The government is under new pressure to introduce a last minute eviction ban to avoid private renters facing homelessness over Christmas.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey says thousands of renters and even homeowners who cannot afford mortgage payments are facing a “nightmare before Christmas”.
The Lib Dem proposals include a temporary ban on home repossession, between now and December 31, along similar lines to the bans in place during the pandemic. The party is also calling for a new Mortgage Protection Fund, which would provide temporary grants to those owners most at risk of repossession.
He adds: "The Conservative government put hundreds of pounds on people's mortgages through their disastrous mini-budget. The very least they could now do is to take responsibility for fixing this mess and protecting homeowners on the brink. No-one should face losing their home this Christmas because the Conservative government crashed the economy."
And he continues: “These measures would stop banks from repossessing people’s homes who have been hit the hardest by soaring mortgage prices as well as bringing forward the promised ban on no-fault evictions, alongside a ban on evictions for arrears over the winter. We are deeply concerned that both renters and homeowners could face homelessness during one of the most difficult Winters in living memory.
“We are making these urgent calls on the Conservative Government as only days of Parliament remain before Christmas for the Prime Minister to take responsibility for the mess his Government has caused. The Conservatives have failed time and time again to bring forward the ban on no-fault evictions they promised and have made no attempt to stop repossessions caused by their disastrous mini-Budget. They must act now before it is too late.”
A similar call for an eviction ban has been made by the activists who run the Generation Rent group, as well as the campaigning charity Shelter - the latter currently crippled by a strike of its 600 staff.
Both of those groups want such a ban as part of a broader package of help for private tenants, including the immediate scrapping of section 21 evictions.
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Is there ever a good time of year to be made homeless?
It’s Christmas! That’s what’s important. Not you having a non-paying tenant or falling behind with your mortgage payments or dealing with an ASB tenant, or trying to move back into your home home after living abroad.
Christmas or whatever else, the rent has to be and must be paid.
Will Tesco etc. let you not pay for groeceries?
I think you all know!!!!
Agree David. But as is in Scotland it appear paying the rent is now becoming optional with these politicians and these home wrecker pressure groups like Shelter and Gen Rent. Totally agree regarding the Tesco comment. I would add can we go on strike beyond 31st January and let HMRC know?
New year's Day seems to be the lib Dems preferred day!
Happy New year to Renters your Rents are now un- affordable thanks to Mr Michael Gove and his WHITE PAPER he must really hate you.
We've already got an eviction and rent increase ban in Scotland until March 2023 and possibly being extended... It just keeps getting better!!!
I think our UK politicians have a little more sense. Not much just about enough. They are already going through the White Paper nonsense. That was published before mortgage rates rocketed. I can see less and less home being available the more they keep on interfering instead of 1) creating more homes (to rent or to buy) and 2) to a lesser extent stop the population growth.
Mortgage protection fund, so the tax payer's paying their mortgage, yes okay do that but only after taking a second charge against the property with a rolling 8% interest added to the debt payable when the property is sold
So if tenants can't be evicted, and then stop paying the rent (if they didn't already have rent arrears already). How will the majority of landlords (who have mortgages to pay) be able to pay the mortgage if there is no rent coming in?
The woke politicians won't care. They will want to say they are keeping families in their homes. Landlords have access to borrow the money from elsewhere unlike tenants! :)))
So Lib-Dem another waste of time talking through their hat, is there not any business people in government or know how a viable business works.
If these stupid politicians spent more time living in the real world maybe they would get more respect?
Landlords will only seek eviction as a last resort, it costs the landlord money, it takes up time and it causes the tenants grief! The time of year is irrelevant, you pay your bills on time = no problem, you don't pay your bills on time = problem!
You can almost guarantee that the mobile phone bills will be paid on time otherwise how can they play online bingo and complete online benefit forms?
They also pay the electric so they can watch their oversized TVs and Netflix in between working out what more benefits they can apply for.
Instead of a small cheap car to run, I see plenty of old large big engine sporty cars.
The Lib Dems will soon be behind Reform Uk, they are a spent force… to be ignored.
I think we need to all vote Reform UK to get rid of the Tories. If enough of us did it we could keep them and Labour out.
If we could just get a few Reform MPs at least then they would have a voice in the HOC
I think it was Simon that hit the nail on the head when he referred to Mortgage increases.
When this Un-Fairer Renters Bill was being dreamt up people had loans for 1% even .5%,
I knew a guy that was costing the Bank money so they were paying him to have the loan.
The Renter Reform Bill was hatched on the back this nonsense to hit the gravey train.
Now too late the gravy train has hit the buffers.
So the landlords coming off a very low fixed rate now hit with probably 6% some haven’t a hope of paying their commitments.
Time to call off the Wolves Mr Michael Gove and scrap this Stupid Bill you have done more than enough damage.
Hear hear.
I am also of the opinion that the BS White Paper was dreamt up before the current problems. Many landlords will sell just due to the rates. They don't need to add fuel to the fire by bringing this Unfair paper in do they?
But they can be moronic and carry on anyway. Only time will tell.
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