He’s absolutely crackers!

Boris has very carefully worded confirmation in PMQs that measures to protect tenants will be brought forward.

However, he did also say that any measures should not just pass the problem on.

We are in exceedingly difficult times.
I have two properties and am very concerned as to whether the tenants can continue paying rent.
I feel sorry for everybody effected and surely the Government as part of the relief package for coronavirus should be held responsible for paying rents where the tenant has been layed off work through no fault of there own?
In my experience when a tenant goes into arrears it can take more than a year for any missed month's to be caught up meantime we as landlords have lots of bills to pay.
Somebody above made the valid point about a boiler breakdown.
I don't believe the Conservative party are anymore supportive of landlords than the Labour Party as somehow, it doesn't fit in with Popularism politics.
The future is bleak for the rental property as landlords have been hammered since 2010 which can only result in less availability of genuine landlords treating tenants with dignity and respect.
Rents are going to need to rise by a substanial amount thanks to the Conservative Government actions over the last ten years.

Please also note as usual it's the small landlord who is asked to sacrifice rent. All long leaseholders with unregulated freeholder/management companies, with their overinflated
(and often invented) service changes will still be demanding these at the risk of the owner's forfeituring their home if they don't pay immediately.

Reply to the comment left by michelle green at 18/03/2020 - 16:30
Could not agree more.

Reply to the comment left by Sue Bird at 18/03/2020 - 09:24
You must be a very lucky landlady to be speaking like this.

The media and politicians seem to be implying everyone will be ill and everyone will lose their job and income.
That's completely irrational.

Some tenants will have massive pay cuts due to reduced working hours or business closure. Others will be working flat out and earning more than usual.
There will be thousands of temporary jobs covering for regular staff sickness and covering industries with higher than normal demand.

Universal Credit and the Local Housing Allowance exist for a reason. In most cases it is significantly below real rent but it would minimise the arrears tenants could accrue. Presumably claiming benefits and receiving the first payment is going to be even slower than usual but knowing there is money on the way would reassure some landlords and tenants. A great many of the tenants who will be affected have absolutely no knowledge of the benefits system. Reminding them it exists is probably a sensible thing to do.
I was under the impression the suggested rent holiday doesn't cancel the rent, it defers it. How many tenants are going to want or need to rack up a rent debt? Having compassion for and giving a breathing space to those in genuine difficulty due to the impact of Coronavirus is one thing. Irresponsible journalism encouraging tenants to not pay (even if they have the money) is a major concern.

If pubs, restaurants, cinemas, theme parks, etc are all closed what are people going to spend money on? A great many people have already bought several weeks supply of food, so again what are they going to spend money on? If they're self isolating or working from home or laid off they aren't having to pay to travel to work.

So while some tenants are going to experience financial difficulty others are going to be earning significantly more than normal.

Reply to the comment left by Janet Carnochan at 18/03/2020 - 09:28
Mortgage holiday doesn't apply to BTL mortgages. Shafted yet again.

Section 24 should be immediately scrapped. Now some will def have tax bills with no income.
Empty property council tax100% should be scrapped
I agree the best route would be for landlords to be paid full rent direct via UC and the tenant to pay back via tax system or benefit system over time.
Giving 3 months rent break will be like a red rag to a bull for the rogue tenants.
Landlords will be milked with he blessings of government
Many more will be bankrupted or leave the sector.
It takes months now to evict after this it will be years.

Update -
Author: Giles Peaker

The Government has just announced emergency legislation to do the following:
Stop any new possession claims (social and private tenancies) being issued at court for the next three months (at least).
Introduce a new pre-action protocol for possession claims, to apply after the three months (or whenever) which will apply to private as well as social tenancies to strengthen its remit and to "support the necessary engagement between landlords and tenants to resolve disputes and landlords will have to reach out to tenants to understand the financial position they are in."
The three month mortgage payment holiday already announced for homeowners will be extended to buy to let mortgages. At the end of the three months (or however long) landlords and tenants will be expected to work together to establish repayment plans, taking into account tenant's individual circumstances.

Oh and "The government will also issue guidance which asks landlords to show compassion and to allow tenants who are affected by this to remain in their homes wherever possible", which I think we can probably treat as at best an exhortation to be nice, and we know how well such guidance has usually worked.

The Bill to enact this is not available yet (as at 6.30 pm on 18 March).

Some immediate questions and thoughts...

What about existing possession claims? (on which see a post to follow).

Will this extend to any possession claim, including against licensees, or limited to Rent Act/ Housing Act 1985/Housing Act 1988 only?

Will the new protocol apply to rent arrears claims only? Or would it even extend to section 21 claims?

Is the new protocol going to be a lasting thing, or time limited for a 'post crisis' period? It sounds like it would be a good thing as a permanent protocol.

And, what about some additional funding to local authorities to fund tenancy relations officers and enforcement? It seems likely that this will lead to a rise in attempted illegal evictions.

We will be looking at the legislation in detail when it is published, but it has to be said that in the current situation, this sounds like a good thing.

Really? For whom?

Reply to the comment left by Jim Fox at 19/03/2020 - 08:06
The Government and media think all landlords are so wealthy they can fund what is there responsibility.
What about the knock on effect of landlords who use rental income as all or part of there pension, in other words to live?