Peter Bedford is a not-for-profit landlord to more than 300 people a year. We have been working closely with residents, local government, and other charitable organisations to respond to the coronavirus crisis. Our focus has been to provide support to tenants who have been affected by the pandemic, notably those who have been made unemployed, struggling with debt or experiencing a deterioration in their mental health.
Peter Bedford is committed to:
- Keeping people secure at home
We will not evict anyone as a result of financial hardship caused by coronavirus, where they are working (or engaging) with us to get their payments back on track.
- Supporting people to get assistance
We are supporting tenants to access benefits and other support to alleviate financial hardship.
- Acting compassionately and quickly where people are struggling
We will work with tenants who are struggling to find arrangements to pay their rent. Legal action will only be taken in serious circumstances – for example, as a last resort where a resident will not agree a plan with us to help them pay their rent, or where it is needed urgently in cases of domestic abuse or of anti-social behaviour that is putting other residents or communities at risk.
To protect people affected by the impact of COVID-19 from losing their homes, the government implemented a temporary ban on evictions. Recently this was extended in full until 20 September 2020.
This statement aligns with that of the National Housing Federation.