Fed-up landlord responds to Generation Rent criticism with video message

In a pointed one minute video message, Nottingham landlord Mick Roberts has responded to Ben Twomey, the chief executive of Generation Rent, who has criticised landlords and the Renters (Reform) Bill.

Mr Twomey argues that the bill does not deliver on the government’s promise to end Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions.

He said: “Everyone deserves to feel secure in their own home, which is why the government committed to end section 21 no-fault evictions over five years ago.

“The Renters (Reform) Bill does not deliver the original promise that landlords will ‘no longer be able to unexpectedly evict families with only eight weeks’ notice’.”

‘Want my tenants to be able to move to cheaper rents’

However, Mr Roberts offers a different perspective, and, in his video below, he says: “I’m with you Ben, I want my tenants to be able to move to cheaper rents.”

He suggests that the current rules and regulations aren’t working and proposes a different approach, asking landlords what they want to prevent them from selling their properties and charging high rents.

Mr Roberts argues that landlords are an important part of the housing equation and says: “They are forgetting to ask arguably the most important person in this – the person supplying the property, the housing provider – what can we do for you, so you supply this property in the first place?”

He suggests that if landlords could get their properties back in one month, they would be more willing to rent to anyone, thereby increasing the availability of rental properties.

‘Landlord/landlady who has not lived for five years’

Mr Roberts said: “You’ve got a landlord/landlady who has not lived for five years, no holidays, luxuries, saved up the £40,000 deposit for a house. Then another £30,000 and three months on the refurb till 9pm every night, and you then telling him he can’t have his house back?

“This is why Ben, the tenants can’t get houses. The housing provider is doing you a favour and you then want to keep the favour forever?”

He adds: “You talk about two months Section 21 ‘no-fault’. Who says it’s no fault? Do you EVER go ask the Landlord why they evicted?

“By the way, that two months is Codswallop, it takes TWELVE months to evict and that’s if you’ve got every bit of anti-landlord paperwork perfect.”

‘You are wearing us down’

Mr Roberts concludes his message by suggesting that councils buy back houses from landlords, stating: “Get the councils to come and buy the houses back off us, there’s many of us that want to sell them but are trying to be loyal to the tenant, but we are getting older, and you are wearing us down.

“You’ve then got council houses back in your control as such. And then get them to stop selling council houses.”

‘Landlords wanting to sell their houses’

Mr Roberts told Property118: “There are landlords wanting to sell their houses but can’t because the tenants can’t get anywhere anymore. So, let’s help tenants get homes.

“I want landlords and Generation Rent to pass this video to renters to understand why they can’t get houses and rents are shooting up.”

He added: “Why would you ever supply a property to some Tom, Dick, Harry, you don’t know, especially if you didn’t know if you were ever going to get it back?

“When this Renters (Reform) Bill doesn’t work, what will Generation Rent think of next?”

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