23rd
Sep 2020
Today (Wed 23rd September) the Minister of Housing for Housing has finally released the dates of the “Christmas truce” on evictions of renters who have been affected by coronavirus.
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Christopher Pincher has now stated that bailiffs in England and Wales must not carry out possession orders over the Christmas period between the dates of December 11th and January 12th 2021.
The dates were made known in response to a written question from the Lib-Dem MP for Richmond Park Sarah Olney.
In her letter to Parliament Ms Olney asked how tenants will be helped who had been served a Section 21 notice to end an assured shorthold tenancy between August 21st and 29th , as they are not covered under the six month notice period which was introduced in September.
Mr Pincher said: “Under the Coronavirus Act 2020, landlords serving notice of their intention to seek possession between August 21 and 29 would have been required to give their tenants at least three months notice.
“Where possession cases do go to court, new court rules mean that landlords are now required to set out any information they are aware of in relation to how their tenant, or any dependant of their tenant, has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Where this information is not provided, judges have the ability to adjourn proceedings until such information is provided.”
During the first weeks of lockdown, legislation was passed that landlords would have to give tenants three months notice of eviction rather than the previous two months, before they could begin the legal processes of eviction.
The ban has since then been changed three times with the latest incarnation of tenants having to be given a six month notice period, however from August 29th those tenants who owe more than six months rent will be given just four weeks notice before the legal process can start, other cases such as domestic abuse, anti social behaviour and obtaining a tenancy through fraud can also be accelerated through the courts.
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