New Courts to Tackle Backlog of Evictions

Lord Chancellor Unveils Plans for Ten 'Nightingale Courts'

On 19 July the Lord Chancellor, Robert Buckland, announced that ten ‘Nightingale Courts’ would be set up rapidly to help deal with the backlog of evictions proceedings. With court services having been suspended from March for all ongoing housing possession action in England and Wales due to the coronavirus, the industry has been expressing increasing concern at the significant backlog in the Courts.

On 22 July, it was announced that possession proceedings would recommence from 23 August and MP Christopher Pincher, whilst recognising that the prioritisation of cases is the job of the judiciary, expressed his belief that it is important that serious and antisocial cases be heard as soon as possible.

Two of the new Courts will be located in London and other measures are also being put into place to ease the pressure on the court system, including longer opening hours in order to increase the number of cases that can be heard in a day and continuing to use video technology to hear cases where appropriate.

Through our considerate and professional dealing with our tenants, we have a great track record of keeping our landlords up-to-date with their rent payments.

To work with us - and help avoid the build-up of arrears that can lead to a lengthy eviction proceeding - contact us now.

Demand from Tenants and Rental Supply Highest on Record for June

Numbers of Prospective New Tenants Continuing to Rise

The June edition of ARLA Propertymark's Private Rented Sector Report found a record number of prospective tenants registering interest with agents - a year-on-year high for this time of year. Whilst the market typically begins to slow in June for the summer months, this year's surge on account of the coronavirus means that we expect the next few months will be busier than usual.

Phil Keddie, ARLA Propertymark's President agrees. 'Our latest figures show that the rental market is continuing to pick up following the COVID-19 lockdown. The record-breaking supply of rental stock and demand from tenants for this time of year paints an optimistic picture for the summer months, indicating that the market will be more active than the usual seasonal lull.'

There are also more properties on the market now than is typical for this time of year which means that you're best placed to market your property with a smaller agency who can give you a more focussed and attentive service to get your property let quickly.

To have a chat about how we can help, give us a call on 0203 488 0224.

Government Extends Eviction Ban

Support for Tenants and Landlords Extended until 23 August - Update

As preparations begin for the easing of lockdown across England, the government have also recognised that tenants and landlords continue to require support in these extraordinary times.

It was announced yesterday that the three month suspension currently in place on all new eviction proceedings will be extended for a further two months.

The two month extension will come into force on 25 June, when the previous three month extension, originally announced in March, was due to expire. The mortgage payment holiday offered to landlords has also been granted the same extension.

It is expected that new eviction hearings will be heard by the courts starting from the end of August.

If your tenants have been financially affected by the coronavirus and unable to pay their rent, reach out and contact us. We’ve been successfully helping our landlords to manage their tenants and properties throughout this difficult period and you will find all the information and support that you need when you call us.

Full details on the two month extension are available through the link below.