The Isle of Wight Council has welcomed the latest government action designed to protect renters during the national coronavirus restrictions.
In November, the government paused eviction enforcement in England and Wales. This meant bailiffs were banned from repossessing properties over the Christmas period, apart from in the most extreme circumstances. These included instances of rent arrears of 9 months or longer, illegal occupation, anti-social behaviour and where someone has been subjected to domestic abuse.
The ban was set to end last month, but has now been extended until 21st February in England.
Meanwhile, 6 month notice periods remain in place until at least the end of March 2021 — except for most serious cases — with time to find alternative support or accommodation.
Jamie Brenchley, the council’s service manager for housing needs and homelessness, said:
“Over the past few months, and in direct response to the COVID crisis, the government has made changes to the laws that relate to the eviction process.
“These changes are designed to safeguard and support individuals and families who have found themselves in financial difficulty through no fault of their own.”
Half a million private tenants in the UK are behind with their rent, according to research by Citizens Advice. The average amount owed is more than £700, the charity says, and 1 in 4 private renters in arrears have been threatened with eviction or cancellation of contract by their landlord.
Anybody who has been served an eviction notice, or is expecting one, or struggling to pay their rent should seek expert advice as soon as possible.
Only court-appointed bailiffs can legally evict people from their homes. Landlords must first give notice and then obtain a possession order from a court. Anyone else using force or changing locks is committing a criminal offence.
Get legal advice before giving up your home voluntarily, even if eviction seems unavoidable.
Councillor Clare Mosdell, Cabinet member for adult social care, public health and housing needs, said the vast majority of landlords were doing everything they could to support struggling tenants. She said:
“The COVID-19 pandemic has put financial pressures on people due to loss of jobs and income, and that will include both landlords and tenants. Tenants who are unable to afford their rent should speak to their landlord directly to try to reach an agreement.
“Of course not all evictions are illegal, but where they are, we will always take a zero tolerance stance. If a tenant finds themselves becoming a victim of an illegal eviction, make sure you make contact with us and we will investigate this.
“We all continue to endure this devastating pandemic, so it is vital that any private tenants who are concerned that they could be evicted from their homes act now to get help rather than do nothing.”
If you are a tenant and you feel you have been evicted from your property illegally, contact the council’s housing team on (01983) 823040 or email [email protected].
If you are a landlord and are uncertain of your legal responsibilities when seeking to end a tenancy, seek legal advice and check the details set out on GOV.UK.
Further advice is available from Citizens Advice Isle of Wight or Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity.
What about protection for landlords not getting their rent .most have mortgages on their property or it is their only source of income .
Unfortunately the squeakiest wheel gets the most oil. And now the lower more useless you are to society, the MORE you get given and elevated now.
That, is the new norm in the UK and West.
The plan is to ‘take’ all from those who have any wealth to give to those they know will spend it, keeping the economy from collapse now.
Disgusting for a Tory Government.
As we fill the UK with ever more dirt poor, then those with any wealth will have such taken by fair means or foul to fund these beings which create overcrowding, crime and poverty in every country they choose to impose themselves upon.
Should we let poor people starve then? You do realise the only way poor people have any chance of success is if we help them, your backwards ideas aren’t going to help anyone. Are you seriously comparing a crack down on illegal evictions to communism?
why should we work hard just to pay for free loading parasites. .pay the rent or get out
almost correct emma, but not quite.
take more from the relatively well off, to reduce them to not well off, but just keeping their heads above water, without any savings left – that means they are nearly in the same place as the poor. This action ensures that the gulf between those who are genuinely wealthy will get wider, as those with a lot of wealth, won’t even notice the bit taken from them, as it does, those on the other side of the fence.
The major problem we have is that when a person received housing allowance it was paid to the landlord so at least he had that income from renting out his property. Now it is paid to the recipient who can then decide whether he pays the landlord or not. This has now left the landlord in the position of having to lose months of rent whilst waiting to be able to get an eviction notice from the courts, plus the costs involved. To rub salt into the wound it is now also illegal to refuse someone the let if they are on benefits. Who would want to be a landlord these days???