Government calls on social housing tenants to take action for improved living standards

I drive past local council houses that have gardens, it`s 50/50 whether the tenants maintain the gardens, some do, some don`t. Given this is `public` property in the care of LA`s, the occupants should be required to upkeep the gardens as part of their tenancy in the same way as PRS tenants. If they don`t maintain, fine them or give warning.

yes tenants please get on to the council about your living standards! They should be held to account if the property is in a poor state.
The potential labour government then will have a better picture of the dire situation with social housing and the costs involved and reaslise the PRS is still desperately needed..... and you Pi$$ of LL's at your voters peril!

The landlords need an ombudsnam where landlords can register compaints about scumbags and non payers. If there is to be a register of landlords then there should also be a register of tenants (all tenants)

Reply to the comment left by John MacAlevey at 10/10/2023 - 09:53We grew up in council then housing association housing, and they were our homes just as much as someone who owned theirs. We tended our gardens, installed our own gas fires, and even built a bathroom [shed] in the garden [better than a tin bath in the kitchen!]. No hand-outs, no benefits, no housing ombudsman...
What has happened with so many in social housing, that they are prepared to live in squalor?

Where are the voices of Shelter and Generation Rent in this?

Probably a coincidence but in the last few weeks flyers have started to appear in council buildings from ambulance chasers targeting council tenants who have not had a decent service from their council.

I for one am sick and tired of landlords being a whipping post for successive Government’s failures to build adequate affordable social housing.

Every week there seems to be some sort of initiative and/or campaign to criticise efforts made by landlords to house people who can turn out to be the most difficult, causing damage and not paying rent.

We have a court system which is already unable to cope with evictions and County Court Judgements, most of which are necessary because of tenant behaviour and the Government’s plans will further block the system and cause delays.

A future, and as is likely, Labour Government, will as is customary, vilify landlords even more, often without good cause or reason, causing the PRS to shrink even further with nothing to accommodate the tenants who may become homeless.

All of this rhetoric yet nothing, absolutely nothing about bad tenants and what steps are being taken to “effectively” deal with the problem in a meaningful timescale.

The plans to use Section 8, and an Ombudsman service will simply block or delay even further the means of dealing quickly with bad tenants, because the proposals are not supported by resources, which are already unable to cope.

The behaviour of these bad tenants may have an adverse effect on neighbours and reduce the ability of a landlord to invest in their properties: hence problems in the PRS. (Of course, Local Authority and Housing Association properties seem exempt from the problems the Government sees in the PRS)

Can we please see some balance brought to the table and for governments to recognise that we, the PRS are doing a job which is increasingly difficult, as we have to abide by an ever-increasing raft of legislation, none of which benefits landlords, greater and often financially undeliverable demands and greater rights for tenants.

I have let lovely properties, only to see them wrecked in a matter of weeks: I have provided the living standards the Government demands, only to see that destroyed by tenants who have then not paid the rent due and who, when pursued for the debt through the court walk away from responsibility with an IVA or a DRO, leaving me out of pocket.

Why doesn’t the Government call on tenants to behave in a more “tenant like manner” because at the moment, we are being blamed even for tenant’s lifestyle problems by a Minister who do not understand the problems.

Instead of putting pressure on landlords as suggested through their initiative “make things right” calling for greater change, why not do the same for tenants: or is that not a vote winner as an election looms.

It's about time those in Government started to listen to those who know what is happening rather than those who “think” they know.

The government shouldn't be " Encouraging " more complaints, but ensuring that Housing Associations, AND Councils, respond better & quicker to the complaints already made.

Reply to the comment left by Ray Guselli at 10/10/2023 - 11:18
Spot on! But the votes of landlords are insufficient to make any meaningful difference. Whereas, those who depend on the State will always vote for the Party which offers them yet more, for even less responsibility.

The Tories have tried really hard over the past 10 years to appeal to that section of society, at the expense of the PRS, but Labour is their natural home because they really believe in the 'Nanny State'.

Look at the lowest and widest tier of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and you understand Labour!

The problem with social housing is that many of the staff are socialists. Lazy and ineffective.

The answer is to sell social housing to private landlords who are skilled at maintaining property and managing tenancies.

Until yesterday l have asked tenants to apply for eco4 grants which they are legally entitled to do without a single tenant taking up the offer, amazing .