Government plan rewards rent dodgers

There is no mention here of hardship to landlords? Is the NRLA like the government assuming that the landlords have bottomless pockets?

Reply to the comment left by Carol at 18/11/2020 - 10:00
I agree Carol, its almost as if the NRLA are there to support tenants, not landlords!

Im now embarrassed to say that im a member of RLA now NRLA and am shocked at the lack of effective campaigning in behalf of their membership.
As landlords we are being destroyed by this government and vilified by generation rent that we aim to provide a business service to for a fair return.
Landlords income has been hit by tax changes, licensing charges, new regulations and now our inability of reobtaining our property when tenants break legal tenancy agreements by not paying their rent. Now on top all of this we have the new MESS coming which will force landlords to spend thousands to upgrade the energy efficiency of properties, a lot of which due to their age/build/location cannot reach EPC C so will potentially become unlettable/unmortgeable or be at risk of fines by LA and/or tenants. How can landlords afford to do this when they cannot guarantee rental income to pay for it ?
IMHO there is now a perfect storm brewing for the PRS which will make it an untenable business to be in. I believe that the government know this so are shutting landlords exits with making section 8 useless and the probable abolition of section 21, because good luck trying to sell a property without vacant possession.
Now more than ever we need a strong landlord association and the current ones have become unfit for purpose!

Reply to the comment left by chris welham at 18/11/2020 - 11:35
Hi Chris, Jim & Carol.
I fully agree with your comments.
For me its a case of get-out-time. I have already sold 2 houses, which means 2 families had to turn to social housing providers.
I have 2 more to go. Both were served S21 notices back in July so looking at February onward to gain possession then sell them. The way things are the families will be put out (eventually) on the pavement desperately looking for some sort of temporary accommodation.
The present government have not got a clue. The unintended (unforeseen by the pathetic decision makers) consequences are going to have a huge impact on so many peoples lives. It's disgusting.

Hi Mike, I totally agree with your comments.
I find the whole landlord bashing really upsetting and generally based on false assumptions.
I went into the business as my retirement option to both provide for my future and to provide decent homes to people. I have spent lots of money buying uninhabitable properties and making them places to live and I strive to have good relationships with my tenants. I am low geared and spend 20% of rent on maintenance and for this I get a 4% return before tax and thanks to government policy changes over the last 5 years many sleepless nights.
Most good landlords AFAIK have been trying to help tenants through this difficult period by either reducing rent or allowing payment holidays. The PRS is being forced into becoming social housing but where its the landlords that bear all the risks and are have policies forced on us which dont apply to government social housing providers!
No decent landlord wants to evict tenants but we are being forced into considering this option or face bankruptcy and without some financial help or policy changes a lot of landlords will be forced to evict and sell up which I personally will find very difficult due to the impact on my tenants. The social sector cannot house people already so god knows what will happen to decent people trying to find somewhere to live when they cannot afford or dont want to buy. As you say its all disgusting and the blame lies wholly with this government and I voted for them because I expected this from labour not the conservatives! More fool me.

The government seem determined to strip landlords of all their assets. A modern day Robin Hood in order to win over public support. Whatever the legend, Robin Hood was still a thief.

Our lifetime savings, despite long hours renovating to provide decent homes, will be gone. If we are lucky, we may retain a roof over our head. We will not have income to pay taxes on.

We tried to sell one of our properties but as soon as the tenant was aware of this he stopped paying rent and told us he would wait to be evicted. So goodbye to at least 2 years rent with probably no hope of getting it back, yet we still have to pay the mortgage and leasehold fees. We cannot sell with a tenant insitu.

So, no income, no support, no taxes, no hope

The government has just announced millions of support for sports during this time when regulations mean they aren't receiving income from spectators. Tells us all we need to know about their priorities, doesn't it? Support for landlords who are providing accommodation for tenants who either have no means to pay their rent or simply choose not to do so? No chance - their properties have effectively been requisitioned to become free social housing! (Free to the government, that is: the cost to landlords may well be bankruptcy).