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Charity warns 50,000 rented households could be evicted over coronavirus crisis
More than 50,000 households could face eviction over the next six months as the coronavirus crisis mounts, unless the government acts now, a homelessness charity has warned.
Shelter predicts this number could “rise dramatically” if the pandemic leads to an economic crash.
The charity has called on the government to help renters cover private rents at a time when many will lose out on income due to self-isolation measures and time off work.
Today, prime minister Boris Johnson said to the commons that the government “will be bringing forward legislation to protect private renters from eviction”, but details are yet to emerge.
The government also announced yesterday that mortgage lenders will offer customers at least three-month break for mortgage repayments.
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However, Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, urged the government to act quickly to protect renters, too.
She said: “Tens of thousands of renters face being turfed out of their home in the next six months if the government fails to act quickly. We need a wholesale and complete halt to evictions while the coronavirus crisis unfolds.
“The government has stepped in to support mortgagees and it must now act decisively to help renters survive the current storm.
“It must legislate immediately to halt all eviction proceedings during this period of social disruption.”
Shelter gave examples of tenants who have already been evicted or threatened with eviction because of the virus.
One resident who works at an NHS hospital said their landlord has threatened to evict them because they are scared of catching coronavirus.
Another tenant was evicted without notice while on holiday in Italy, over fears they would bring the virus back into their property.
Inside Housing has also spoken to a number of social landlords which say they will not evict tenants into homelessness even if rent arrears stack up.
