November lockdown may cause further delays for possession claims

Lockdown: More financial misery for UK landlords

The latest November lockdown, although it is essential to save lives and help our NHS will nevertheless heap more financial misery for UK landlords. We have reached a point even some accidental landlords themselves are homeless now.

Dr William Mesih, one of the directors of the British Landlords Association, said: “Our member’s helpline has seen an increase in several landlords who are themselves homeless. Some tenants are forced to stay right at the end of the eviction process before the council houses them. That means at least a years wait, which is what it is taking before landlords can expect to regain possession of there home.”

He added: On the other hand, we have landlords who are retired and rely on the rental income to survive, and their tenants are not paying. There are a few tenants who simply don’t want to pay, the current system gives the protection to do so”. He said.

The Welsh tenants can apply for a loan which is paid directly to the letting agent or the landlord. This alleviates the financial struggles and challenges landlords and tenants alike are facing.

Landlords in England have no such support, although the NRLA and the BLA have urged the government to introduce a similar scheme for landlords in England. Thus far, it has fallen on deaf ears.

Likelihood of another ban on eviction?

Highly unlikely, however, if the government does announce a ban on eviction during November, it will be the 3rd disruption to the rights of the landlord to seek justice against non-paying tenants.

Some court staff may well have to self-isolate, which will mean the courts cannot function as efficiently as one would like. Our county courts were already struggling before COVID-19 with workload due to the cutbacks, shutting down of many county courts up and down the country.

The current notice period for section 8 & 21

Usually, your landlord must give you up to 2 months’ notice. Because of coronavirus, the notice periods are longer.

If you were given notice between 26 March 2020 and 28 August 2020, your landlord must give you 3 months to leave the property.

If you have been given notice since 29 August 2020, your landlord must give you 6 months to leave. You might have to leave much sooner if you’re evicted using a section 8 notice, depending on the reason for eviction.

In Wales, the notice period must be: