It’s time for a Good Tenants Charter – but what should be in it?

This week saw a cornucopia of stories that illustrate the current wrong thinking on the private rented sector – and that landlords are the fault for everything.

First up is Andy Burnham’s political nonsense, the ‘groundbreaking’ Good Landlord Charter.

Ostensibly it is for all rented homes in Greater Manchester but I’m willing to offer good money that ONLY private landlords will be hit by this.

However, I’m not entirely sure why the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has come out in support of this measure.

That’s because I am confused as to why we need a good landlord charter when ALL landlords must comply with around 168 laws.

It’s unbelievable.

Timescales for social housing landlords

Then we have Michael Gove announcing Awaab’s Law which will have timescales for social housing landlords to deal with serious issues like mould.

Again, Gove was talking about ‘rogue landlords’ which to everyone means landlords in the private sector.

You can watch news reports about this issue and there’s not much effort to differentiate between social landlords and PRS landlords. (I’m looking at you BBC News).

And that is deliberate – the media believes we are all bad.

The death of a little boy is a tragic event and should have been avoided by the SOCIAL landlord.

But rather than having councils and housing associations get their own house in order they focus on private landlords.

Selective licensing or a landlord’s charter

Whether it is selective licensing or a landlord’s charter – the really big problems stem from social landlords.

Property118 regularly runs stories from the Housing Ombudsman lambasting social landlords.

And, let’s be honest, some of the issues they have been found guilty of are not only horrendous but the vast majority of private landlords wouldn’t do.

So, here’s a giant sledgehammer to hit all landlords with in Greater Manchester but I’m confident that councils won’t be affected.

They don’t care about their legal obligations now, so what will change?

And who will be enforcing Awaab’s Law and the Landlords Charter?

That poor boy died in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, in social housing.

Councils will be the enforcers and they won’t want the spotlight falling on their properties.

This will punish good private landlords and force us out of the sector.

Reasons why tenancy breaches occur

And then we have the Direct Line research showing the reasons why tenancy breaches occur.

Other than landlord news outlets, where did that story go?

Nowhere. Absolutely no one is interested in the antics of tenants.

I must stress that while most tenants are good, they still create issues.

The research highlights the extent of subletting, changing the locks – that’s a straight eviction in my book – and tampering with smoke alarms.

The research also reveals that 38% of tenancy agreement breaches were for failing to pay the rent, and slightly less for not keeping the property clean and damaging or making alterations to a property.

Again, while it is a tenant’s home, it is a landlord’s property.

Landlords face penalties and sanctions

Landlords already face lots of penalties and sanctions for offering poor housing, so why introduce more?

Are we just creating more jobs for the boys?

One factor that gets ignored is that a landlord has invested in their property and needs to maintain it, so it keeps its value.

Councils and housing associations don’t have to do that.

It is the laws that need enforcing not the introduction of new ones.

A Charter for Good Tenants

So, come on Andy Burnham, let’s see if you are brave enough to promote a Charter for Good Tenants that covers the payment of rent, anti-social behaviour and the cleaning of the property.

If a charter, the Renters (Reform) Bill and 168 laws are needed for landlords, why can’t this extend to tenants too?

I’d love to know what sort of things other landlords think we should include in a tenants’ charter.

Hopefully, tenant antics that the likes of Shelter and Generation Rent don’t want to publicise.

So, will we get a Charter for Tenants? It would be an effective way for the public to hear about what we have to put up with.

But I won’t be holding my breath.

Until next time,

The Landlord Crusader

Share This Article