![\"Tenant](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ChatGPT-Image-Jul-14-2026-01_38_58-PM-768x768.png\" "\\"Government")
<\/p>\n9:42 AM, 24th July 2026, 17 hours ago <\/p>\n
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The government claims the Breathing Space Scheme offers several safeguards to help landlords.<\/p>\n
Introduced during the COVID pandemic, the standard scheme offers tenants protection from enforcement action, including eviction, for up to 60 days.<\/p>\n
The Mental Health Breathing Space<\/a> Scheme extends protection for tenants receiving mental health crisis treatment, plus an additional 30 days after treatment ends.<\/p>\n Impact on landlords<\/p>\n In a written parliamentary question<\/a>, Liberal Democrat MP Joshua Reynolds asked the government about the impact of the \u201csafeguards within the Debt Respite Scheme (Breathing Space) available to creditors, including private landlords, whose debts are subject to a moratorium\u201d.<\/p>\n In response, economic secretary to the Treasury, Rachel Blake, said: \u201cThe Breathing Space Scheme was established to support those in problem debt engage with professional debt advice, or to receive crisis treatment for a mental health condition, by providing temporary protections from creditor enforcement action.<\/p>\n \u201cThe government recognises that these protections have an impact on creditors, including private landlords, and the scheme therefore includes a number of safeguards to protect creditor rights.<\/p>\n \u201cCreditors may request that a debt adviser reviews a breathing space if they consider that an individual debtor or specific debt does not qualify for the scheme. Creditors also have the right to apply to a court at any time for permission to take enforcement action in relation to a debt included in a breathing space.<\/p>\n \u201cThe government keeps the operation of the scheme under review to ensure it is operating effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n Not a payment holiday<\/p>\n