Now is not the time to be a landlord. Federal regulators are halting evictions of residential tenants for missed rent through the end of the year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the order after a ban on evictions from federally owned housing expired in July. Now, any renters making less than $100,000 ($200,000 for joint filers) who say they cannot pay due to lost income cannot be evicted from any property, public or private.
Note, though, that unpaid rent will still be due later, along with late fees, fines, and interest on back rent. Renters’ credit reports will show the missed rent. Also, landlords can still evict folks for other causes, such as damage to the property.
Landlords should count on a moderate increase in rent arrears this autumn, given the high unemployment and the tapering off of federal unemployment benefits
So, landlords have little legal recourse to tenants who then declare bankruptcy.