Property professionals have welcomed new regulations allowing property viewings and visits to estate and lettings agents from Wednesday in England as the government eases the coronavirus lockdown.

The rental market has skidded to a halt during the coronavirus crisis, with tenants and landlords alike pressing pause as the lockdown and social distancing rules restrict viewings and people feel the squeeze on their finances.

The coronavirus crisis has had far reaching effects on people’s incomes. In a bid to mitigate the pressure on people, the government announced in March that mortgage holders would be entitled to a so-called ‘payment holiday’ in the wake of job losses and wage cuts.

Landlords will be banned from evicting tenants during the coronavirus “national emergency” after the government rushed through legislation to help renters who may face financial difficulties as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Tenants in England will have more powers to hold landlords who rent out substandard properties to account later this month as the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act comes into force.