Can I really house the Ukrainian People? I want to, however…..

Can I really house the Ukrainian People? I want to, however…..

9:19 AM, 14th March 2022, About 2 years ago 60

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Can we trust the Govt & Councils to then not penalise us in 2 3 4 5 years? This needs to be discussed, as I seriously would love to house some of these people.

I’ve even been thinking at night, if I only help one family, I could pay for a driver to drive them round as we have a Ukrainian centre here in Nottingham, to get them into the right people for help. This £300pw or so for a driver wouldn’t hurt me, but would really help them.

I could pay for driving lessons for them to get them on their feet. I could buy their food & clothes to start with till their income starts coming in-Gees they gonna’ need some help with Universal Credit. I could advertise on Social Media for jobs for them in their skillset, so some qualified accountant don’t have to take some job picking strawberries etc.

Here are my notes on it:

I’m the biggest Benefit Landlord in Nottingham & have taken hundreds of homeless off the Council over the years. However, the SAME Council (not the same department) has now shafted us with Selective Licensing.

I promise u now if u can get insider information (which I have), the Council homeless section when ringing Landlords begging for houses, will tell u for 99 calls out of 100, all Landlords reply is No I’m not taking your tenants or helping u cause of Selective Licensing.

So the Council are stuffed & I feel for the tenants, as there are some very good tenants out there that are now homeless cause of Govt & Council interference & Retrospective Regs.

It’s the same Council that rings us up to house the Ukrainian families. It’s the same Govt that brings another change in after we’ve housed the Ukrainian families.

We just don’t know what retrospective change the Govt will do on us next, which is why the Govt ain’t shouting & disgustingly got the low numbers of Ukrainian families coming in we know about. They know the Councils have nowhere to put them.

We are the bottom end people that actually do the housing, not the Govt, not the Councils-Cause they han’t got ote.

This sounds strong, but it needs to be put out in the open.

Can the Council & Govt guarantee us that for the next 20 years (I’ve had many same tenants 25 years) that they won’t bring another change in that will hurt that tenant even more? They can’t. They can’t leave things alone that work. They’re constantly thinking of another Anti Landlord measure, cause this Landlord 10 miles away didn’t fix his tenant’s door so we all suffer.

We all know what happened when the Govt really tightened up Right to Rent (cause immigration too high-Ooh that will be the Landlords fault then) that put all the onus & blame on the Landlord (was it £2000 fine) if he made a mistake when accepting a non-UK person. Consequently, lots of Landlords stopped taking non-UK people as we ain’t qualified ID checking people. The authorities noticed that legal immigrants were not being able to get houses, so did they relax the rules later?

Another retrospective change was the Benefit Cap. No matter what u think of it, I took many families with 7 8 10 kids that were safe in their homes, already lived there 5 years & then the Govt said We’re not paying your rent any more, the public voters don’t like u getting all these Benefits for 10 kids. Too late now, Cameron, they’ve already moved in. Shocking the evictions that caused throughout the UK. In 2017 the Benefits now say If u have more than 2 kids, we ain’t paying, so be forewarned. However, the Benefit cap was AFTER the horse had bolted.

My colleagues and I are the people that could house them, but @LindaWoodings Selective Licensing has scuppered that plan. We have no houses for them. Benefit tenants can’t move anymore, therefore not freeing any houses up.

I’d love to take these people.

However, I’ve taken many homeless from the Council (mainly Nottingham Council). They’ve said this person not great with money, Mick. This person doesn’t maintain the garden, Mick. But don’t worry, we will make sure we support them & make sure everything goes ok.

Then a few years later, the Council withdraw the support, treat us like crap & then impose conditions that we’d struggle to comply with because it’s a condition against the certain type of tenant that the Council gave u in the first place.

I’ve spent money on the house for the actual tenant who is wrecking the house cause the Council Support worker is there & saying I am here now Mick, I am not leaving your two’s side. 2 months later, no more Council Support worker. House gets wrecked again. Council introduces Licensing, say I’m now responsible cause that tenant hasn’t cut the grass. The same tenant they gave us 3 years ago WHO THEY KNEW wun’t cut the grass.

It’s a shame we can’t help any more cause the Council have no joined-up thinking & too many turnovers of staff to another dept. New staff has no passion or morals or understanding of how renting houses works.

This text is what I’m sending my tenants ready for Selective Licensing renewal:

Most of u r very good. But are u perfect? Read Licensing conditions and tell yourself first could u comply with all them, second, would u take any tenant on that wasn’t the most prim proper person ever?
Third, if u was a landlord getting older, would u want to be dealing with that for EVERY house EVERY tenant? And giving out 200 pages to each tenant each house.
4th, would u take a Benefit tenant on after being told u had to comply with them conditions?
Selective Licensing conditions Feb 2022
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sD_HRl57ANNw4PBAb-FGRU7h-0Qby9Vm5xLioH_nA7c/edit?usp=sharing

Thank u Mr Govt & Nottingham Council & Shelter & Universal Credit & Nottingham Council Selective Licensing, u may make our life awful for a short period, but the person u really hurt is the tenant, & then the Landlord ends up being much better off financially which is an unintended part of your consequences.

U hurt the Landlord, u end up hurting the Ukrainian people. U hurt the Landlords, u end up hurting the tenant.


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Comments

Tessa Shepperson

11:40 AM, 14th March 2022, About 2 years ago

You may want to look at this post on Nearly Legal which discusses some of the possible pitfalls of housing refugees https://nearlylegal.co.uk/2022/03/the-forthcoming-ukranian-housing-scheme/

Luke P

12:12 PM, 14th March 2022, About 2 years ago

Mick,
I have a complete 2-bed annex at my own home and numerous empty rentals as well as my other half working in recruitment (and could find them a choice of jobs), but the Govt. can clear off playing on my emotions. Shouldn't have let the rubber boat people in and we could properly help any genuine refugees.

Will those offering rooms be expected to cook/feed them daily? What about ferrying their kids to school? Even basics like translation...even if it's available 24/7 for free, it'll get tedious calling every five minutes.

This plan is so utterly flawed and riddled with pitfalls.

dismayed landlord

12:19 PM, 14th March 2022, About 2 years ago

I believe from what I have read it is being administered by local councils? It which case after being stitched by my local councils Dartford and Gravesend over rent payments in the past I will not be touching this scheme regardless of how much they offered me. Thrice bitten, yes I made the mistake 2 more times in the hope they would be more truthful and transparent. I’d never go near anything with LA , benefits, or government promise of support again.

Jane Tomlin

12:20 PM, 14th March 2022, About 2 years ago

My BTL insurance will not cover asylum seekers/refugees. Worth checking your cover.

Luke P

12:21 PM, 14th March 2022, About 2 years ago

One good thing that might come from this (although it's a long-shot) is non-landlord people get their fingers burnt and realise the tripe that landlords have to deal with regularly. It's a very small hope, though...

Seething Landlord

12:29 PM, 14th March 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Tessa Shepperson at 14/03/2022 - 11:40
Essential reading, highlighting once again that within Government the left hand probably doesn't understand what the right is doing.

Monty Bodkin

12:47 PM, 14th March 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Tessa Shepperson at 14/03/2022 - 11:40Thanks Tessa, clearly it is not as straightforward as just being willing to help.
Maybe the landlord lawyer industry can do their bit by clearly setting out a way through all the obstacles for the many landlords willing to offer up separate homes?

TheMaluka

12:55 PM, 14th March 2022, About 2 years ago

My initial reaction was to welcome refugees with open arms, even without any financial incentive. Then I stepped back a little and thought about the extra council tax (I get a 25% reduction for living alone) and having to meet, in my own home, all the conditions required of a rental property. I am still willing to welcome refugees provided I do not attract any further government or Local Authority attention.

Earlsdon

13:02 PM, 14th March 2022, About 2 years ago

I have an empty property but my mortgage provider (CHL) will only allow refugees or asylum seekers if I pay for their nominated solicitor to review all the documentation, with no guarantee that consent would be given. So for me it's a non-starter. Like others, my remaining properties are not insured to house refugees either. Even assuming the above could be overcome I remain sceptical that at some point in the near future I would be liable to some form of enforcement action from the licencing zealots!

SCP

13:45 PM, 14th March 2022, About 2 years ago

I would love to help them all.
The bonus for me would be if they are related to the Azov regiment and an extra bonus would be a weekly comedy performance.

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