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Coronavirus Cases

4,387,820

Deaths

127,270

Active Cases

109,982

Stats above are for UK only and refreshed daily.

Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic

Hub for Landlords and Letting Agents

For the latest #StayAlert guidance, please see the.gov coronavirus page here.

Landlord Specific Guidance

  • Inspections, Repairs, Maintenance & Moving Home
  • Rent and Support
  • Possession

Inspections, Repairs and Maintenance

Essential repairs and maintenance should continue during lockdown as long as the occupiers are not self-isolating.

Government guidance specifically allows work to be carried out in peoples homes.

Gas safety inspections should be completed as normal.

The new electrical regulations which apply from 1 April 2021 for all existing tenancies in England continue as normal and the inspection and test report is required.

Fire alarm testing should continue in particular, communal hallways.

Routine periodic inspections simply checking the condition of a property should be avoided (except communal hallways)

Anybody attending works at a persons home must follow the public health guidance.

See the full government guidance about repairs and maintenance here.

Moving Home

Moving home is expressly allowed in the current lockdown (March 2021).

You are free to move home. However, you may find the process of searching for and moving into a new home is different, as property agents, conveyancers and other professionals have modified how they work to reduce the risk from COVID-19.

Please see the government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Tenants should continue to pay rent and abide by all other terms of their tenancy agreement to the best of their ability. The government has made a strong package of financial support available to tenants, and where they can pay the rent as normal, they should do. Tenants who are unable to do so should speak to their landlord at the earliest opportunity.

Source: Guidance for landlords and tenants

There is extensive support available including an uplift of the amount of Universal Credit available.

Mortgage holidays have been extended to 31 March 2021 (at the time of writing).

Guidance for landlords and tenants is available here.

Possession Notices

In most cases, the length of notice that needs to be given to a tenant has increased to at least six months.

The section 21 notice is at least six months.

The section 8 notice depends on the grounds being used but in most cases it is at least six months. Notable grounds where less than six months may be given include anti-social behaviour or rent arrears of 6 months.

The increased notice lengths are set to expire 31 May 2021 for England and 30 June 2021 for Wales but it’s unclear at this stage what will happen after those dates.

Please see here for length of notices in England.

Please see here for length of notices in Wales.

Please see here for technical guidance.

Possession notices can be downloaded from our website here.

Applying to the Court

After a notice has expired, an application to the court can be made. However, slightly modified rules apply and there will likely be extensive delays in particular with hearings.

Of particular note is the requirement to include with any claim a notice about how the tenant has been affected by Coronavirus (to the best of the landlords knowledge and belief). Where there is to be a hearing, the notice will have to be sent to the tenant beforehand.

For comprehensive guidance on seeking possession, please see this guidance.

Enforcing a Possession Order

At the time of writing, most evictions are banned until at least 31 May 2021. for England and 30 June 2021 for Wales.

There are exceptions including anti-social behaviour (England and Wales) or rent arrears of more than 6 months (England).

From the Website

Petition Protests Urge More Financial Help for Landlords and Tenants

Petition Protests Urge More Financial Help for Landlords and Tenants

Apr 15, 2020

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is being urged to do more to safeguard the incomes of landlords and tenants to avoid an eviction crisis once the coronavirus outbreak subsides. Two online petition...

read more
Landlords Asked to Help Renters With Money Problems in Wales

Landlords Asked to Help Renters With Money Problems in Wales

Apr 10, 2020

The Welsh Government is calling on landlords to help tenants who are struggling to find the money to pay their rent and day-to-day bills. Ministers want landlords to signpost where tenants can find...

read more
Coronavirus Rescue Pay Packages Omit Directors Paid Dividends

Coronavirus Rescue Pay Packages Omit Directors Paid Dividends

Apr 9, 2020

Property company directors who top up their salaries with dividends do not qualify for government coronavirus financial support packages. HM Revenue & Customs chief Jim Barra has confirmed...

read more
Government Says No to Rent Holiday for Private Tenants

Government Says No to Rent Holiday for Private Tenants

Apr 8, 2020

Following our article about rent holidays and rent strikes yesterday, private tenants are not due a rent holiday during the coronavirus crisis, according to a government peer. Independent Lord...

read more
New Accelerated Possession Claim Form and Statement Rules

New Accelerated Possession Claim Form and Statement Rules

Apr 7, 2020

From 6 April 2020, there is a new accelerated possession claim form N5B used in England. Given all possession claims are currently suspended for 90 days since 27 March 2020, it’s not going to have...

read more
Coronavirus: Rent Payment Holidays and New Template

Coronavirus: Rent Payment Holidays and New Template

Apr 7, 2020

We had previously reported about groups gathering proposing a rent strike and suggesting not paying rent for 3 months. This seems to have now become into rumours spreading (around those who want to...

read more
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Useful Links

Lockdown Guidance

Understanding the possession action process: A guide for private landlords in England and Wales

Technical guidance on eviction notices

Government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

COVID-19 and renting: guidance for landlords, tenants and local authorities

Support available if you are a tenant living in Wales – COVID-19

Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you need to do

Guidance for tradespeople working in people’s homes

Gas Safe Register: CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19): ADVICE FOR LANDLORDS

Stay at home: guidance for households with possible coronavirus (COVID-19) infection

Latest news from .Gov website

NHS Coronavirus (COVID-19) specific advice

Check if you have coronavirus symptoms (111 NHS service)

Guidance for employers and business

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Universal Credit Landlord Engagement Newsletter

COVID-19: support for businesses

Shelter coronavirus page (includes guidance about inspections and possession)

Coronavirus Act 2020

 

Coronavirus Guidance

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Discounted landlords buildings insurance

Landlords Building Insurance

Guild subscribers can get preferential rates for landlords buildings insurance especially designed for landlords

Read more ...

Tenant Referencing Service

Tenant Referencing

Tenant Referencing Service

Read more ...

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Recent Articles

  • Guild of Landlords House Price Digest – April 2021 14/04/2021
  • Buy to Let Profit Gap Splits North and South 13/04/2021
  • Housing Eviction Mediation Service Launched 09/04/2021
  • Landlords Flouting Fire Safety Face Unlimited Fines 08/04/2021
  • New Features Added to Tenancy Builder (April 2021) 02/04/2021
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