Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of incidents where tenants have deliberately withheld rent from their landlords on the grounds that they cannot be evicted under the covid-19 regulations.

The Department does not collect this information. Statistics collected by the Department show that, in October-December 2020 (the latest period for which data is available) the vast majority of tenants were up to date with their rental payments.

The Department has been clear throughout the coronavirus pandemic that tenants must continue to pay their rent and has put in place an unprecedented package of support to assist them in doing so. This includes the furlough scheme and boosting the welfare safety net with billions of pounds, preventing widespread rent arrears. .

Legislation was in place to prevent bailiffs from serving eviction notices and carrying out evictions, except in the most serious circumstances, from 17 November 2020 until 31 May 2021. However, there were exemptions for the most serious circumstances, including serious rent arrears.

Since 1 June, bailiffs have been permitted to enforce valid warrants of possession. This ensures that landlords can exercise their right to justice and reflects the gradual easing of national restrictions. Bailiffs must provide 14 days' notice of an eviction and have been asked to reschedule the eviction appointment if the tenant has coronavirus symptoms or is self-isolating.