In response to the Covid crises, from 26 March 2020 the Government announced a freeze to residential rent increases and greater protections for tenants against having their tenancies terminated.
The rent freeze is initially for six months. Allied to that, landlords cannot evict tenants over the three months from then, except in exceptional circumstances. Tenants may exit tenancies in the usual manner and under the existing timeframes. Extensions to these dates may be enforced by government regulations at a later date.
Covid-19 aside, there have been changes to landlord/tenant law that you should be aware of by now. The Tenancy Tribunal information updates the underlying position together with amendments, while cross referencing to Healthy Home Standards. Your legal advisor is also able to outline the rights that both landlords and tenants have in the current environment.
Under the relevant legislation in place, more consideration and notice needs to be provided when a tenancy is being terminated. In general, more health and safety issues around insulation, smoke alarms and dry warm houses are being required, and where premises are substandard, known as unlawful residential tenancies, tenants are allowed to exit with only two days’ notice.
In this complex area, advice is paramount for both sides of the tenancy equation.
