Rent payments

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Since there were talks about banks giving mortgage breaks how about the unfotunate ones who rents?? We have a small child in private nursery (that might close) we may end up off work with no pay having to pay nursery and rent??? anyone knows anything about rent break due to corona?

Have you spoken to your landlord? It's worth an ask. I rent out my old flat and know that she will have trouble paying the rent if she can't work for a prolonged period. As she has been an amazing tenant I am happy to suspend payments, but we can afford to do so. I view it as I don't want to lose her, and although it's only a small token with everything going on, if it's one less worry then all good.

Hi @Waxonwaxoff0

My mistake, but the basis for claiming UC is still the same, and that's the correct means of getting help to pay your rent. If you don't have a savings buffer then there will be a cash-flow problem until your claim is processed (which was also the case when I've claimed housing benefit in the past), and any sensible landlord will accept that arrears will build up. But when the money comes through it's backdated to the date of your claim.

Just ask the landlord.

I have 3 properties and would happily let the tenants off for a few months for a genuine case.

Just to say not all mortgage providers are giving a mortgage break.

I am already out of work due to Coronavirus and mine won't do mortgage holidays or even let me go onto interest only for a couple of months (spoke to them yesterday).

Yes but most of mortgages will be suspensed if the country is in a lockdown. I will speak to my landlord and see whether they would agree to help. If not can they evict a family with a toddler? Good luck with that while the whole country will be in a lockdown. They will MUST to do something otherwise there wont be any tenants left after this all madness is over

I'm an accidental landlord, I/my family do not make profit from renting out our old family home. My tenants have been giving us endless problems with late payment of rent and now are blaming the Coronavirus for their latest inability to pay their rent. It may be legitimate but coupled with months of an extremely stressful situation, I have to admit to being less forgiving now. We are not a charity, we are not a bottomless pit, I cannot be perpetually out of pocket when I have my own rent to pay and family to care for.

Right so now theres been guidelines for landlords to be sympathetic and allow some room for rent payments. If LL are getting mortgage holidays then why shouldnt tenants get one too? Especially if we are not being paid from work. Id love to see how landlords would come and evict self isolating families with small children. I am going to talk to my LL tomorrow to see what they think about it in case the worst happens

My tenants move out in April (planned, nothing to do with CV), I’ll probably keep the house empty rather than risk non paying unknown new tenants until things pick up.

Agree with PP it depends on the landlord.

This time round, we should be alright for a couple of months, last house, there is no chance the landlady could survive missing a payment

The mortgage payments will still need to made, and the interest will still accrue- so it's not 'off' as such but delayed. Would be nice if this could be oases on, but then when this is all over, how quickly would you be able to pay three months back rent? Also LL has insurance and fees- would hope that would at least get paid, if mortgage payments weren't needed, but again- I'm not sure I could afford three months of back rent in a few months time either.

Labour has requested that evictions become illegal for the duration, also renters who have to claim universal credit can get housing benefit.

There's some legislation currently being drafted by Labour with the aim of having the government implement it.

"that where there was failure to pay contractual rent that was in any way related to the effects of the coronavirus during a designated period, this would not count as rent lawfully due for the purposes of the relevant rent arrears grounds of possession"

This for assured, assured shorthold and rent act tenancies.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51939634 I have seen this now in the news! So thankfully they will most likely suspend home rental fees - very relieved

@Thehop What are you going to do if tenants cannot pay then? Evict? Good luck in sorting out new tenants at the moment.

This whole situation underlines why people should have some savings when they do get income and not spend everything they earn. (And don’t give me the line that not everyone can save. The vast majority of people with no savings could have saved. Very few people actually live hand to mouth although I acknowledge they do exist).

The problem is that local housing allowance doesn't come near actual private rents. We are over 38 so entitled to a 1 bed flat. Here the local allowance is 376 per month. There is nowhere to rent for that amount, even house shares are considerably more than that. Even if we got universal credit we would end up in debt and landlord has already told us he expects rent in full during this or will start eviction.

I have to self isolate for 12 weeks and it is possible my husband will have to join me, getting SSP which doesn't even cover our rent let alone anything else. Our savings went when I became disabled and I had to leave my old job as they couldn't make reasonable adjustments.

It is a nightmare to be honest, some landlords use rent as their income too. Someone suggested it would be easier to just give a certain amount of money to every person for the next few months so essential bills could be paid.

@Rosehip10 no, I won’t evict them. I can’t afford that either! I honestly don’t know what I’ll do.....but if they can’t pay there isnt a great deal I can do. I’ll investigate a mortgage holiday and hope I don’t need it. I work in a nursery and I won’t get paid if we close so I have every sympathy for them if they end up in the same situation.

My LL is a doctor (not sure what department she works in) so our home is not her main income. I presume she will have a mortgage on the property. If mortgage payments are suspended for 3 months like the government is suggesting then rent payments should also be suspended for 3 months. We will of course be prioritising our rent above everything else but we are also due a baby soon as well as providing for a 4yo.

Payment plans should be suggested. I.e. paying weekly instead of monthly to spread the cost of rent

Just to be clear- I don’t think a mortgage holiday Is a free pass? It’s the bank lending you the money to pay that month, plus interest right? It’s not as simple as saying if mortgages are getting holidays so should renters. Reduced rent to cover mortgage costs those months might be a fair compromise

Mortgages aren’t stopped for landlords though - they are only suspended but you still have to pay. Rent would have to be the same - maybe suspended but would need to be paid back. It would be much easier if rent was paid to tenant by government as there are too many individual landlord circumstances to make a blanket policy. The tax implications for individual landlords are difference than those for houses owned by a company.

Just watching PMQs and they are talking about bringing in legislation so that people who can’t pay their rent can’t be evicted, they said details probably later today

We have rental properties, we don’t have mortgages on them. If any of my tenants have issues due to Coronavirus I’ll happily let them miss a few payments

This thread shows that decent landlords exist. The private sector play an important part in provision of housing.

The main thing is that even if the tenants cant pay the rent for a month or two - the landlord will still have an asset at the end of this reccession. Also the landlords have their own home as well as the rental property so I am glad the gov is intervening and wont allow to evict anyone + hopefully will allow rent holidays

You are making it too simple:
Some rental properties are owned by landlords with many properties and are a company so have a lot of tax advantages. Those can afford probably to take a bit of a hit.
Other properties are owned by individuals and they may well have high monthly outgoings and don’t make much profit. So months of no rent would make a big impact.
Most buy to let properties are on interest only mortgages so you have to pay back the full amount at then end so not really a big asset at the end unless the value has gone up hugely.
So much better to give any help with rent directly to the tenants and it keeps it level.