Landlords urged to withhold from evicting tenants

Evictions should not be considered in the current climate, according to management firm Apropos.

David Alexander, joint managing director of Apropos, said: “During these extraordinary times it is essential that agents and landlords work closely with tenants to develop and maintain a strong relationship to produce the best outcome for all involved.

“Excellent communication is essential in ensuring that everyone understands the current circumstances and is prepared to liaise and negotiate to find solutions which are appropriate for each individual situation.

“In March, our firm wrote to all of our tenants asking them if they were facing any issues or problems due to the pandemic and encouraging them to get in touch as soon as possible to see how we could resolve these issues.

“This ensured that tenants felt comfortable about communicating and clear that their concerns would be listened to with a sympathetic ear.”

He added that Apropos is working with approximately 500 tenants and landlords who have reduced rents, agreed payment plans and, in some cases, cancelled rents altogether.

Alexander added: “These are temporary solutions for unusual times and we would, when the situation improves, always work with landlords and tenants to maintain regular payments to avoid arrears becoming an issue.

“We may not yet have been through the worst of this situation. When the furlough scheme ends it is highly likely that many more people may lose their jobs and get into difficulties with their rents.

“Landlords and agents must, therefore, take the long view on this and establish sensible repayment periods which work for all concerned.”