Landlord discrimination – the last straw?

Landlord discrimination – the last straw?

0:01 AM, 16th October 2024, About a month ago 34

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As we watch the supply of rental property dwindle and rents head North, I thought I’d add my latest experience of open discrimination against landlords by my local council.

So the situation is the tenant has done a runner, they are in serious rental debt and have faced legal action both section 21 and Section 8. The tenant has openly lied to the court and council with a hope of strengthening their position. A good ploy for tenants lying will likely always help you stay longer, cause huge stress and more cost for your landlord. I would always advocate that tenants lie because it will help their cause and there are no consequences.

So the property is a fixed AST that has turned into a periodic tenancy but as a landlord the tenant hasn’t legally ended the tenancy and may be inside. They have neither handed back keys nor advised they have left. They have left a car outside, curtains closed furniture and personal items are still in situ.

For the £1,500 question I would ask you who is responsible for the £1500 annual council tax? The answer of course is the landlord. Why you ask? In my case the tenant showed the council a receipt for a removal company and the fixed period of the tenancy that had expired years ago. The tenant had neither advised of their departure nor shown me the golden ticket removal bill.

The council in their twisted wisdom applied discrimination at the appeal I made, stating as the tenancy was in a periodic and not fixed state the landlord was responsible for council tax even though the council know the tenancy is not legally ended and under the tenancy the tenant is obliged to pay council tax.

I would add where problems arise the scales of justice have collapsed in favour of tenants and the council appeal process then bases it’s decisions on discriminatory rules. So watch as more landlords leave more tenants face higher costs and the problem of rogue tenants grows. I for one have rented to the most vulnerable in society and on occasion saved people from taking their own lives, but cannot afford to take the stress of risking this again.

What does the Propert118 community think?

Thanks for reading,

Paul


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TheMaluka

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17:28 PM, 20th October 2024, About a month ago

Reply to the comment left by Badger at 20/10/2024 - 16:40
Thank you for naming and shaming.

PH

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17:42 PM, 20th October 2024, About a month ago

Reply to the comment left by Badger at 20/10/2024 - 16:40
My tenants AST will roll over to a statutory periodic in January controlled by my agent. I'm beginning to think of getting them to change to contractual periodic in light of comments here.

Paul Smith

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12:12 PM, 21st October 2024, About a month ago

Reply to the comment left by TheMaluka at 19/10/2024 - 09:25
HI TheMaluka, I agree the tenant is not responsible once they moved out. It was the council that advised me the tenant had moved out not the tenant. Once I was aware the tenant had moved out I had access to the property so although the periodic notice had not been given the trigger is the landlord knowing the tenant has moved out. I doubt this has been tested in court but if it were it would have a good chance as going with the landlord as the tenant pays until they have moved out and the person who needs to know this above anyone else on the planet is the landlord and not the council as soon as the tenant has moved out. In this case I didn't know and was legally obliged to consider them legally in residence. This is different to them leaving without the required notice where I am aware they have left, but notice was not given.

Badger

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12:52 PM, 21st October 2024, About a month ago

Reply to the comment left by Paul Smith at 21/10/2024 - 12:12
The trigger is only the tenant moving out if the tenancy is a "periodic" / "statutory periodic" one.

If the tenancy is a "contractual periodic" then the trigger is the end date of the contract.

Those terms are in quotes because the exact form of words is relevant. Fail to use the word (or a collection of words to the same effect) "contractual" will see you at risk of getting stuffed for the council tax. Simples!

And it has been tested in court - that's what the whole Leeds Council case was about.

I don't know why you are choosing to believe the council over you fellow landlords when they (the councils) routinely fib.

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