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Citizens Advice claims to have one private rental case every two minutes

The Citizens Advice charity claims to have dealt with a private rental sector case “every two minutes” during December - and now wants financial help for tenants with Covid-created arrears.

The charity claims that 500,000 private tenants in the UK are behind on their rent, and that 58 per cent of those had no rent arrears in February 2020. 

“On average, people who have fallen behind on rent now owe £730, which would mean around £360m is owed across the country. Mortgage payers have been able to benefit from formal payment holidays, but renters have been forced to fall back on negotiating month-by-month with their landlords” claims the charity.

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A quarter of those the charity surveyed who have rent arrears have already been threatened with eviction, termination of their rental contract, or handed an eviction notice despite the current rules, it is claimed.

Citizens Advice is calling for a legal ban on bailiff action and pause on all possession proceedings during the national lockdown in England beyond the current January 11 deadline, plus “targeted financial support for people in England who’ve built up rent arrears” along the lines of the government-backed loans operating in Wales and Scotland. 

 

“As Coronavirus restrictions once again tighten for everyone, the government must not forget the struggles of private renters. They currently face the prospect of losing their home once the eviction ban ends next week and the debt they have built up is likely to cast a long shadow over their future” says Alistair Cromwell, acting chief executive of Citizens Advice.

“Even though many landlords are trying their best to support their tenants, thousands of renters could face eviction in the coming months without further help. The government must act decisively to prevent evictions in areas subject to the highest coronavirus restrictions. And they should provide targeted support to help people escape the trap of rent arrears in the New Year.”

Want to comment on this story? If so...if any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals on any basis, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.

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    With no help forthcoming from the Govt LLs will be forced to evict non-paying tenants as soon as possible even if they are willing to help them. The simple truth is that many LLs just cannot afford to bear the cost of a non-paying tenant.

    No-one wants to evict previously good tenants who have fallen on hard times but without financial support many LLs have no choice.

    Then, any tenant evicted for non-payment of rent will find it impossible to rent again from a decent LL so where will they go? Either into shady, off grid properties or on to the streets.

    Come on Rishi, give tenants & LLs a break instead of just businesses.

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    I think you're just venting your spleen...

    ASAP ?.. wasn't it the same 12 months ago at the start of this pandemic ?.. even before the pandemic, it could take 18 months - what do you think your odds are now ???.. although Andrew Townshend did once try to say that it could be done in less than a month (I didn't believe him then and... well, a forum full of LLs - it's a little too much to expect a reasonable understanding of how a global pandemic impacts a business investment/venture.. although some LLs will cry, "it's not an investment, it's a service")

     
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    Seb, I don't think I ever said an eviction could be done in less than a month, it would be good if we could though, the last one that I did, 3-4 yrs ago now, I put the paper work into the court just after Christmas and the tenant left just before the High Court Bailiff was due to turn up at the end March, so 12 wks.

     
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    no pandemic in uk--this is a scam

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    CAB say 500’000 Tenant in arrears which is a high figure, they forgot to tell us how many private LL’s this equates to but say 150’000 Private LL’s are left rent short apparently which are the only ones affected really, the Tenants are protected, the Bank’s are protected so the only one to loose is the private LL who carries all the risk & that no one gives a Sugar about.

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