Eviction Protection For Social Housing Tenants Extended

Social housing tenants will not face eviction if they are in rent arrear because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has announced.

A voluntary agreement was put in place at start of the pandemic between the Department for Communities, Housing Executive and Housing Associations.

Announcing an extension of the agreement, Minister Hargey said: "I wish to offer my thanks to the Housing Executive and Housing Associations for their ongoing support for the 'no eviction' agreement, which was agreed at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. I want to reassure our social tenants that they will not face losing their home as a result of Covid-19-related arrears.

"Whilst my hope is that we are making progress on the road to recovery, I know that the pandemic continues to create very challenging circumstances. For this reason, I believe it is premature to end the 'no eviction' agreement for Covid-19 related arrears at this time. I have asked the Housing Executive and Housing Associations to continue to honour this voluntary agreement until May 2022, in line with my recent decision to extend the emergency 12 week Notice to Quit period in the private rented sector."

Following the Minister's recent decision to extend the emergency arrangements relating to the protection of tenants in the private rented sector, Minister Hargey wrote to social landlords to ask that the "no eviction" agreement for Covid-19 related arrears currently in place within the social housing sector continues to the same date - 4 May 2022.

There is always a responsibility on tenants to continue to pay their rent and if tenants are experiencing difficulties with arrears, for any reason, they should always speak with their landlord at the earliest opportunity.