Landlord eviction ban for businesses extended until end of September

Tenants cannot be evicted until at least the end of September
PA
Mark Shapland19 June 2020

The Government has extended measures to prevent landlords from evicting businesses at the end of the month.

Tenants cannot be evicted until at least the end of September, moved forward from the original June 30 date first introduced at the start of lockdown.

It comes as many continue to struggle with rents after sales ground to a halt.

Since lockdown, commercial landlords have reported huge falls in rent received as revenues collapsed overnight.

Banning evictions from commercial premises until the end of September at the earliest comes as the hospitality sector pushes ministers to reduce the two-metre social distancing rule, and a review is under way.

Pubs, cafes and restaurants remain closed and can only provisionally reopen from July 4, although many smaller establishments have said the rules mean their businesses will become unviable without enough customers allowed inside.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “As our high streets come to life and our town centres open for business, it is crucial that both landlords and tenants have clarity and reassurance as they seek to keep their finances stable and bounce back.

“That is why we are extending measures to protect those who are unable to pay rent from eviction so that businesses have the security they need to plan for their futures.”

He pointed out that the new code was developed and signed alongside the British Chambers of Commerce, British Property Federation, British Retail Consortium, the Commercial Real Estate Finance Council, Revo, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and UKHospitality.

British Property Federation chief executive Melanie Leech said the move comes as landlords and tenants continue working together in the majority of cases.

She added: “The success of landlords and tenants working together as economic partners is vital to the UK’s recovery and to help ensure that viable businesses in distress as a result of coronavirus are supported, to protect both people’s jobs and the local authorities, savers and pensioners who own the majority of our town centres.”