Government have created chaos in the PRS

Government have created chaos in the PRS

13:18 PM, 1st April 2020, About 5 years ago 117

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Private landlords in the UK have been left in dire straits not only by the coronavirus, but by the Government’s abysmal response to it. Whilst the Government has mentioned in its legislation that tenants must keep paying their rent, in its public pronouncements it has given a very different message – talking about landlords being able to get ‘mortgage holidays’ and stating landlords are expected to pass this on to tenants.

This has confused many landlords and tenants with the latter now believing they may have to pay no rent for 3 months, as they think landlords are somehow being ‘let off’ having to pay.  This is a duplicitous and damaging message.

I am urgently trying to get the Government to realise that this is not on and that they are creating chaos in the sector. With their embargo on all evictions for at least 3 months – and we just know this will be extended – landlords are faced with non-paying tenants (egged on by Government) and with continuing to house rogue tenants with all the associated financial and emotional costs. The latter’s behavior has, in many cases, had nothing to do with the coronavirus – with many claims pre-dating the pandemic by months, but the bad tenants are using this to take even more advantage and stay put, whilst not paying.

I have outlined this in more detail and suggested some positive steps the Government can take here. https://capx.co/landlords-are-taking-a-pummelling-from-the-coronavirus/

I encourage landlords to read the article and then to come back here to put comments below this Property118 article, giving your side of how things are going. We can then share this with journalists and give the national press an insight into what is going on, because as far as I can see it is a real pig’s ear and is going to create much misery and inevitably a spike in homelessness when landlords can eventually regain possession of their property.


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Bernie Sloane

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9:34 AM, 2nd April 2020, About 5 years ago

I have had 2 tenants tell me that when speaking to HMRC they have been told that Landlords will be getting concessions and they should ask their landlord for a rent holiday and/or a reduction in rent ! ! !

Dennis Forrest

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9:40 AM, 2nd April 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Paul Shears at 01/04/2020 - 22:14
How about getting 4 NHS workers and charge them 50% of the rent you were getting before. Help out the country and at least get some of your income. (this is what I have done with one of my properties which is reasonably close to a hospital). You will probably find viewing restrictions can be relaxed if they are key workers.

Lin Law

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10:03 AM, 2nd April 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Paul Simmons at 02/04/2020 - 09:29
I totally agree with you. I have a takeaway with accommodations above leased out. And my tenant informed me that he is paying £300 as from April (less that 25% of the usual rent). Share dividends are all cancelled. So we are left with £300 to live on each month. My council tax alone is £187 a month!!!

David Lawrenson

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10:04 AM, 2nd April 2020, About 5 years ago

In theory they are not supposed to be any viewings, I say "in theory", because if the rent is cheap enough and the landlord and tenant are willing, things tend to get done, avoiding The Plod at all times, of course

David Lester

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10:10 AM, 2nd April 2020, About 5 years ago

Very good article, is there no-one in Government who can champion the plight of Landlords? What are the large organisations who represent Landlords doing? Maybe its time that Shelter's £60 Government handout was used to assist the PRS! Would it be possible to use this article or similar for all Landlords to send to their MP's?

David Mackley

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10:16 AM, 2nd April 2020, About 5 years ago

I have a case where a tenant is 3 months behind on rent, stated before the lockdown they will not move out. The section 21 and 8 timeline concluded just before lockdown. I pay all bills in that property, so I face many more months of non payment with no rights whatsoever. The other tenants are saying he is now playing loud music through the middle of the night. The agent and I have offered help but he just isn’t interested. What can I do?

Paul Shears

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10:33 AM, 2nd April 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by at 02/04/2020 - 09:40
Thanks & a good idea and I was going to look into that today.
However it's just a bit too far from the hospital without a car.
If they have a car then no problem.
I cannot resist observing that the recent elimination of parking charges for NHS & medical staff is not only long overdue, it was absolutely outrageous that it ever existed in the first place!

Paul Shears

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10:35 AM, 2nd April 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Lin Law at 02/04/2020 - 10:03
I was not aware that all share dividends are cancelled. I thought it was just the banks share dividends.

JB

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10:37 AM, 2nd April 2020, About 5 years ago

From the governments website 'government support available for landlords and renters':

Tenants are still liable for their rent and should pay this as usual. If they face financial hardship and struggle to pay this, support is available. In the first instance they should speak to their landlord if they think they will have difficulty meeting a rental payment, and in this unique context we would encourage tenants and landlords to work together to put in place a rent payment scheme.

In the first instance try and get a free, unsecured loan form your landlord!

Rob Thomas

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10:41 AM, 2nd April 2020, About 5 years ago

An excellent article.

The biggest single problem in the messaging to landlords and tenants is the term 'mortgage holiday'. As you say Ros, this is something the government has done, but it is also the media who parrot the term holiday without analysing what is really on offer.

Very good point also about the impact on future credit assessments - we can't be sure that the holiday won't impact lenders' future assessment of risk. So taking the mortgage holiday could cost you dear in the long run.

Landlords should send the detailed government guidance to their tenants by email, so the tenants are left in no doubt about the requirement to pay. But no doubt when all this is over there will be a reckoning when many landlords come to the conclusion that it isn't worth being in this business. Tenants will then find higher rents, poorer accommodation and less bargaining power.

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