Cabinet yesterday recommended Presidential Regulations imposing a moratorium on evictions of tenants delaying rent payments during the lockdown and staying legal action against their landlords delaying mortgage instalments as a result.

Presenting the outcome of the 13th Cabinet meeting in Harare yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said:

“Further measures taken include the following, that His Excellency the President consider promulgation of Presidential Regulations to give relief to both tenants and landlords during the lockdown period.

“That both residential and commercial properties be afforded a moratorium on evictions in respect of applicable lease obligations due for the period from April to the end of the lockdown including payment of rentals due for those months.”
“Rent deferrals should be free of any interest or penalties of whatever nature,” continued the recommendation.

Home owners and landlords who, as a result of delayed rent, had to delay repayments of mortgage obligations would be entitled to the same relief under the same conditions.

Other measures adopted by Cabinet as part of the Covid-19 preparedness response included testing security personnel and their families, all medical staff and patients at all central hospitals, all returning residents from abroad in designated mandatory quarantine facilities, and all contacts of confirmed cases regardless of whether they showed symptoms.-State media