Legislation that protected tenants facing eviction for rent arrears due to the ongoing pandemic will no longer apply from Saturday 26 December.
The Emergency Powers (Coronavirus) (Protection from Evictions) Regulations 2020, specify that a landlord cannot evict a tenant for failure to pay rent until that date.
The powers only relate to a tenant’s failure to pay rent in full, or at all, and a landlord can still issue a notice of eviction for other reasons such as criminal damage to their property.
Tenants are still liable to pay landlords in full if they fall into arrears.
Landlords shouldmake individual arrangements with tenants from 26 December for the payment of any arrears.
Martyn Perkins MHK, Chair of the Isle of Man Office of Fair Trading (OFT), said:
‘Landlords should make reasonable allowances that take into account the financial circumstances of tenants who have lost income due to the effects of the ongoing pandemic.
‘A balanced approach is needed, taking into consideration the challenging circumstances faced by both the Island’s tenants and landlords equally. I encourage anyone who is experiencing financial problems to make use of the OFT’s Debt Counselling Service.’
The Debt Counselling Service is accessible to all Island residents and provides free, independent and confidential advice. People can contact the service by emailing debt@gov.im or calling +44 1624 686500 and those affected are encouraged to do so.
