UK Tenants. association “Generation Rent” calls for rent and eviction relief during Coronavirus pandemic

Government is being urged to protect private renters at risk of becoming homeless due to the Coronavirus.

Generation Rent is urging the Government to do more to protect renters who are self-isolating or have lost their jobs as a result of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

It follows on from The Green Party and Labour making similar calls in the past couple of days.

Generation Rent is calling on the Government to protect renters at risk of homelessness, through:

• Temporarily halting all Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions and Section 8 evictions for rent arrears.
• Removing the five-week wait for Housing Benefit, and ensuring Housing Benefit covers the cost of rents.
• Freezing rent increases for one year, to prevent landlords from raising rents to unaffordable levels.

Last night, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a £330bn package of measures to support businesses, including a three-month mortgage holiday for homeowners.

Equivalent support for renters was absent, but he told the House of Commons, “the Housing Secretary will, in the coming days, make a statement with further measures to protect renters through these difficult times”.