I don’t disbelieve he can’t pay?

Hi
I have similar tenant who has been with us for six years. He has never missed a payment as these are set up with DD. On that basis, I'd need to go off his payment history and accept he is telling the truth. How and when he makes up the defect is another discussions which can only be had once we have sight of the end of this lock-down.
On the other side, I have had tenant where are soon as the legislation was announced, would be demanding three month rent holiday - with the chances of ever getting the rent pretty much zero.

I think we need to be sympathetic && helpful. Trust - but verify. Help them to guide their employers to claim the financial support that should enable employers to keep employees on. Ensure you have I.D. sufficient to allow the tenant to be traced if they turn out to be the type who will run up arrears and then slip away.

Reply to the comment left by Ian Brand at 24/03/2020 - 13:30
he needs to claim benefits?

For a trusted tenant of several years I've reduced the rent by 90% for one month and will re-assess monthly until benefits come through. I'm fortunate to be in a position to do this.

Reply to the comment left by Ian Brand at 24/03/2020 - 13:30
Six years and no problems, wow that's great. I would support him through this as I would rather still have a good tenant in the end. In any case, you cannot do anything for now under the legislation so give a bit with him and agree to increase rents say over the next 12 months to cover the arrears

U can use my text if u like. Or parts of it. It may not seem nice for those who don't know me or my tenants, but I started to get my majority benefit tenants to try it on (Well 2 of them-The rest supported me & the some others were about to ask me before saying Thanks to explaining to them that moron Corbyn had misled them).

Some of you lovely people have been texting asking for a rent holiday cause of the coronavirus. Now if u all want a rent holiday, there will be no houses no homes in 3 months, simple as that. There's not a magic tree out there to pay your outgoings.

The comment you may have heard on the media this week has not helped tenants at all. Corbyn Labour Anti Landlord tripe saying tenants can ask for a rent holiday was aimed at workers who have lost their job & FULL income & got to wait for benefits which YOU ARE ALREADY GETTING, but some of u r rubbing your hands in glee thinking that was aimed at u.

And it was a rent holiday, some of u have interpreted that as Ooh baby no rent to pay. The workers still had to pay when they get back on their feet. Some of u have got into arrears with me before & took years to pay & some still paying off now years later. You text saying Can I have rent holiday cause of coronavirus, then u also don't say I'll pay next week.

Some of u have been with me over 20 years, most of u over 5 to 10 years. I look after u the best I can despite all the constant recent attacks from Council and Govt. But I will not look after people trying to take advantage and plunge me and u into losing your home.

If I get one more text from someone on FULL benefits asking for rent holiday, I'm gonna' seriously consider selling your home. Some of u will know I'm only keeping the houses for you as it is your home & I respect that.
Please don't exploit the Coronavirus for financial gain and put everyone's else's home in jeapordy.

If you've genuinely lost your job, ring me & we'll get u on the benefits u entitled to.
If u not earning enough, u claim benefits. If u getting too much to claim benefits, the Govt are saying u r earning enough to pay your rent, so u don't need benefits. It's either one or the other.

We're not a large financial institution, so not able to bear the hardship, that would be inevitable result of rental holidays, so please look towards Govt support, as it is them and Councils that resulted in the below costs.

Below is the extra costs which the Govt & Councils has forced upon us, which I've now had to pay since u moved into your home. How some of u think this can be paid with no rent in is baffling.

We now have to do Fitness tests on new rentals £150 each house.
Electrical Installation Condition reports organisation & implementation £300+ each house.
Selective Licensing £890 just for one house.
Legionnaires checks £70 each house.
EPC’s £80 each house.
Data protection checks £40.
Carbon Monoxide detectors & smoke detectors, when wired, £300 each house.
Getting registered with Information Commission officer £40.
Floorplans, Inventories £90 each house.
Landlord has to criminal check himself & has to prove he has Right to live in UK
Increased staffing admin behind the scenes.
As you’ve seen, checks/inspections on your houses now with smoke alarms-Should be much more detailed checks.
Consultant & Legal fees to keep pace with legislation & staff training.
Letting Agent costs for new tenancies & house swaps £70pm each house.
All the above is extra costs we din’t have when many of u moved in.

Landlords are selling in their hundreds due to the increase in costs & the burden of ever increasing legislation.
Landlords are being fined when they get something slightly wrong.

As a company, we are really struggling to keep abreast with these constant legislation attacks, so much so, some of u know all new ones/swaps, we are having to place with Letting Agent.

The biggest changes are Selective Licensing & Universal Credit. Costs an absolute fortune in time & money to keep on top of it.

There are many Landlords out there who aren’t compliant, who are becoming unstuck every week.

We have no intention of selling on you & want you for the long term. Please help us to help u.

I would like to know if we can still go to court for a money claim as the threat of a CCJ may make them pay. I have a tenant who has been in arrears for months and constant lies, I would like to go that route with her. However I am very sympathetic and helpful to my genuine tenants and have already written to everybody explaining the position regarding non essential repairs and asked them to contact me if they face problems paying the rent. Most of my tenants are genuine and I will support those who are really in difficulty.