There were concerns following the partial lifting of the repossessions ban in September last year that there would be a surge in evictions.
According to the Ministry of Justice, the number of claims made by private landlords in England and Wales to repossess properties fell by 37% compared to the same period in 2019
This is despite the courts beginning to hear possession cases again following a six month stay on proceedings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Furthermore, the quantity of possession claims made under the accelerated procedure used by both private and social landlords, also fell by just under 43% in Q4 2020, compared to Q4 2019.
Across the whole of 2020, the number of claims by private landlords to repossess properties fell by 48%.
In addition, the number of claims made under the accelerated procedure fell by just over 52%.
The NRLA is warning that the scale of the rent debt crisis now covers the entire sector.
Their latest research indicates that over 800,000 renters in England and Wales have built arrears since lockdown measures started in March last year.
As a result, the association is calling for a package of hardship loans and grants for affected tenants to pay off arrears built since March last year.
This, it believes, will ensure tenancies are sustained and prevent renters facing the consequences of damaged credit scores.
Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “Today’s figures show that despite fears to the contrary, landlords have prioritised sustaining tenancies and supporting renters during the pandemic.
“That said, landlords cannot continue indefinitely going without receiving rent.
“Bans on repossessions are only leading to tenants accumulating more and more debt which will become impossible for them to pay back. This will eventually lead to many more losing their homes.
“Ministers can still avert this if they step in to help the sector through a package of hardship loans and grants.”
