Reluctant Landlord

which is why SP/Councils are setting themselves up for a fall. NO PRS LL will be going to take a tenant from the housing list post RRB as it is, so where do they think these people are going to go?

The issue will be left squarely back at their own door as they juggle to find expensive emergency accommodation for them instead!... Read More

...but ironically means that the very same tenants do not have a stain on their rental record once they are evicted because a reason is not given.

But where do these tenants then go?

Presumably they just turn up at the council and claim homelessness due to eviction (and having no reason stipulated this can't be deemed as 'intentional') and they then get put into costly hotels/ BnB and the spiral begins again..

If S21 remains for social providers to evict then all that means is that there is a perhaps more timely turf out (with no reason stipulated) of said nightmare tenant...which ultimately means they get into costly emergency accommodation quicker???

One thing will be clear though if SP's are the only ones who can only evict via S21 - is that the numbers will certainly NOT decrease. No chance of blaming the be private landlord either then is there!... Read More

The commercial property market is recovering after a turbulent period, with several sectors showing renewed signs of growth."

hahahahah - what High Street, town or indeed what Planet are they looking at exactly with their rose tinted glasses?

The only growth I see is in the levels of tax, lack of investment, wealth being moved abroad....... Read More

worrying about the effect the RRB wil have on tenancies is at the mo, still unknown.

As long as all referencing is done and the tenant is reliable, remember they are looking to let your property as it ticks their boxes too.

Regardless of what happens in the future if your T remains happy to stay then you have a long term tenant. Why else would they need to move? If you really are keen to keep them on, keep the rent just below the rest of the market so there is financial incentive for them to stay. Eveyone is a winner.

Tying the T down now also means tying yourself down. Remember even the best tenants in the world have the potential to still turn 'rogue'. Why make potentially things more difficult for yourself?... Read More

dealing with tenants and trades IS stressful. Nothing will eradicate that!... Read More

nowt wrong with an excel spreadsheet!

Most of my tenants don't have the tech or ability to log things like this. Others use whatsapp.

Why keep reinventing the wheel?... Read More

contact the DWP partnership manager in the area where your tenant is claiming and demand they explain why the UC47 has been refused.

Make a request again and also serve S21 to the tenant. Do not give reason for your notice but no harm in explaining that rent arrears are present. If the tenant wishes to continue with the tenancy it is advised they contact the DWP immediately to request direct payment to landlord themsleves.... Read More

Point 1. I actually agree with the council and their reasons for not paying out further 'compensation'. Yes it will open the floodgates for more claims like this and money will simply disappear into paying out for compensation and claims anyone makes, because yes the council HAS NO SUITABLE accommodation for the majority of people on its housing lists! Name one council that does??

Is the govt going to then pay out more money to displace the temp accommodation money that has now been diverted to pay compensation? Or are councils going to just lump it on to council tax bills? Will some councils declare effective bankruptcy or a localised housing emergency, as a result?

Clearly this council (like others not yet taken to the Ombudsman for the same/similar complaint) simply has not got the right accommodation available that is needed. Is the Ombudsman that stupid that it doesn't recognise that the council know they are at fault but can do very little/nothing about about it?

This is a sign that even the Ombudsman has not got a grip on what the reality is out there. Talk about making a decision on the bloody obvious. Bravo they made a decision - one that may now cause more to be put into unsuitable accommodation as the money is diverted to paying out on claims.

Point 2. Yes it will be interesting to see where this goes and ends up. Looks like a FOI could be requested to Leicester Council in say 6 months time to see what really happened in the end....

Point 3. Will there be some 'external' pressure put on the Ombudsman in some way (nudge nudge wink wink) to either prolong decisions on cases like these (to deter others from applying) or perhaps to dumb down the compensation amounts (to the point it's not worth taking them to the Ombudsman in the first place)???

Ultimately if the council refuses to pay, I suppose there is no reason for those well known tenant champion organisations to get involved to back the tenant either....nothing to hit the headlines.

Wonder how many councils will now refuse to pay compensation of any kind when ordered to do so because there is simply no comeback at all if you don't.

One to watch!... Read More

Poppycock isn't in for a rude awakening...tenants are.... Read More

‘Research’ from Lomond indicates that the number of tenanted properties listed for sale has fallen by up to 3% in some areas.

So the LL's are evicting first then instead, to gain vacant possession? Completely viable answer to this. Or perhaps they are being sold at auction rather than agency listings?

No breakdown in type of property - In the midlands there are lots of HMO's that are on the market not single family tenanted properties.... Read More

When there is a large range of cheap empty houses for sale, yet no houses available for private rental the government should wake up and smell the coffee.

The thing is 'cheap' houses are no longer once SDLT is now taken into consideration and the increased costs of labour and supplies etc. Working that into an investment proposal and less than X% yield is simply not enticing when you factor in what the level of rent you can realistically achieve.

Job security for many tenants is now a worry (NIC fiasco c/o of the budget) so do you want to be left with someone who can't pay the rent? Extended possession tenant rights, increased court costs etc. How do you put a price on this additional yet very possible 'risk' to factor that into the overall investment calculations?

Properties with tenant in situ are more common that was...that I assume will only increase if LL find it financially tough. Again, who is going to want to step into their shoes?... Read More

what is completely overlooked is not even the numbers of LL selling up (however the numbers are disputed), the number of empty properties (just empty or purposely left so) or the proposed tenant biased legislation...the reality there is absolutely NO reason for any existing LL to purchase more accommodation or any encouragement for any new LL to enter the PRS and supply anthign either.

With more wanting accommodation and nothing new even being provided it's akin to leaving the plug on the side of the bath off and still running the taps to fill it.

No future for potential renters and a bleak look ahead for those that have somewhere now, but may not have very shortly....

The PRS is being shafted from the government from all angles, and ultimately the dire consequence lands in the tenants lap.... Read More

The government’s recent decision to increase stamp duty on second homes has been slammed for not addressing the UK’s housing crisis.

That was never its intention - only to raise more tax. And it will do that so mission accomplished in their eyes....... Read More

This also assumes the FTB has the money saved to be able to get the work done and it can be lived in straight away - even in April once the SD levy reverts and interest rates on mortgages still on balance fairly high? I thought a lot of mortgage companies are now asking that a certain EPC level is required first like a C. Are FTB really able to get a mortgage on EPC F or G's??

If they are already renting, then this suggests that their current rent is actually affordable, so this is simply personal choice not financial necessity. Not sure how many in numbers this really equates to...as the survey says 'eager to take on renovation projects', not actually purchasing and carrying them out...... Read More

yes that is all a R2R is.

The political spin is trying to 'evidence' that ultimately LL's are being discriminating against those coming from abroad and not offering them tenancies.

The reality is LL's cannot reference those from abroad (meaning that rent gtee and insurance may be invalid) and affordability is not guaranteed (especially if on benefits).

A tenancy will not be offered as basic minimum requirements are not met - irrespective if the R2R is present.... Read More

exactly what I thought. Landlords did not apply voluntarily but on threat of prosecution...

wonder if they have stats on the numbers of LL's they have prosecuted for not even having a licence yet considering the scheme has been in place (and so the requirement to have a licence) for a while now?... Read More

I;d be very interested to see the actual numbers of enforcements that result because the LL was found 100% at fault....... Read More

accepting or not accepting a right to rent has little to do with housing discrimination in this contect. The underlying focus is that tenancies are not being ultimately offered to certain applicants.

The reality is that full referencing is not possible (often a requirement for rent gtee insurance AND now becoming a LL requirement for a selective licence!) and often affordability cannot be met.

Not a landlords problem! We are applying the rules not making them.... Read More

However, to succeed, the Bill must address the specific needs of marginalised renters, particularly those from migrant and minority ethnic communities who are disproportionately affected by the housing crisis.

Its not a renters rights bill that is required here, it's a hard line immigration/asylum legislation...... Read More

Generation Rent claims renting harms a tenant’s mental health.

Landlord response is that letting property is harming their own mental health too.... Read More