15:22 PM, 8th June 2023, About 2 years ago 86
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The Renters Reform Coalition is encouraging tenants across England to contact their MPs to support the Renters’ Reform Bill.
The coalition, which includes housing sector organisations, charities, and partners like Big Issue, aims to bolster tenants’ rights and bring about ‘meaningful change’ in the rental market.
To garner support, tenants are encouraged to email their MPs, requesting their attendance at the Bill’s second reading.
According to Shelter’s Polly Neate, the coalition has recommended several amendments to the Bill to fortify tenants’ rights and ensure the legislation possesses the ‘teeth needed for real change’.
And part of the call includes having landlords pay the tenant TWO MONTHS rent to find somewhere new to live AND move home.
The coalition is also calling for the imposition of a one-year ban on re-letting a property after a landlord uses a no-fault eviction – rather than the planned three-month ban.
Introduced last month, the renter reforms seek to abolish section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions so landlords cannot possess a property without providing a reason.
The Bill also aims to grant tenants more power to own pets and enhance the quality of privately rented homes.
However, the coalition proposes that judges should have full discretion to determine whether an eviction is justified.
They also recommend instituting a cap on in-tenancy rent increases, tied to the lower of inflation or wage growth, to prevent rent increases being used as a covert eviction tactic.
Landlords and letting agents might also be surprised at the demand from Generation Rent that a landlord pays their tenant two months’ rent to help them find a new place to live and move home.
And the groups says that landlords who want to sell will have to list the property for sale with a sitting tenant for six months before seeking an eviction.
As part of the campaign to get support, Shelter has launched a campaign for 5,000 supporters to email their MP and urge them to turn up for the Bill’s second reading.
The charity’s campaign page states: ‘By contacting your MP, you’re showing them just how important this bill is to you.
‘As their constituent, you have their ear, so adding your own story about why renting must be fixed will make your email even more powerful.
‘We need as many MPs as possible to turn up to the debate and demand for it to be focused on renters’ rights and as strong as possible.’
On Twitter, Ms Neate said: “This is not the time to relax on reform of private renting.
“There’s real danger of loopholes in the Renters Reform Bill that could undermine benefits of ending no-fault evictions.”
Along with improved tenant protections, the coalition is also calling for an extended eviction notice period of four months instead of the current proposal of two months.
It also suggests shielding renters from section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions during the first two years of a tenancy, as opposed to the proposed six months.
According to the coalition, these changes would offer a significant improvement over the existing system.
NewYorkie
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Sign Up16:57 PM, 10th June 2023, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Crouchender at 10/06/2023 - 16:52
I've stopped caring.
TheMaluka
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Sign Up17:23 PM, 10th June 2023, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 10/06/2023 - 16:57
I have certainly stopped caring about the homeless, the government has edited out all the care that I once had. From now on its working people only with an income way above the minimum wage.
JB
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Sign Up17:32 PM, 10th June 2023, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by TheMaluka at 10/06/2023 - 17:23
... and a home owning guarantor (confirmed on Land Registry), 12 months bank statements showing previous rent payments have been made on time and a reference from the landlord before last.
PAUL BARTLETT
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Sign Up18:53 PM, 10th June 2023, About 2 years ago
I met yesterday with my MP to take him through 11 points I had on why the Rental Reform Bill is a government created disaster for the Private Rental Sector (Tenants, Agents and Landlords). He thanked me for a lucid explanation and agreed to respond to my points with appropriate input to the Second reading of the bill. Whilst that's no commitment to agree with my points it is an unusual level of engagement by the democratic establishment.
Please contact your MP to ensure that the irrational agenda of the activists is not given the priority that it doesn't deserve. So far their extremism has dominated the White Paper and the draft Bill, which cannot be allowed.
Gromit
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Sign Up19:37 PM, 10th June 2023, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by PAUL BARTLETT at 10/06/2023 - 18:53
Please post your 11 points. Readers can make selection that covers their own situation but all 11 points will hopefully be impressed upon every English MP.
54PreA
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Sign Up17:46 PM, 11th June 2023, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Martin Roberts at 08/06/2023 - 11:23Maybe they'll also get 2 months free council tax from our generous councils.. 🙄 No, thought not!
James Watkins
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Sign Up21:27 PM, 11th June 2023, About 2 years ago
I always read articles on LL forums and the comments. I always try to balance the tennant and LL. However, the idea that some LL have that they are supporting the poor tennant and they are somehow doing something so noble and all will be homeless without them are delusional. The property doesn't disappear, what happens when all LL decide to leave? A property crash. Not the end of the world in an overly inflated market.
The idea that LL make it cheaper are seriously ####. Me and my wife have been trying to buy for years, the problem is we could afford the mortgage and insurance and all other costs, but every property on the bottom end of the market is poached by LL. I know this for fact, how I hear you ask? Because a few months after they become sold and disappear off the market they reappear as rental properties.
The average monthly rent almost double what the mortgage worked out as.
So, no. LL are now helping the housing problems they cause it.
The solution tabled, the renter's reform bill. Simply not good enough. In addition to the bill several other things need to happen.
1. BTL mortgage banned, you can be a LL but only if you have the money to buy the property out right. This stops the poaching of the low end for first time buyers.
2. All current BTL mortgages are void. Either pay the balance in 12 months or put property on the market. Current tennant has first refusal. Government backed scheme covers deposit as long as the tenant has 12 months on time rental payments. The deposit to be payed back, via difference between mortgage and rent, time varied to accommodate property value, maximum term equal to mortgage term
3. Any attempt from LL to evict tenants between tabling of the laws and them being implemented the LL either pays Tennant's mortgage deposit or property is forefit with no return to the LL. In other words you lose it all.
This may seem harsh but when you get told by estate agents sorry all 3 properties you were interested in were bought by a LL you see fairness differently. There were 8 flats up for sale via auction, we viewed and put a pre auction offer in, we got called 2 days later saying they had been bought as a group by a single LL. The rents now on them 3 times what a mortgage would have been.
Our current LL wants to sell, says, pay me 40k in cash and I'll take it off the value of the property so your mortgage is smaller. Otherwise I will put it on the market and s21 you when it sells for vacant possession.
Every LL we asked except our current refused to let to us for 2 reasons we were both moving jobs as we were moving area, (much better pay and guarantee from our employers that we would not be let go during or after probation period. Secondly we have a house cat. We were turned down over 100 times.
We never met the LL's who turned us down they did it via the agent's.
Time for a change PRS is not beneficial to Tennant's.
Crouchender
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Sign Up21:51 PM, 11th June 2023, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by James Watkins at 11/06/2023 - 21:27
Why is your current LL selling?
The bottom line is there are not enough properties being built so it simple supply demand economics. All governments are at fault. As we live in a free market economy this is the result. Add on top of this that households are getting smaller. People are living longer exacerbates to problem even more.
John
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Sign Up23:25 PM, 11th June 2023, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by James Watkins at 11/06/2023 - 21:27
You need to move to a communist country.
Reluctant Landlord
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Sign Up9:21 AM, 12th June 2023, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by PAUL BARTLETT at 10/06/2023 - 18:53
can you share the 11 points made please so it can be used as a template for others?