10:09 AM, 5th August 2024, About 3 months ago 94
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Labour is looking to prevent landlords from evicting tenants who have nowhere else to live, the Telegraph reports.
It says government ministers will propose imitating a French scheme which has ‘hardship tests’ that must be followed before an eviction is allowed.
The rule effectively bans evictions that would leave a tenant worse off.
Supported by housing minister Matthew Pennycook, the rule is aimed at reducing homelessness.
Labour is also, the newspaper highlights, in talks about the proposals to reintroduce a minimum energy performance certificate (EPC) of C for the private rented sector.
The Telegraph says the moves will raise fears of a new ‘war on landlords’ which includes losing tax breaks on mortgage interest, more red tape and stamp duty surcharges.
The newspaper says that the housing minister wants to amend the new Renters’ Rights Bill to include the hardship test.
When the Renters (Reform) Bill was making its way through Parliament, Mr Pennycook tried adding an amendment to make it harder for tenants to be evicted.
That would have seen a judge refuse a possession order if it would lead to ‘greater hardship’ to a tenant.
The amendment highlighted three issues when the hardship rule would be met: a tenant losing their job if evicted, a tenant who has terminal cancer and if the eviction leads to homelessness.
Mr Pennycook’s amendment failed to make it in the RRB, but Labour now has a 174-seat majority in Parliament.
The Telegraph also highlights that Labour will reintroduce EPC targets for landlords with a 2030 deadline.
Many landlords will be looking at expensive upgrades, but the government might have a £10,000 cap on costs.
However, those close to the discussions say that Labour might choose a higher cap – or none at all.
The EPC plans for landlords would, the Conservative MP for Harrow East, Bob Blackman, be ‘unfair’.
He also told the newspaper that the target for energy efficiency was ‘not practical’.
Mr Blackman also said that many PRS properties cannot be upgraded which would see landlords sell-up.
He also warns that the costs would be put onto tenants with higher rents.
The MP also says that the hardship test would be unfair for landlords who are providing a service.
A government spokesperson told the Telegraph: “The private rented sector is in desperate need of reform, and our Renters’ Rights Bill will make renting fairer for all.
“The energy shocks of recent years have also shown the urgent need to upgrade British homes so we can secure our energy independence and reduce fuel poverty.
“Responsible landlords who provide quality homes to their tenants have nothing to fear from the sensible overhaul of private rented sector regulation we intend to implement.”
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Caroline Newman
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Sign Up10:28 AM, 5th August 2024, About 3 months ago
How can this be 'fairer for all'?? Landlords yet again - taking the hit. What if a landlord is in financial hardship and as a result needs to sell their property?
I am a letting agent so this further fuels the need for more scrupulous referencing, an overhaul of the deposit amount taken (totally messed up by the last goverment) and every landlord MUST take RENT & LEGAL COVER.
There is opportunity in every crisis.
Have we ever had a Housing Minister who has been/is a landlord?
Frank Jennings
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Sign Up10:32 AM, 5th August 2024, About 3 months ago
And so, slice by slice the labour government take control of the landlords assets, and eventually takes over rental housing completely. Their moves are to remove all PRS landlords completely, using these slice by slice legislation tactics until all rented properties are owned by companies.
The final stroke is to then nationalise all these companies into one govenment owned rental housing system. Labour just loves to nationalise everything.
I'm not sure if Two Tear Starmer will last long enough to achieve this, himself. The way things are going he may be out on his ear very soon. Let's hope so. The nation is fed up of his blatant hypocrisy and his lies already.
Dizzy
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Sign Up10:35 AM, 5th August 2024, About 3 months ago
I currently have good tenants. When/If they move I will now have no hesitation in selling unless this nonsense is reversed.
I had planned to stay in the sector for another 15 years.
What about anti social tenants in blocks...Will they also be given an endless right to remain.
4 years 11 months and counting till Starmer is out.
John Curtis
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Sign Up10:56 AM, 5th August 2024, About 3 months ago
Soon we will be back to the legislation pre 1986 and the Shorthold Tenancy Act.
Lifetime tenancies with rents fixed!
Therefore no accommodation to rent!
Desmond
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Sign Up12:13 PM, 5th August 2024, About 3 months ago
If nobody is gullible enough to offer accommodation, such that former tenants can't find somewhere else to live, the answer is... to make offering accommodation even less attractive! All hail the politicians and the state! We would be lost without them.
batkinson_fermec@yahoo.co.uk
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Sign Up12:54 PM, 5th August 2024, About 3 months ago
More labour actions that will fuel a reduction in rental property supply, not really what's needed when we are in a rental availability crisis, is it?
Bernard Mealing
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Sign Up13:15 PM, 5th August 2024, About 3 months ago
Surely NOT. What if the tenant gets paid rent from the council and does not pass it to landlord..STEALING is the word for that.. So would we forced to let them stay and keep stealing. Surely NOT. !!!!or just maybe ???
Paul Essex
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Sign Up14:05 PM, 5th August 2024, About 3 months ago
Everyone must get their rents up to the new rental rate otherwise every tenant can just claim there is nothing to rent at the same rate.
Sadly being nice to tenants by keeping rents low is apparently now a reason to punish us.
Reluctant Landlord
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Sign Up14:35 PM, 5th August 2024, About 3 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Bernard Mealing at 05/08/2024 - 13:15
not a worry - very soon no one will be taking on anyone who relies 100% on the state for their rent to be paid. The risk is simply too high. It not about affordability anymore.
The most sensible LL in the world will now be demanding at the minimum a guarantor for every tenant if they entertain taking them on (given everything else being proposed RRB, S21 eradication etc)
ALL LL's should be bringing ALL rents to market rate now while they can, (in light of worries over rent caps, in anticipation of the spend to get up to EPC C and cost of potential rent loss/getting a possession though the courts, increased GCT when you sell).
Benefit applicants have now even less chance of securing accommodation than ever - and that's saying something!
Labour can go on about LL 'discrimination' against those with pets/kids etc till the cows come home - wont make any difference if they can't pass affordability.
Numbers in temp accommodation will only increase. Those LL's who do not vote with their feet (and sell up), will be the ones stamping them instead and being very very particular who they rent anything to.
You can tell the real state of affairs when a LL is confronted by 4,5,6,7 plus applications and the first thing they try to determine, is the risk of possible possession (and all that entails) before they even really look at anything else?
THAT's how toxic the government has made renting in the PRS.
Lee Bailey
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Sign Up14:38 PM, 5th August 2024, About 3 months ago
Communist Britain