12 Months of Covid

In the 12 months since Covid reared its head Landlords have faced 47 changes!

The past 12 months are a period that many landlords may want to forget about and completely delete from their buy-to-let memory banks.

An extraordinary array of changes and new government legislations, from property market shut-downs, property management restrictions, the cladding scandal, rental arrears, housing market disruption and tax changes have certainly made it a rocky road.

At Horizon Lets we thought we would look back at the changes and challenges that have taken place since the first lockdown to the astonished nation a year ago.

March 2021

47. Government consults on higher court fees for landlords.
46. Unlimited fines for landlords who break HMO fire safety rules.
45. Eviction ban in Wales extended until end of June.
44. England extends evictions by two months until end of May.
43. Scotland bans bailiff evictions until end of September.
42. Rishi Sunak extends stamp duty holiday for property purchases until end of May.

February 2021

41. Six-month notice periods for tenants made compulsory in Wales.
40. MPs vote through law forcing landlords to allow broadband providers into their blocks
39. Another six-week eviction ban announced in England.
38. Government foots cladding bill for apartments in towers over 18 metres.
37. Official pilot scheme for evictions mediation service starts

January 2021

36. Government launches ‘New Model Tenancy’ for landlords to use when tenants ask to live with pets.
35. ‘Breathing space’ scheme launched by government to shelter tenants from arrears action
34. No direct help for landlords during Covid in England, says minister
33. Eviction ban in England extended for six weeks
32. Leasehold reform plans revealed by government to make leasehold properties cheaper to run and buy.

December 2020

31. Wales raises stamp duty for landlords by 1%
30. Scottish government opens rent arrears loan scheme for landlords

November 2020

29. Mortgage lending to landlords tightens as Covid drags on.
28. FCA extends landlords mortgage holiday scheme
27. Government extends Green Homes Grant scheme after teething problems.
26. High Court bailiff evictions halted except for extreme rent arrears cases.
25. Property market allowed to be open during second lockdown.
24. MP Andrew Rosindell launches bill that will force landlords to take pets

October 2020

23. Welsh rent arrears loan scheme for tenants opens for applications.

September 2020

22. Northern Ireland extends evictions ban
21. MPs vote through new bill widening HMO power for local authorities.
20. Courts backs two key ‘No DSS’ discrimination cases.

August 2020

19. England’s government gives landlords some leeway over extreme rent arrears as it publishes updated evictions ban rules.
18. English Minister announce evictions ban for ‘another six months’ after Wales and Northern Ireland ban extensions.

July 2020

17. Wales brings in six-month long eviction notice period for landlords.
16. Green Homes Grant scheme announced.
15. First ‘local lockdown’ in Leicester does not prevent homes moves.
14. Landmark gas safety eviction case is won by landlord

June 2020

13. England announces two month extension to evictions ban.
12. Student campaign to ‘stop paying rent’ gathers pace as rent strikes spread
11. Property markets re-open in reset of UK.
10. Tenant fees ban legislation goes live
9. Mortgage holiday extended again, including for landlords.
8. Courts re-open for evictions hearings after two month shut-down.

May 2020

7. New rules for viewings published by government
6. England re-opens property market.
5. Scot launch Covid loans for landlords.
4. Airbnb bans all holiday bookings.

March 2020

3. Courts suspend all eviction hearings for three months
2. Government strongly advises that all home moves should stop unless already agreed contractually.
1. Landlords told to stop all viewings and inspections.

What a year it has been – here’s to some normality being regained in the not-too-distant future!!!