Dec

Landlords ‘cannot bankroll the rent arrears crisis any longer without government help’

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Private landlords have reached their limit and cannot support tenants who are getting into rent arrears any longer, the National Residential Landlords association (NRLA) has claimed.

Its Chief Executive, Ben Beadle, says that although new government research shows private landlords have offered their tenants more support than social landlords such as housing associations and councils, it’s time for the government to put together a plan on rent arrears.

The latest English Housing Survey reveals that landlords within the PRS have been giving more help to tenants who cannot pay their rent during the Covid pandemic than those in the social sector.

Since the start of the pandemic six per cent of private renters had secured a reduction in their rent payments compared to only two per cent in the social sector.

Also, five per cent of private renters had agreed a rent holiday with their landlord compared to three per cent in the social sector.

And an additional 12 per cent of private tenants had reached another agreement with their landlord – such as a repayment plan – compared to nine per cent of social tenants.

Ben Beadle, the NRLA’s Chief Executive (pictured) says: “These figures prove what we have been saying that many private landlords have done everything they can to support renters affected by the pandemic.

“But their ability to provide further help has run out.

“The Government needs a proper plan to get COVID-related arrears paid off and sustain tenancies.

“Simply banning repossessions temporarily is just kicking the can down the road and is just making the eventual problems worse for both tenants and landlords.”

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