STATEMENT: The moratorium on rent enforcement must end.

September 16, 2020

Fprop has published a statement on the moratorium on rent enforcement, calling for it to end. Martin Pryce, a Director and Fund Manager at First Property Group, said:

“For six months, the property industry—and by extension the pensioners and others on whose behalf it invests—have been shouldering the extra burden of unpaid rents as other sectors have been offered aid. This isn’t fair. The moratorium on rent enforcement must end or we will be unable to collect as normal for a third quarter.

“Abruptly extending the moratorium for a second time would simply delay the final reckoning, with tenants accruing debt and landlords put under strain. As the Prime Minister said when arguing against extending the furlough scheme, it is simply “keeping people in suspended animation”.

“As we leave the EU, the government must be seen to be on the side of business to ensure continued investment. Landlords, investors, and developers must now be treated with parity and allowed to return to normal like other sectors.”