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The Covid pandemic has been having an affect on some maintenance and repairs. Some local authority and housing association landlords are reporting a backlog of non-essential repairs.
Even during lockdown situations – maintenance workers are allowed to enter the common parts of buildings, and even individual flats to carry out essential repairs.
However, there may be longer delays than usual in getting non-essential repairs done, because workers at every stage of the process may be off sick or having to isolate. For the same reason, landlords may be prioritising urgent work above other maintenance.
If you are isolating, you may also have concerns about letting workers into your home.
Check these sources for the most up-to-date information:
Contact your landlord to report the issue. You can also ask them for any guidance about waiting times.
Even in the strictest lockdown areas, maintenance workers can still attend emergencies such as leaks, heating failures and dangerous faults.
As well as attending emergencies, your landlord can, and should, still conduct routine but legally required tasks such as fire risk assessments.
If you are concerned about a safety issue, you should let your landlord know. You can also contact some of the bodies we mention in our Tools You Can Use section, such as a Law Centre, Environmental Health or the Housing Ombudsman.
Visit the website of whichever body you want to contact to see how COVID has affected their service.
Many tenants are struggling to pay rent because of job cuts caused by lockdown, or inability to work because of illness. The Coronavirus Act 2020 changed the law from 29 August 2020 so that landlords had to give more notice of eviction while the pandemic continues.
From 1 June 2021, notice periods must be at least 4 months in most cases, including where the tenant has less than 4 months’ rent arrears. From 1 August 2021, the notice period for cases where there are less than 4 months of unpaid rent, will further reduce to 2 months’ notice.
You landlord may also have systems in place to help you manage your rent payments during this exceptional time.
Check these sources for the most up-to-date advice:
Guide
Tools you can use
Reference
Tools you can use
Tools you can use
Reference, Story
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