TENANTS in Oxford will need government support even after the coronavirus crisis has passed according to Oxford City Council’s leader.

The city council has promised it will not evict any tenants in council houses struggling to pay rent after losing jobs – but called for more help.

Workers in restaurants, bars and pubs have been laid off in recent days after employers were forced to close due to social distancing measures.

The council's commitment follows on the heels of an announcement from the UK government on Wednesday that emergency laws will be passed to stop new evictions and give buy to let landlords a three-month 'mortgage holiday'.

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The city council's leader, Susan Brown, said she welcomed the government's proposals, but wanted it to go further.

She suggested the government should call 'a halt to ongoing eviction proceedings' and should keep its new protections in place 'for as long as they are needed', instead of just for three months.

Ms Brown said: “There may be a need for additional financial support for landlords without mortgages and for renters who would have difficulties arranging repayment plans even after the coronavirus emergency has passed.

“The government should explore all options for helping these tenants – including changes to benefit entitlement like suspending the bedroom tax and benefit cap, and temporarily increasing local housing allowance rates to median rent levels."

Oxford Mail:

Many renters are feeling the pinch as they have been laid off due to social distancing measures.

The leader also said the city council was working with housing associations to prevent evictions.

Though the council has no power over private landlords' ability to evict tenants, Ms Brown echoed the Residential Landlords Association's call for leniency while the virus blights the job market.

The city council has written to all its tenants to offer support as social distancing continues.

The letter from Stephen Clarke, the council's head of housing services said it plans for services including bin collection and repairs to remain as normal.

It also said the council will contact its old and vulnerable tenants 'over the coming days' to make sure they are okay.

Ms Brown's was responding to a series of demands issued by the Oxford Tenants' Union, a campaign group set up to represent renters in the city.

These included:

  • making a public commitment to all Oxford City Council tenants that no one will lose their home
  • offering ‘rent holidays’ to tenants unable to work
  • halting all evictions for Housing Association or Council tenants
  • providing emergency funding to low-income renters to encourage them to stay home
  • putting in place emergency legislation to ensure private-renters living in shared accommodation are forced to self-isolate

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The full statement from Susan Brown

“At Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday Boris Johnson said the government would do “whatever it takes” to help people affected by coronavirus and last night the government provided details of emergency legislation to protect renters from eviction.

“This legislation will include suspending all new evictions from social and private rented housing for at least three months. The government is also extending mortgage payment holidays to buy to let landlords whose tenants are struggling to pay the rent due to coronavirus.

“While we welcome the proposed legislation, Oxford City Council would like the government to consider doing more to protect tenants during these difficult times – for example, by also calling a halt to ongoing eviction proceedings and committing to maintain the arrangements announced yesterday for as long as they are needed.

“There may be a need for additional financial support for landlords without mortgages and for renters who would have difficulties arranging repayment plans even after the coronavirus emergency has passed.

“The government should explore all options for helping these tenants – including changes to benefit entitlement like suspending the bedroom tax and benefit cap, and temporarily increasing local housing allowance rates to median rent levels.

“We have written to all our tenants to offer our support and asking them to contact us if they are having difficulty paying their rent because of the impact of coronavirus.

“Ahead of the promised legislation we will be working with our housing association partners to help ensure tenants are protected from eviction, in line with guidance from the National Housing Federation.

“While we do not have powers over private landlords or to intervene in eviction proceedings, we would echo the Residential Landlords Association’s guidance to their members about being flexible to help their tenants affected by coronavirus.

“We will continue to do what we can to support tenants in Oxford whether they are renting privately or living in social housing. Our dedicated welfare reform team can provide expert advice and support for any tenant having problems paying their rent.

“We also stand ready behind the government to help in any other way we can. No council by itself can handle the impact of coronavirus, but with the right support from central government we can help ensure Oxford’s tenants are protected from the virus as far as possible.”