Are some tenants using Covid-19 as an excuse not to pay their rent? 
Some Landlords are arguing that their tenants (knowing that they cannot be evicted for some time) are stopping their rental payments and waiting the 'long wait' to be evicted. Clearly this is a real concern for landlords who are themselves struggling to meet repayments on their mortgages; some landlords are even finding that by applying and obtaining a 'rent repayment holiday' it is adversely effecting their abilities to re-mortgage. This is something that ARLA have been raising with the ministry of housing. In Wales a tenant can apply for an interest free loan to pay rent; but in England, it is right to say that some Landlords are facing financial ruin. With all the latest regulations being placed upon them, resulting in fines and Court orders, it is easy to see why some landlords are selling their rental properties rather than investing in the property market. The country needs more housing, the County needs more private sector housing to help with the homelessness situation; so this is something that the minister for housing should be addressing 'how to help landlord during the Covid-19 pandemic'. Although the Courts are now prioritising Court hearings where the tenant is more than 9 months in arrears, there must be more than can be done. This is meant to be a generic blog and not specific, the law changes rapidly and with Covid-19 it is a fluid situation; in order to rely upon anything contained in this blog you should speak to our team of solicitors who will happily provide more up to date and specific advice on your particular matter and any changes involved.