Kicking Landlords is the National Pastime – Fergus Wilson

Kicking Landlords is the National Pastime – Fergus Wilson

16:25 PM, 6th November 2018, About 6 years ago 8

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The Reality is that Great Britain PLC cannot cope without Private Sector Landlords.

Kicking the landlord is good copy and sells newspapers and in any Profession there are few bad ‘uns.

If a Landlord makes a business decision which adversely impacts on a Section of the Community that is decision left wing journalists will make capital of.

A Landlord should not exclude tenants on the basis of Nationality, Sexual Orientation, Race or Religion.

However, what if the tenant cannot afford the rent?

Is it reasonable to exclude on such grounds. Well the last figure I saw was that 82% of Landlord refuse to take tenants on Housing Benefit. That seems a very high figure!

Almost all Landlords require a Rent Guarantee Insurance. Any Insurance Company will only insure people who are almost a cast-iron likelihood of not resulting in a Claim. If they did not then they would not be in business very long.

Almost all lenders say No Housing Benefit.

Is it the Landlord or the Lender who says No Housing Benefit?

Is the Landlord compelled to accept a No Housing Benefit condition imposed by the Lender? I suggest the answer is Yes!

From my conversations with many landlords by far the biggest objection to tenants on Housing Benefit is The Delivery of Housing Benefit by the Local Authority.

It is clear to me that HMG needs to pay the benefit (rent) direct to the Landlord or his Agent.

Should HMG provide a Rent Guarantee for all tenants on Benefits which is effectively a “Full Guarantee” and not a “Limited Guarantee”?

Should rent payment dates be guaranteed by HMG?

Who should run the risk? The Landlord or HMG?

The HB Sections of Local Councils will tell the Landlord we are overworked, underpaid and short of staff. Well that is absolutely true but the Landlord has to live in the real world as he has a mortgage to pay!

You do not get a point of milk on credit with 28 days to pay. You must pay as you go along.

If HMG wants to solve the Housing Crisis in the South East it needs to take a reality check.

There is a considerable shortage of houses in the South East and will be for the foreseeable future. Well the Answer is Build More. Easier said than done! It all takes time and where do people live in the meantime?

Everyone deserves a home to live in. However, some need to accept the reality is that they will never have a home to own!

Fergus Wilson


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Comments

AA

21:10 PM, 6th November 2018, About 6 years ago

"A Landlord should not exclude tenants on the basis of Nationality, Sexual Orientation, Race or Religion." - or age or disability.

AA

21:26 PM, 6th November 2018, About 6 years ago

The government is effectively engaged in open warfare with landlords , marginally shy of declaring renting property as unlawful;.
Both covert and overt targeted measures have been put in place to arrest the PRS sector into submission.
Overt measures such as s24, compliance legislation , licensing and time taken to evict a tenant. ( deliberately protracted and always at an eye watering expense for the landlord.)
.
Covert is to maintain a position as to not support measures such as direct rental payments to landlords or some sort of assurance guarantees. The LAs and the government know their client base and they know the likelihood of default.

The agenda is not to support the PRS in providing homes, the agenda is to eradicate the private landlord by creating a very risky and punishing operating environment. End of.

Neil Patterson

10:43 AM, 7th November 2018, About 6 years ago

From Fergus:

"Well, of course, malicious damage is a Criminal Offence. However, live in the real world. The Police will do nothing about it! The Police do not have the resources!

I gave up reporting minor crime to Kent Police simply because nothing happens.

In Maidstone Crime Valued at Under £50 is simply not investigated! Well I can understand that so why bother reporting it?

You spend more than £50 in Landlord Time on a telephone answering machine!"

juliet bonnet

11:33 AM, 7th November 2018, About 6 years ago

I would like to add that my experience with councils in different areas of the country, on more than 1 occasion - where the rent was being paid directly to me the landlord - resulted in deductions being made from the monthly amount paid to me, because the tenant turned out to be owing money for the rental of a previous property, or there had been some change in circumstance that I - and sometimes the tenant - was unaware of.
HB make it very clear that it is always the landlord's responsibility to claim back any rental shortfalls from their tenant....as if!!

H B

15:56 PM, 11th November 2018, About 5 years ago

"A Landlord should not exclude tenants on the basis of Nationality, Sexual Orientation, Race or Religion."

It seems like you had to hit the national news with your "no coloureds" rule to recognise this.

Annie Landlord

20:39 PM, 23rd November 2018, About 5 years ago

H B

15:02 PM, 24th November 2018, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Annie Landlord at 23/11/2018 - 20:39
I don't think that is discrimination based on disability - just being an unpleasant selfish person. The guilty verdict can't have been a surprise.
Now both Wilsons have criminal records as a result of their activities as landlords.

Annie Landlord

15:36 PM, 24th November 2018, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by H B at 24/11/2018 - 15:02
It wasn't the disability angle I was looking at, though that's very important. I recall seeing a thread on 118 saying a recent case against the Wilsons had been thrown out by the judge, but then this article came up. Wondered if it was the same case.
It looks like the fine is going to be linked to Mrs Wilson's personal wealth, so it could be incredibly high

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