Apr

MPs to grill ministers and officials on Coronavirus evictions policy

admin

Parliamentary committee is to looks at the evictions ban and also wants to hear from landlords before its starts quizzing the government. Have your say.

MPs
are to investigate fears that tenants are building up rent arrears and facing
eviction when the three-month ban expires.

Parliament’s
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has launched an inquiry to
find out how effective its support for private renters has been during the
crisis as well as what long-term strategies will need to be put in place to
support them once current measures expire.

MPs on the committee are to grill ministers and officials on their response to Covid-19 including a number of schemes intended to support people in the private rented sector.

This has included halting evictions for three months and raising the Local Housing Allowance rate.

However, there are concerns
about the short and long-term impact of these strategies, including the quality
of accommodation and access to amenities and the exit strategy when social
distancing measures are reduced.

The committee has launched the inquiry by calling for evidence, which landlords can submit their responses to.

Chair
Clive Betts, MP says: “It is vital that those in precarious living situations
are supported by the Government. People cannot be forced to leave their homes
at a time when finding a new place to live simply isn’t possible.

“However,
we must also look at what will happen a month from now and beyond. What happens
in three months’ time when the eviction ban lapses for people who have no job
and now owe three months’ rent?”

The committee particularly wants to focus on what problems remain an immediate concern as well as the post-lockdown impacts for renters and what action is needed to help them.

Have your say here.

View Full Article: MPs to grill ministers and officials on Coronavirus evictions policy