As part of their ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Government has published the Coronavirus Bill 2020. This bill will require a number of temporary changes to the way the private rented sector operates.

The package of reforms to help renters announced are: -

extending notice periods for repossession for the duration of the emergency. This is a substantial change from the original proposal to suspend all repossessions.
widening the pre-action protocol for social landlords to include private rented sector landlords
ensuring that buy-to-let lenders will offer a mortgage holiday of up to three months for private landlords whose tenants have been impacted by the coronavirus. This is on the understanding that landlords will be expected to offer a similar rent holiday to their tenants.

As of 23rd March 2020, the Government is now requiring everyone stay indoors in almost all circumstances, as well as restricting assemblies of more than two people at a time.

The NLA and RLA recognise that these are unprecedented circumstances, and it is vital that tenants remain secure in their homes if they are adversely affected by coronavirus and the restrictions advised by the Government.