Guidance for Tenants Impacted by Covid-19 Crisis
We are hearing all about the help that is going to people whose income is threatened or even stopped by this awful pandemic but how does this situation affect tenants? What do you do if you can't make rental payments?
Whether you are renting through an agency or privately, we have answered some commonly asked questions below but if you have any other questions or need any further guidance just get in touch and we’ll do our best to answer your queries.
Are we still open?
Since the Prime Minister’s most recent instructions to the public regarding social distancing we imagine most of you are now working from home. We have also followed these instructions as expected and are working from our homes.
Alexanders is still very much working to take care of our tenants, landlords, buyers and sellers but we are just no longer operating this service from our offices at Cambrian Chambers.
We can be reached on the usual telephone numbers and email addresses:
(Sales: 01970 636000 sales@alexanders-online.co.uk and Lettings: 01970 636010 lettings@alexanders-online.co.uk)
our phones will be answered during our normal working hours (Mon to Friday 9:00am until 6:00pm)
our out of hours number is 07966 636005, please note that this is for emergencies only.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require any assistance or need any help but please know that only urgent/emergency maintenance jobs will be tended to for obvious reasons during this difficult time. As per our previous email, we ask that you make us aware if you self-isolate (due to displaying symptoms or if you are within a vulnerable group) so that we have a record of this on file and are able to make any arrangements and offer any help that we can. As always, if you have an emergency please call or email us.
For now, adhering to government guidelines on preventing the spread of infection, we won’t be attending any routine property inspections.
What’s a mortgage holiday and how does it affect rent?
You will have seen that last week the UK Government briefing that mortgagees are being offered a 3 month ‘holiday’. As is often the case, it’s not quite as straightforward as that... they are not guaranteed immediately, they also are not applicable to everybody and even if they are, they take some time to put into place.
Should a ‘mortgage holiday’ be granted it is only a break in payments rather than a stop to them, it means that when normal payments resume they will then increase to make up for the ‘holiday’. While some of our clients/landlords may be in a position to take a mortgage holiday an awful lot would not.
As such we hope that rental payments can be made as usual in accordance with the terms and conditions of the tenancy agreement. There are a number of income support schemes that the Government are putting into place that should allow everything to function as normally as possible during this time. Please see below link which can provide some helpful guidance here.
What if I’m concerned about payment?
If you do foresee a problem with payments, please can you let us know as soon as possible so that we can discuss the best way for everyone to move forwards as smoothly as possible. We will be happy to discuss a payment plan with you but you should be aware that you remain contractually liable for the rent during any period of deferral. We appreciate this is a very difficult time for many and will work with you and your landlord to get through this.
If you are struggling to pay your rent as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic you should speak to your agent or landlord as soon as possible in order to explore ways of managing the situation.
- You could ask for additional time to pay or pay in instalments.
- If you are unable to reach an agreement with your agent or landlord, it is recommended that you still pay any amount you can still afford.
- You should keep a record of what you have offered to pay and keep a record of conversations with emails.
At the end of the emergency legislation period, if a renter is in arrears of rent, the Government has stated that landlords and renters will be expected to work together to establish an affordable repayment plan, taking into account renters’ individual circumstances.
What we have said to our landlords and tenants is that the underlying message from the Government’s response is that renters, landlords and Government are now expected to work together so that, when the UK pulls through the Covid-19 pandemic, peoples’ lives and the economy can rebound as quickly as possible, and homelessness for renters will not become widespread.
There is help available!
If you are worried about being unable to pay rent, there is advice from specialist providers such as Citizens Advice and The Money Advice Service which you can look at here.
What Support is there for Employers and Employees?
You can also find more information on Government support for employers and employees here
If you are worried about being evicted and not having anywhere else to go, you should speak to your local authority.
If you fall into financial difficulties due to a change in your employment or earnings, for example, you may qualify for Universal Credit.