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Tenant relief and landlord rage on evictions

Joanna Bourke @es_jobourke

FURIOUS landlords were dealt a blow today while High Street businesses breathed a sigh of relief, as it emerged a ban on commercial evictions is set to be extended until 2022.

The Government had faced calls for the moratorium on evictions, finishing at the end of the month, to be extended. Many hospitality firms are under more pressure now after the easing of lockdown was delayed.

It is estimated there is some £6 billion of unpaid rent bills since the start of the pandemic, although part of that has already been written off by landlords.

Ministers are expected to announce the grace period for business tenants will continue for at least another six months, according to the Telegraph.

UKHospitality’s boss Kate Nicholls said the move “will banish a grim shadow that has hung menacingly over hospitality since the Covid crisis began”.

The British Independent Retailer Association’s Andrew Goodacre, said: “Perfectly viable independent retail businesses that have suffered months of lockdown need time to recover.”

But Melanie Leech at the British Property Federation said the Government must make it clear that the “scandal of well-capitalised businesses exploiting the moratoriums must end”. Landlords say some of the occupiers refusing to pay rent are big, profitable companies.

Business

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