Why we need an uncomfortable conversation about homelessness

It’s hard to believe that the homeless charity Crisis and the TDS are putting together strategies to get more PRS landlords to rent to the homeless. But, I fear, the result may not be what they want.

Firstly, don’t you know of any landlords? At all?? It would save you a few bob and a lot of time to simply ask someone in the PRS why this is an issue.

And secondly, do you think you aren’t among the (long) list of reasons why landlords are reluctant to rent to the homeless?

Property118 reports the duo saying that private landlords could help resolve the homelessness crisis but 97% of councils are struggling to find PRS homes for homeless people.

To be fair, I thought that the 97% figure would have been higher because working with councils for many landlords is often a hugely expensive mistake.

Those organisations point to official figures that show a record 86,520 households between January and March were looking for a home.

Have you stopped to ask yourselves why? Why so many? And why now?

The conversation starts to get uncomfortable

Because this is where the conversation starts to get uncomfortable when we discuss homelessness in the UK.

There are two issues to consider: the first is that landlords are fed-up with the rhetoric that all of us are bad (Hello, Crisis!), rising costs and the growing inability to regain possession of our property when we need to. So, being fed up and maligned, it’s easier to step out of the PRS.

The second one is what might be coming our way. Everyone from councils to homelessness charities say we need landlords to rent to homeless families and people. But these same organisations are the ones doing the criticising.

And now we face the prospect of a Labour government that doesn’t understand the PRS, why landlords invest in the first place and want to tax and legislate us out of existence.

What could possibly go wrong?

Happily help house homeless people

There will be lots of landlords reading Property118 who will happily help house homeless people and there will be lots who have vowed never to do so again.

It’s down to free will and choice. Both issues that lefty councils and the Labour government have trouble with.

You can’t condemn the PRS as being home to ‘rogue’ landlords providing poor property at high rents, so licensing is necessary to control things.

Do you think the proposed landlords’ register will improve the situation?

Because it won’t. Criminal landlords will still ignore the rules and the decent – that’s the vast majority – will be saddled with the consequences.

But there’s another issue that you don’t want to hear.

Despite a desire to find out what the issues are, you appear to think it’s mainly financial so will help with deposits, and fund viewings and furniture.

It really isn’t the only reason, and I assume that your laudable aim to influence policymakers will be to force landlords to take on homeless people as tenants.

Well, let’s see what happens when the dreaded Renters’ Rights Bill begins its journey through Parliament with the aim of forcing landlords to take tenants on benefits.

It won’t work.

As your aim is to ‘help’ landlords to take on the homeless, we know from past experience that we will be the ones out of pocket.

We’ll struggle to get rent paid, struggle to deal with possession and struggle with the unpopularity of being a landlord.

Also, like many organisations, Crisis believes the abolition of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ notices will deal with ‘the leading cause of homelessness‘. That’s misguided because getting rid of Section 21 won’t do that. It really won’t.

Possessions will continue because landlords need their property back – no easy route to possession means fewer homes for homeless people in the PRS (You can have that titbit for free in your analysis of the problems).

Help you save time and money

So, here’s a quick guide to help you save time and money having lefty academics spend months researching and delivering a nonsense report.

Let’s discuss having a tenants’ register for those who don’t pay rent, destroy a landlord’s property and cause anti-social behaviour chaos.

Why not? If you think it’s a good idea for law-abiding landlords sign up to a register, then surely having one for tenants who break the law is justified too.

If you don’t understand this simple principle, you won’t understand the reticence of landlords not wanting to get involved.

It also underpins your jaundiced view of landlords being bad and all tenants being good. They really aren’t.

Why not try renting out homes for the homeless and see how hard it is and why landlords are reluctant?

There are lots of former rented homes for sale, so it won’t be too hard.

I imagine lots more will become available before Labour jumps feet first into harming the PRS by raising CGT.

We took the risk with property investment. Not you.

Not all landlord investments work. Some fail, some struggle to make a profit.

Add in a tenant who won’t pay rent or wrecks the home, and your gullible landlord is out of pocket.

Ignoring the big issues

I imagine when you begin the research in earnest, you’ll do that public sector thing of ignoring the big issues or rewording the problem to confuse people.

But the bottom line is that without an uncomfortable conversation about why homelessness is an issue and the role of charities like Crisis and Shelter in that means we will never agree.

Wondering why landlords won’t help the homeless?

Try wondering why homeless charities, councils and politicians won’t help landlords.

I’ve said it since my first column on Property118 – you’ll miss us when we’re gone.

Until next time,

The Landlord Crusader

Share This Article