuring landlords whose tenants have behaved in illegal or anti-social ways have access to justice. Our legislation means such cases will be subject to shorter notice periods and then prioritised through the judiciary’s new court processes

Shelter chief executive Polly Neate comments: “It’s a step in the right direction to make sure that renters threatened with eviction will have more time to find a new home. And sparing families the misery of being evicted over Christmas is the right thing to do.

“But these measures won’t protect the renters served notice before August, who could still face automatic eviction after the eviction ban ends in ten days. And for renters served notice after August, the measures simply delay the threat of homelessness. With the double-whammy of recession and the furlough scheme ending next month, and thousands in financial peril, the government must support the renters most in need with paying their rent.

“The pandemic has revealed time and time again how precarious and unaffordable our private renting system is. It doesn’t have to be this way. If the government seizes the moment to invest in a new generation of genuinely affordable social homes now, everyone in this country can have a safe and secure place to call home.”