Tenants could be evicted if behind on their rent from Boxing Day.

It comes as a law brought in through emergency powers during the coronavirus pandemic - which prohibited landlords from evicting tenants over non-payment of rent - ends.

Douglas councillor Devon Watson is calling on government to extend the period of protection for tenants, saying: ’This is both a private and a public sector housing issue.

’In general, throwing people out of their homes, or going down to file an eviction notice a few days after a big Christian holiday, doesn’t feel like it’s fully appropriate.

When it was pointed out that these laws were brought in to protect tenants during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has not been affecting the island in the way it has the UK for quite some time, Mr Watson said: ’The concern is less epidemiological and more economic - so for example, Covid is going to destroy Topshop and Debenhams - these are two cornerstones of Strand Street, two massive retail outlets.

’And they themselves may go under at some point, and these workers are going to be in economic insecurity.

’So although the island is protected from Covid, we’re not protected from its economic downstream effects.

Asked how long local authorities can continue to excuse late rent payments - at the ultimate expense of the ratepayers -he said: ’Yes of course it is a cost to the ratepayers.

’But I think that we also have an obligation to handle this. What costs more - making sure someone is housed temporarily, or dragging them through the court process?

’Because after someone is evicted and made homeless at some point, their long-term earnings are hit and we prevent this person from being a taxpayer long term.

’So we have to make the weigh up, do we want to make a short-term gain or a long-term gain?’

Policy and Reform Minister Ray Harmer says it was not planned for the protection to end during the festive period, and that other benefits are being provided to help those struggling.

He said: ’Fortunately we’ve been in a much better place than I think any of us could possibly imagine, and we’re seeing unemployment rates go low, the economy is doing well, but [as the state of emergency ended on June 26] it can only carry on by law for six months.’

Asked about whether this move would put additional financial pressure on people during an already difficult Christmas period, he said: ’It’s not a move, it’s really to make people aware that the regulations do fall [end] on that date, so obviously we’ll continue to monitor it. I know that the Office of Fair trading have a counselling service around that.

’Of course it works both ways . There are some people that haven’t paid rent and landlords have been in difficulty as well, and they’ve got their own issues with banks and so forth.’

Asked whether the six-month period could be extended, Mr Harmer said that these issues are looked at in depth by the Economic Recovery Group, but that without creating new law or a new state of emergency there is nothing that can be immediately done from a legislative standpoint.