Landlords Urge Government To Offer Rent Clarity
While the Government has made clear that tenants cannot be evicted by landlords as part of the Coronavirus Act 2020, landlords say that more clarity is needed over the paying of rent.
The call comes from the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), who say that many tenants believe they don't have to pay their rent because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Now, they say, the government needs to clarify their guidance over the paying of rent so that tenants understand that all rent must be paid wherever possible.
However, the NRLA says that flexibility will be required from landlords and the Government should make clear that tenants must meet their contractual and legal obligations.
Landlords struggling to make mortgage payments
Ben Beadle, the chief executive of the NRLA, said: "The mortgage repayment holiday is for those landlords struggling to make mortgage payments because tenants are not paying all or part of their rent because of coronavirus.
"This isn't an automatic payment holiday and for those who successfully apply, those landlords have to make these payments later. It isn't a grant."
He added: "Where tenants have genuine difficulties in meeting rent payments because they have lost their income, landlords have the flexibility to mutually agree to defer the rent that is due.
"This isn't a green light for tenants to stop paying rent."
Tenant referencing service being offered for free
Meanwhile, landlords can enjoy a tenant referencing service for free during the Coronavirus pandemic.
The offer is also being extended to letting agents to enjoy comprehensive tenant screening by Canopy. The free offer is available to current and new clients while the pandemic continues.
This means that the current £3 fee per reference being charged by Canopy for referencing will be waived.
The offer is being made until 30 June though new clients will have to sign a standard 18-month contract in order to enjoy the free offer.
Canopy's founder Tahir Farooqui said: "Many landlords and agents will be looking at ways of cutting costs and this free referencing will bring savings."
App enables landlords and tenants to interact
Landlords in London can use an app to interact with potential tenants wanting to view their property.
The offering from Rentd enables interaction to take place with no face-to-face contact.
With the current lockdown in place, prospective tenants are staying at home but they can find somewhere to live using the platform and conclude the entire letting process using the app.
The founder of the platform says it is the only fully automated offering currently available.
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