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Government eviction ban ‘kicking can down the road’, says Khan
Government measures to protect renters during the coronavirus crisis by banning evictions are merely “kicking a can down the road” with renters still having to pay rent owed to landlords at a later stage, London mayor Sadiq Khan has said.
At Mayor’s Question Time today, Mr Khan signalled his support for affected renters to be granted a rent holiday.
Yesterday, ministers announced a “complete ban” on evictions in both the social and private rental sectors for at least three months, in a bid to help people unable to pay their rent due to loss of income caused by the pandemic.
Tenants will still be expected to pay back rent arrears built up during the ban after it is lifted through a payment plan agreed with their landlord.
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Mr Khan was today asked by Green Party co-leader and London Assembly member Sian Berry if he would be arguing for “a proper rent holiday”.
She said the current measures “are for a rent holiday which then… turns the rent into debt within three months”.
The mayor responded: “Absolutely, that’s one of my concerns. What you’re doing is you’re simply kicking a can down the road.
“And that’s why it’s really important. So the government’s set up a mortgage holiday – people should know, who are renters, that they’re not deferring this.
“Which means, you know human nature as it is, you’ll know that you’ve now got the money which you’re supposed to pay this month, simply you’ve got to pay it in two months’ time. You’ve still got that problem.
“And there’ll be a standing start in three months’ time or four months’ time when we return to normal, inverted commas.”
Mr Khan also said he will be asking prime minister Boris Johnson to consider using empty hotels “to provide temporary shelter for those who are sleeping rough”.
He added that outreach workers are concerned that rough sleepers being placed in dormitory-style hostels and refuges could “inadvertently” expose them to infection.
During the session, Mr Khan also indicated his backing of a universal basic income during the crisis, suggesting that it could help people tempted to go out to work follow government advice to stay at home.
“People need to have peace of mind that they’ll have money to put food on the table,” he said.
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