UK extends commercial tenant eviction ban until March
The UK’s ban on commercial property eviction has been extended today to March 2021.
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick announced that this will be the final extension of the business eviction ban, after it was originally supposed to end in September this year.
A statement from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the move “will give landlords and tenants three months to come to an agreement on unpaid rent”.
“This support is for the businesses struggling the most during the pandemic, such as those in hospitality – however, those that are able to pay their rent should do so,” Jenrick said.
“We are witnessing a profound adjustment in commercial property. It is critical that landlords and tenants across the country use the coming months to reach agreements on rent wherever possible and enable viable businesses to continue to operate.”
The announcement comes after a swathe of retail collapses in the past couple of weeks, including Arcadia Group and Debenhams.
More than 25,000 jobs are now at risk at the two companies.
The eviction ban extension was welcomed by British Retail Consortium chief executive Helen Dickinson, saying that it came “in the nick of time”.
“With footfall down and many stores completely shut in November, many are counting on December sales to claw back some of the lost turnover from this year,” she said.
“This extension will give hard pressed retailers breathing space to trade their way out of rent arrears that may have built up during lockdown.”