The government is promising emergency legislation to suspend new evictions from social or rented accommodation for the duration of the coronavirus crisis.

Under urgent new laws, landlords will not be able to start proceedings to evict tenants for at least three months, due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Ministers have also confirmed the three-month mortgage holiday announced on Tuesday will be extended to landlords whose tenants are experiencing difficulties due to coronavirus.

This is aimed at alleviating the concerns of landlords, who might be worried about meeting mortgage payments, and should therefore mean no unnecessary pressure is put on their tenants.

The government is expecting landlords and tenants to work together to establish affordable repayment plans, taking into consideration tenants' individual circumstances, at the end of the period.


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The government has also worked alongside the master of the rolls, the president of the court of appeal, to make sure the pre-action protocol - which is the steps taken before a claim goes to court - can include private renters, so that tenants and landlords are able to better resolve any disputes.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said: "The government is clear - no renter who has lost income due to coronavirus will be forced out of their home, nor will any landlord face unmanageable debts.

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"These are extraordinary times and renters and landlords alike are of course worried about paying their rent and mortgage. Which is why we are urgently introducing emergency legislation to protect tenants in social and private accommodation from an eviction process being started.

"These changes will protect all renters and private landlords ensuring everyone gets the support they need at this very difficult time."

Shadow Housing Minister John Healey called the legislation a "welcome change".

"This is a welcome change of view on protection for renters," he said.

"As I said earlier in the week, only a ban on evictions gives renters confidence they won't lose their home if they're ill. It's important the legislation allows flexibility to extend the ban beyond three months if needed."

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Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords association said: "Landlord groups welcomes government support. We recognise the exceptional circumstances and we will work collaboratively with government to ensure these measures protect both landlords and tenants"

In a joint statement, the Residential Landlords Association and the National Landlords Association said: "Our priority is to ensure that tenants are secure in their homes during this crisis.

"The three-month buy to let mortgage payment holiday will take a lot of pressure off landlords enabling them to be as flexible as possible with tenants facing difficulties with their rent payments.

"No responsible landlord will be considering evicting tenants because of difficulties arising from the current situation."

On Monday, the prime minister asked Britons to stop going to theatres, pubs, bars and restaurants, plunging many service staff into uncertainty as if they will continue to get paid during the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, there have been a further 32 coronavirus-related deaths in England, taking the total number of fatalities in the UK to 104.