Charities call for extension to eviction ban

Housing charities are calling on the Government to extend the ban on evictions which it imposed during the coronavirus crisis.

The call came as new figures show that Sunderland’s county court received 11 property repossession claim from a landlord during the virus lockdown.

Housing campaigners ACORN had called for the ban on new evictions from social and private housing to be extended beyond September 20 – warning thousands will be at risk of homelessness when it is lifted.

Though bailiff and eviction activities were paused as part of the ban, claimants have still been able to lodge property possession claims ahead of court eviction cases resuming.

Ministry of Justice data shows 11 property possession claims were submitted to the city’s County Court between April and June–10 from private and social landlords – and one from a mortgage lender.

This was down from 118 in the same period last year.

Nationally, the number of possession claims made between April and June fell to 3,183 – down 90%.

ACORN is calling on the Government to urgently extend protections for all, including those behind on their mortgage payments.

Mortgage payment holidays, first introduced in March, are also set to end on October 31.

Tom Renhard, ACORN national chair, said: "The latest figures show thousands of people at risk and this is likely to spike as the furlough scheme comes to an end and many more people may struggle to pay their bills.

"We are in the middle of a public health emergency and people being made homeless could increase the risk of COVID-19 cases."