Important information for landlords about the legal implications of Covid-19

Authored by ARAG

Landlords, including those who have legal expenses insurance cover with ARAG, are probably aware that the government is putting emergency measures in place to protect both tenants and their landlords from the financial consequences that the coronavirus outbreak may have on them.

Like so many other areas at the moment, this is a rapidly changing situation about which the Government is likely to make further announcements. We will try to keep this information as up-to-date as possible, but any landlord with a specific question should also refer to the latest information released by the Government and call our legal advice helpline, if necessary.

The key information provided by the government can be found on the gov.uk website

In summary, the most important points are that:

• The Government is introducing emergency legislation to suspend new evictions from social or private rented accommodation during the course of this ‘national emergency’;
• It will not be possible to commence new possession proceedings through applications to the court, throughout the course of this crisis;
• Landlords will also be eligible for the 3-month mortgage payment holiday that was recently announced, as it will be extended to buy-to-let mortgages.

Inevitably, the situation for new and recent claims is likely to vary depending on various factors, so any landlords who may have a potential claim under their Landlord Legal Solution policy should contact us, using the details in their policy documentation, for specific advice.