What do you think of my rent challenge amendment to the Renters Rights Bill?

What do you think of my rent challenge amendment to the Renters Rights Bill?

0:01 AM, 27th September 2024, About a month ago 20

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Ignoring many other foolish parts of the upcoming Renters Rights Bill that will ultimately lead to tenants paying more.

One part I find incredibly stupid is the tenant’s rights to challenge rent rises. Presumably rent decreases can also be challenged, but open to correction here, although I cannot see in the proposals what will happen to rents in a falling market.

So basically now the tenant will just object to any change in rent. Actually the truth is they will just object to anything because they can, and there is no downside for them. The worst that can happen is that the tribunal finds against the tenant and the tenant has to pay the new rent backdated, or even walk away and say they cannot afford the back dated new rent.

So what I propose is that any change in rent proposed by the landlord and not accepted by the tenant is referred to the tribunal.The tenant should offer a counter proposal of rent and the tribunal then choose between what the tribunal sees as the fairest between the tenants and the landlords proposals.

Example: Current rent is £900. The new rent the landlord wants is £1,200 tenant offers £1,000. The tribunal then chooses between £1,200 and £1,000.

Otherwise the tenant will just object as they have nothing to lose and the whole tribunal system will just get clogged with tenants objecting. The tenant will then get left in limbo waiting to know what their rent really is.

I have sent this proposed amendment to my local MP and I urge you to do the same! What does the Property118 community think of my amendment?

Thanks,

Paddy


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Comments

Judith Wordsworth

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12:24 PM, 27th September 2024, About a month ago

"What the tribunal sees as the fairest" re rent may not be a rise but a fall especially if the Tribunal uses the Local Housing Allowance as their base line..

Also if every tenant objects to a rent rise and it is referred to the Rent Tribunal the backlog will mean that nothing is heard for months and months.

There is so much in this proposed Bill that is badly drafted.

I have already contacted my MP re the proposed s8 changes. (Posted on here previously)

Martin

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12:33 PM, 27th September 2024, About a month ago

The massive irony in all of this is by the time the court gets to hear the tenants objection, many months down the line, I bet the average rent will have gone up in the area.
Once again the law of unintended consequences strikes and the tenant will of course end up worse off.
As it sits at the moment rents are never going down as supply is dwindling and demand increasing.
If you have a decent landlord as a tenant or a decent tenant as a landlord the best thing to do is, as always talk about it.

Reluctant Landlord

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16:37 PM, 27th September 2024, About a month ago

Reply to the comment left by Martin at 27/09/2024 - 12:33
nothing stopping a LL issuing a rent increase then 3 months later a S8 for rent arrears? If the tribunal has not made a decision in that time and the tenant has refused to pay increase then could this route be pursued?

Reluctant Landlord

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16:44 PM, 27th September 2024, About a month ago

or with a rent increase a S8 is also given stating that the LL wishes the property back for a family member. Just because a S8 is issued does not mean the landlord has to act on its expiry.

If it is a genuine rent increase to market rate (or just below) then this may focus the T's attention, knowing that if the LL does progress with the notice, they will have to move - anywhere else is going to be more expensive plus moving costs, new deposit RIA etc....

Throwing in the towel LL

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17:44 PM, 27th September 2024, About a month ago

Reluctant Landlord - Trouble is that's when the tenant stops paying rent altogether knowing it will take absolutely months to go through the courts...

PH

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19:15 PM, 27th September 2024, About a month ago

Meanwhile the cases last longer and longer because of backlogs so by the time the tribunal has decided what to do (12 months) it's time to put in the next increase so the process starts all over again only this time it takes even longer. Labour this isn't called 'rent control' but let's face it it absolutely is and you know it. LL may as well ramp up rents asap to market rate because after the RRB is introduced any significant increases will be declined and kept as low as possible by the tribunal.

Priten Patel

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22:44 PM, 27th September 2024, About a month ago

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 27/09/2024 - 16:37
It would need to be 3 months full rent before s8 I believe. In the example of £900 to £1200, if the tenant pays £900 for 3 months, there’s arrears of £900, not 3 month arrears at that point, unfortunately.

DPT

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10:17 AM, 28th September 2024, About a month ago

"The worst that can happen is that the tribunal finds against the tenant and the tenant has to pay the new rent backdated"

The increase wont be backdated. Any Tribunal determination will only take effect from the date of their decision, even if they uphold the landlords increase.

PH

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10:47 AM, 28th September 2024, About a month ago

Reply to the comment left by DPT at 28/09/2024 - 10:17
The tribunal can even add 2 months onto the determination date if they think its best for the tenant to avoid hardship. Hopefully these silly rules get sorted out as the bill passes through parliament and the lords

GlanACC

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12:12 PM, 29th September 2024, About a month ago

I have discussed a rent rise with my existing tenants. At the moment they are at least £100 a month below market rate. I have told the tenants I propose to raise the rent to the market rate BUT if they pay the rent within 7 days of becoming due each month (and they all have done for at least the past 3 years) then I will give them a discount of £100 or whatever each month. 2 out of the 6 have so far accepted this proposal

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