Highlights from the UK’s private and social rented sector headlines: February 2021

February may be the shortest month of the year, but the last few weeks have brought some big developments to our industry. In this month’s Rent Report e-mailed to subscribers, we look at the most important ones.

• In our first story, we report on the suspension of bailiff-enforced evictions for a further six weeks. Landlords are now approaching a full year without the option of removing non-paying tenants, and industry groups are warning that the sector is at breaking point.
• With big changes rumoured in next month’s spring budget, agents and landlords are keen to see its impacts on the property industry. In our second story, we look at what they are asking for – and what they’re likely to get.
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• One thing the budget definitely won’t deliver is increased funding for Green Homes Grants. In our third story, we report on the severe cuts coming to the programme and look at why it never really got off the ground.
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• Fourth, landlords are having trouble arranging direct payments of housing benefit. We ask what effect the freeze on new Alternative Payment Arrangement applications will have on housing providers and tenants.
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• In our final story, the government has reignited the debate over pets in rented properties. Could tenants soon have a legal right to keep animals?

For all our latest analysis, download the February 2021 issue of the PayProp Rent Report today and subscribe to get future issues delivered to your inbox every month.