The NRLA represents over 90,000 members across England & Wales and believes the current arrangements are counter-productive and not in the wider interests of either landlords or tenants.
The association is urgently calling on the Welsh Government to:
Reform of the eviction ban: The current eviction ban in Wales came into effect on 11 December and is set to end on 31 March 2021. It includes exemptions for cases citing anti-social behaviour, trespass, and abandonment. Unlike in England, no such exemption exists for extreme rent arrears. Landlords must be allowed to end failed tenancies, especially where debt began to accrue before the first lockdown.
Widen access to Tenancy Saver Loans: The Welsh Government launched a Tenancy Saver Loan scheme last autumn to help tenants cover their arrears giving them five years to repay their credit union lender. However, it is not open to those with unable to meet strict 'creditworthiness' criteria, thereby excluding those most in need.
Provide an exit strategy: Publish a clear timetable for transitioning from emergency measures, including an exit from the extended notice periods that were introduced in Spring 2020.
Whilst supportive of the tenancy saver loan scheme, the NRLA is calling on the Welsh Government to lower the eligibility threshold for the loan scheme so 'creditworthiness' issues are considered within the context of the pandemic. The membership organisation for landlords is also asking for the 1% interest rate on the loan to be scrapped, with the credit unions compensated from the funding pot.
Ben Beadle, Chief Executive, NRLA, said: “The Welsh Government needs to get a grip of the rent debt crisis that is engulfing renters and landlords. Access to the Tenancy Saver Loan scheme must be widened to include more renters in need.
“If action is not taken now, there will come a time when emergency measures are finally lifted when a failure to deal with rent debt will lead to tenants having to leave their homes, facing serious damage to their credit scores.
“It is time for the Welsh Government to recognise the scale of this crisis and take urgent action to help households and housing providers.”
