To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial impact of COVID-19 on private landlords; and what steps are they taking to provide financial support to private landlords.
Answered on
16 November 2020
The Government is supporting landlords by helping tenants to pay their rent, and has brought forward a significant economic response, including support for business to pay staff salaries through the furlough scheme, which has been extended to March.
As made clear in our COVID renting guidance to tenants and landlords, tenants who?are able to pay rent must continue to do so. Where landlords find themselves in coronavirus-related hardship, mortgage lenders have agreed to offer payment holidays of up to six months, with applications now open until 31 January 2021.
Housing possession claims are able to be actioned through the courts and we have worked with the judiciary to introduce new court arrangements to ensure appropriate protection for all parties. Listing is a matter for the judiciary but they will prioritise the cases that represent the most strain on landlords such as anti-social behaviour and extreme rent arrears. The Government believes this strikes the right balance between prioritising public health and supporting the most vulnerable renters, whilst ensuring landlords can access and exercise their right to justice for the most serious cases.