A government minister has confirmed that there are no plans to extend the ban on evictions beyond August 23.
Lord Greenhalgh from the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government made the statement in response to parliamentary questions.
Lord Greenhalgh said: “On 5 June the Government announced that the current suspension of evictions from social or private rented accommodation will be extended by two months until 23 August 2020.
“From 24 August 2020, the courts will begin to process possession cases again.
“This is an important step towards ending the lockdown and will protect landlords’ important right to regain their property.
“Work is underway with the judiciary, legal representatives and the advice sector on arrangements, including new rules, to ensure that judges have all the information necessary to make just decisions and that the most vulnerable tenants can get the help they need when possession cases resume.”
The National Residential Landlords Association has welcomed the confirmation.
It comes after campaign group Generation Rent warned yesterday that homelessness could treble as a result of rent arrears built up during the Covid crisis unless the government takes urgent action.
The NRLA dismissed the claims as “scaremongering” and cited research it had commissioned which found that 90 per cent of tenants had kept up with rent payments.
NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle says: “The Minister’s comments provide greater certainty for the rental market.
“We continue to work hard with landlords and tenants to sustain tenancies wherever possible. In the vast majority of cases this is happening.
“It is vital however that swift action can be taken against those tenants committing anti-social behaviour or domestic violence. We are calling also for priority to be given to cases where possession orders were granted prior to lockdown or where rent arrears have nothing to do with the COVID pandemic.”
