What Planet Are They On?

What Planet Are They On?

14:17 PM, 9th June 2020, About 5 years ago 39

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If it wasn’t enough that we are now expected to provide housing services for free for very lengthy periods – due to the eviction ban – where tenants decide not to pay the rent, the left are also trying to get rent arrears cancelled and even rent-free housing.

I don’t know what planet they are on.

Would any of them save up for years for a deposit on a house, get a mortgage arranged, work during their evenings and weekends to renovate, decorate, purchase and put together furniture, set up utilities, get gas safety certificates and EPCs done, set up and pay for adverts to let the property, do all the viewings, check tenants’ credit and tenancy history, whilst paying the mortgage, insurance, maintenance and so on, and then let people stay there indefinitely for nothing?

No, I thought not. And yet they expect us to.

Of course, in addition to the eviction ban and 2-month extension announced last week, the Government is also now plotting to bring in a lengthy delaying tactic – called a pre-action protocol – to set traps which judges and charities working for defaulting tenants can exploit to grant non-paying tenants more time in landlords’ properties. No doubt costly adjournments will be de rigueur.

With the current 5 month moratorium, the further minimum 5 months it usually takes to get a possession case through court, the additional months because of the huge court backlog built up since March, and then the rigmarole of the protocol, we are looking at more than a year becoming a likely length of time that non-paying tenants can stay. This is going to be devastating for landlords unlucky to cross paths with one or more of these rogue tenants. With subletting scams in particular, the damage to the properties will be that much worse, along with huge arrears.

Tenants’ lives will also be put at risk.

I have written about this on CapX today – a site read by Conservative Ministers and MPs – pointing out the farcical nature of what is going on. The latest rental ‘reprieve’ is another kick in the teeth for landlords – CapX


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Ed Cole

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14:14 PM, 11th June 2020, About 5 years ago

In the hope that it may get further attention I have emailed the links to Dr Beck's article to the parties that are addressing the lockdown and consequences legally. This has gained significant traction. Please see:
https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/lockdownlegalchallenge/

Anthony Endsor

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16:12 PM, 11th June 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Possession Friend at 10/06/2020 - 22:51
Oh yes I'm well aware of that. Still might be a slightly cheaper option than the alternative though. Slightly being the operative word.

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13:54 PM, 12th June 2020, About 5 years ago

Thanks Rosalind for another excellent article. Will definitely share.

I think it's becoming pretty obvious, this government (aided and abetted by their Labour peers) is about as competent as managing/controlling the property market as they have been with the Lockdown. Absolutely clueless and shambolic!

How to Ruin the Private Property Sector in less than 10 easy Lessons - written by Labour and Conservative MPs - we are now at a seven year low.

According to Hamptons International, while 222,570 landlords have left the sector since 2017 due to tax and regulatory changes, those who have stayed tend to have bigger portfolios – a further sign that the sector is professionalising. The average landlord in Great Britain owned 1.93 properties last year [2018/2019], the highest level since 2009.
https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2020/2/number-of-landlords-in-the-prs-drops-to-a-seven-year-low?source=othernews

Chris @ Possession Friend

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14:06 PM, 12th June 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Kincavel at 12/06/2020 - 13:54
Unfortunately, the English Housing Survey does Not show any change in the number of PRS Landlords, so don't know where Hamptons are getting their data ?

KD South East

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9:03 AM, 14th June 2020, About 5 years ago

Interesting that the left are still being blamed more than the right. When there has been a Tory government for 10 years, and there still is.
Blame who you like but be aware of your own biases, and consider the possibility that maybe, just maybe you might have backed the wrong horse.

Anthony Endsor

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9:52 AM, 14th June 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by KD South East at 14/06/2020 - 09:03
So you're implying therefore that Labour wouldn't have done this...... ok.....

Ingrid Bacsa

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9:56 AM, 14th June 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Darren Peters at 10/06/2020 - 11:09
Interesting. Every mortgaged problem property should stop paying . Would tables turn then as the powerful banks would not put up with it OR would the banks gloat buying up all our properties very cheaply for just the amount owed? Its an astonishing situation. Landlords finished and thousands of tenants sleeping in doorways. What are they trying to do???

Ingrid Bacsa

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9:57 AM, 14th June 2020, About 5 years ago

Interesting. Every mortgaged problem property should stop paying . Would tables turn then as the powerful banks would not put up with it OR would the banks gloat buying up all our properties very cheaply for just the amount owed? Its an astonishing situation.
Landlords finished and thousands of tenants sleeping in doorways. What are they trying to do???

Monty Bodkin

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11:58 AM, 14th June 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Possession Friend at 12/06/2020 - 14:06'so don't know where Hamptons are getting their data ?'
It's taken from the Countrywide property group. The EHS is a year out of date. The Hamptons index cross refers with the EHS but is probably less accurate.
The results are actually a lot worse in real terms as rental supply needs to be increasing just to keep pace with the rising population.

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