10:09 AM, 5th August 2024, About 5 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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Sublet Registration fees?
Judith Wordsworth
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Sign Up17:22 PM, 10th August 2024, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by PH at 10/08/2024 - 10:29
I have been and am selling up
Judith Wordsworth
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Sign Up17:25 PM, 10th August 2024, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Alison Clark at 10/08/2024 - 13:05
Depends if you do it yourself or use an eviction company or solicitors.
Minimum for DIY is court fees £355. If your paperwork is 100%. If tenant counter claims then up goes the costs.
Monty Bodkin
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Sign Up21:19 PM, 10th August 2024, About 4 months ago
"every landlord MUST take RENT & LEGAL COVER."
How many claims do they actually pay out on?
If you don't know and the information isn't openly available then the value of such cover is very, very questionable.
It can be one small tool in the box of tenant selection, relying on it is foolhardy.
Jim K
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Sign Up20:45 PM, 12th August 2024, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Frank Jennings at 05/08/2024 - 10:32
Two tier Kier or two tear Kier.
Could be both.
Lol
Alison Clark
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Sign Up6:51 AM, 13th August 2024, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 10/08/2024 - 17:25
Thank you Judith.
Caroline Newman
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Sign Up7:04 AM, 13th August 2024, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Monty Bodkin at 10/08/2024 - 21:19
As an agent - Homelet have paid out on all our claims over the years . You can't get cover without having passed references on file. As the references are done by Homelet the policy is underwritten immediately and cover in place . They also allow cover to be taken out mid term providing no rent arrears and there is a 30 day exclusion period .
Frank Jennings
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Sign Up8:04 AM, 13th August 2024, About 4 months ago
The new govenment has vowed to build 1.5M new houses within the next 5 years. So what is preventing this from happening?
The problem is with the councils who have the powers to stop almost all development in housing. Lots and lots of red tape and bureaucracy. Councils love their housing bureaucracy rules and regulations. On the large scale, a plot for building maybe 200 houses, a large builders can afford to negotiate these hurdles and hoops to go through, but for smaller builders it's simply not profitable to do. It's just too much legislation to wade through and boxes to tick and time and money wasted, to get the permission required. Even when they do get permission, the restrictions are too onerous to deal with. Its simply not worth building say 10 houses on a smallish plot, it's just not viable.
The govenment should therefore open up the legislation and allow permitted development of housing, overriding the councils rules and obstacles, if the govenment want to see those 1.5M houses built in the next 5 years.
Of course there should be protections, but not the ridiculous amount of restrictions that local councils have. It should all be opened up to encourage developers to invest and build these houses. All the councils rules and restrictions should be
removed and a nationwide set of rules and regulations should be put in place to unify the legislation across the nation so every council has the same rules and regulations to work with. This will encourage builders to start building houses. There has to be profit incentives otherwise it will not happen.
Building 1.5M homes will help the housing crisis, lower house prices, and lower rents.
When will the Uniparty realise that this is the only way out and the only long term solution to the housing crisis?
Carchester
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Sign Up8:39 AM, 13th August 2024, About 4 months ago
The Ginger Whinger (Rayner) has confirmed successful asylum seekers would be eligible for places in the 1.5 million new social housing and homes built under Labour..
I cannot see how housing these a.s. will reduce the burden of the indigenous folk who may have been waiting years for an opportunity to have a social home.
The red queen is all mouth.
Carchester
NewYorkie
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Sign Up9:50 AM, 13th August 2024, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Frank Jennings at 13/08/2024 - 08:04
Will soon start a major refurb and extension, and the new Building Regs are truly horrendous.
David Lawrenson
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Sign Up10:41 AM, 13th August 2024, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Frank Jennings at 13/08/2024 - 08:04
But the powers that be don't want small scale builders any more than they want small scale landlords.
It is not part of the agenda of control.
Big corporations will toe the line on all the nonsense, small players will not always do that.
Fascism is upon us.