Industry body seeks input from landlords over eviction guidance from councils

Industry body seeks input from landlords over eviction guidance from councils

10:32 AM, 8th January 2024, About 12 months ago 68

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It’s an all too common practice for local authorities to tell tenants to stay put when facing eviction.

This causes not only complications for the tenant but also the landlord as they deal with the legal costs and uncertainty.

Here at Property118, we have done various investigations on this issue and now the NRLA wants to hear from landlords who have been affected by this.

Authorities should not routinely be advising tenants to stay

The Homelessness Code of Guidance states where applicants are threatened with homelessness councils must take reasonable steps to help prevent it from occurring.

The first step the guidance says: “Housing authorities should not consider it reasonable for an applicant to remain in occupation until eviction by a bailiff.”

A recent Property118 investigation uncovered the letter from Brandon Lewis, the former Housing Minister, who wrote to all councils in 2016 stating: “Authorities should not routinely be advising tenants to stay until the bailiffs arrive; there is no barrier to them assisting the tenant before this. By doing this, local authorities miss a valuable opportunity to prevent homelessness.”

Councils seem to not have listened to the advice given by the housing minister as the common practice still continues.

Keen to hear from landlords

The NRLA is now campaigning on this issue and wants to hear landlords’ thoughts on their experiences with tenants advised to stay put in the face of eviction.

James Wood, policy manager for the NRLA, said: “This practice is something the policy team raises regularly in our meetings with the government, making the case that the homelessness duty should be applied consistently across the country.

“We are keen to hear from landlords who have been affected by this, so we can share examples of poor practice with the Department for Levelling up Housing and Communities.

“In particular, we are keen to hear from landlords who know their tenants have not been given a personalised housing plan or have been told that nothing will be done until a warrant is issued.”

If you think you can help please click the link here and fill out the form at the bottom of the page.

You can also read our Property118 investigation on this issue here


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Happy housing

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10:53 AM, 2nd February 2024, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Caley McKernan at 02/02/2024 - 10:30
The council with not rehouse someone if they are in arrears. Its intentionally homeless.

Londonlad

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11:00 AM, 2nd February 2024, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Caley McKernan at 02/02/2024 - 10:30
Not sure where you get your figures from, it is certainly not the case that local authorities spend half their budget on temporary housing. Your £52000 quoted figure may well include some of my tenants who are housed "temporarily" from the LA for 5 years, which makes the figure quite a bargain.
Whilst it sounds logical for the tenant to remain as long as possible at no cost to the LA, in reality it costs more to move them and put them in temporary housing than to pay the arrears due to the landlord and keep them safe in their existing home.

Happy housing

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11:06 AM, 2nd February 2024, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Londonlad at 02/02/2024 - 11:00
The person more concerned about getting his money back

Caley McKernan

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11:59 AM, 2nd February 2024, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Accommodation Provider at 13/01/2024 - 12:24
It is an affordability crisis that cannot be solved by just building . I live in a borough that has building, building and we have 1 of the highest housing registers and growing population. We have 1 hospital. People are still paying the high rents. So, the rents are high.
Even, if the rents are high because of mortgaged rates. They are still high.
Making housing affordable is the objective.

Reluctant Landlord

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12:11 PM, 2nd February 2024, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Caley McKernan at 02/02/2024 - 11:59
...but no private business is going to invest building 'affordable' units if there is no profit. End of, no matter where in the country this is needed. Builders build to sell on asap to then build again...

so down to councils/government to build 'affordable housing' themselves. They can then take full control themselves. They can take the lead, set the example, offer the perfect house to every person on their list and ensure that no one is ever again at the mercy of the tyranical PRS LL.

Isn't that what they want? What other answer is there?

Reluctant Landlord

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12:17 PM, 2nd February 2024, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Londonlad at 02/02/2024 - 11:00
agree - makes total sense for the council to work with the LL. But there is the issue - a lack of common sense and complete disregard of the public purse cost. They only see what they want to see.

Caley McKernan

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8:58 AM, 5th February 2024, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Happy housing at 02/02/2024 - 10:53
If, they have a family through the children,s act they do. Under relief duty also before you go to main duty. Main duty decisions are when you find a person IH.

Caley McKernan

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8:59 AM, 5th February 2024, About 11 months ago

If, they have a family through the children,s act they do. Under relief duty also before you go to main duty. Main duty decisions are when you find a person IH.

Happy housing

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9:01 AM, 5th February 2024, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Caley McKernan at 05/02/2024 - 08:58
I dont understand could you please explain

Caley McKernan

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9:07 AM, 5th February 2024, About 11 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 02/02/2024 - 12:11
Where do the council get the money to build affordable housing ???? At the moment they are working with private developers and housing associations . So, they are working in the same field as home building in general.

I m sorry to tell everyone but the council has had 40% deduction on government money. So, where are they raising the revenue to house build with all their own trained trades men,etc,etc.

By the way not only does the councils's not have the money. Nor does Britain. Trillion's in debt.

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