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by Mick Roberts
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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Mick Roberts
16:24 PM, 19th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by philip allen at 19/03/2022 - 15:53
Brilliant Philip,
I've been waiting for someone like u to question us. And rightly so. Your words should be going to the Media & Shelter & the Councils & Govt.
Cause that is why I started this off. I've housed hundreds of homeless. Some the Council has begged me to take & I'll give u some examples:
1997 Learning difficulties disabled. Council say Mick, she can't use the phone to ring out for help, but we'll be there for u. 2019 now I really need help for her as her money gets paid to moneycare, she needs a tumble dryer, & why has me the Greedy robbing Landlord got her bank card to withdraw money for her when I han't got time? Council now say Mick, she must ring us & ask for help-Hang on, u told me she can't use the phone? 2022 she's still with me & now 68 years old & it's blowing my mind how I can't get help for her.
2013ish when the Benefit Cap came on. Within one foul swoop, the Govt said Do u see them families we asked u to take Mick, them people with 8 9 10 kids that we begged u to house. Well now we not paying the rent for em. One of mine Sarah, was on BBC1 Panorama. All cause the voters don't like Benefit tenants getting 25k per year. So Tories pleased the voters. I had to officially evict with all the costs & she lost her home & her kids.
Who can remember when they stopped under 35's getting the 1 bed rate which paid for them to live in flats? Within 10 seconds a 27 year old that could afford to live there, could no longer. It was age 25. All of a sudden, I was going round tenants houses & their 27 year old brother was living on their settee as couldn't afford anywhere any more. I think the Govt saved £215 million with this Whooppee Doo never mind the human cost.
Phil, we want to help. However we know how we've been shafted once offered the help. Don't forget we offer a house/home which is now not just that, it's now a legal entity/exercise/rules/regs etc. Ooh u a Landlord Aah right then sign here, u on the path to more regs.
U say:
You want all the assurances and paperwork to be in place
I don't, buy boy oh boy do the Govt & Council. I used to take anyone, murderers, ex convicts. Go & read them conditions I put in the article & tell me you'd take a Benefit tenant again after reading them. Bearing in mind, I've already got the 100 Benefit tenants that when I say Council said I've got to give u a Waste Management plan on Licensing Renewal even though you've lived here for 20 years, they tell me to F-off & tell Council to F-off too. However it's me that gets the £30,000 Civil Penalty from Selective Licensing if tenant keeps leaving bin out.
It was only on the News in the week, Sajid Jaivd was probed & he said something along the lines We'll look at the Right to rules for these people in 3 years & no one picked up on it. Already they thinking They can't stay forever. And who will be fined for not evicting 'em? Ooh that will be us then. Just like when immigration got too high & they put the onus on the Landlords fault with Right to rent, we was responsible for population explosion.
Glad u commented Phil, it needs to be said.
The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.
Please Phil, send your words to Shelter & MP cause that's how we all feel, we want to, but we then get fined & prison & all sorts for doing so.
Mick Roberts
16:42 PM, 19th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by philip allen at 19/03/2022 - 15:53
Eh,
I tell u some'at else Phil which sounds awful. I can't even do cheap rents for mates & family & cousins any more. And I have got many that's paying £500pm when surrounding rents are £850pm.
I have to say Look gone are the days when u move in, u tell me when some'at goes wrong & I service your boiler once a year. Now, I've got to pay £890 for Licensing, which is just one cost we din't have years ago. There are many more.
I'm responsible if u do some'at the Council don't agree with u, then I've got to evict a mate.
I've got to inspect your house every 4 months. I kid u not, I've got a 66ish year old woman been with me since 2003, she now gets anxiety at all the changes saying Why have u got to inspect my flat Mick? She's wrote into to the Council to ask Why with no reply.
There's dozens more.
Eh, & what if we don't get wiped out by a meteor? We can be assured some other new council employee will be in & changing the rules again AFTER we've already took the tenant.
I think also, if u han't specialized in Benefit tenants, u don't fully appreciate the horrific homeless cause changes they've been subject to. AFTER they've moved in. My Letting agent 'posh' tenants are a breeze, we sail along, I go away, they don't ring me. The less well off, the Govt & Councils think Screw them, let's give em another change, we may get another few votes for it.
Seething Landlord
17:04 PM, 19th March 2022, About 2 years ago
As I understand it government are not proposing to place the refugees in the private rented sector, they want them to be taken in by families as lodgers but with a right to stay for a minimum of six months. They are also proposing to inspect every property before a refugee can be taken in to ensure that the accommodation is suitably located, fit for purpose, properly heated and safe etc. So not very different from applying for a HMO licence and no doubt it will be the same people who are tasked with carrying out these inspections. I hope that I'm wrong but I suspect that a high proportion of those offers that have been made so far will either be rejected by officialdom or withdrawn when the volunteers realise what is expected of them.
Mick Roberts
17:17 PM, 19th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 19/03/2022 - 17:04
Yes & I was miffed by this. And I reckon it's cause they now know whenever the Councils ring us for houses, we tell them to go & do one after we've took their tenants in the past & they've then deserted us & then gave us some charges to top it off, as many post above say.
So I think now the Govt won't even say Let's ask Private Landlords. And can u imagine how that would go down? What after Osborne forced 1 in 5 to then start running at a loss with Section 24. And so on.
Yes the volunteers all good & well now & great of them, but then they do come into our world a little bit where cuddly things don't carry on.
I'd buy 10 houses for these people tomorrow if Govt & Councils say Mick, we will guarantee u get paid for 20 years, we won't change the rules etc. But Govt Councils seem to only think a few years ahead. One example EPC to C for existing tenants to 2028. Ooh u ok Mr Landlord cause we giving u 6 years. What? Does the tenant not matter in 6 years? I've had many over 20 years SAME house, 6 years is nothing to them. And what's gonna' happen if we can't get to a C? As we know, we've had no concrete answer.
Chris Bradley
18:24 PM, 19th March 2022, About 2 years ago
I have space iny house for 2-4 people, the £350 would only just cover the extra heating/washing/cooking costs.
I had thought to offer for free initially and then once their benefits kick in to arrange a lodger agreement to the amount of the housing benefit which for 4people would be more than the £350 the government is offering. So this is in fact rent control by stealth. As visa holders entitled to benefits they should be able to claim a housing benefit, but under the sponsor scheme they couldn't.
As there are 12k Afghan refugees still in hotels because they cannot find homes for them, so what happens after the initial 6month guarantee, do they become homeless, jobs will not be easy to obtain either as it's only low paid jobs that no one else wants that are easy to get, they could end up being taken advantage of.
So against my head, I went with my heart and reached out to some families, who don't want my two rooms in a nice safe house sharing with me, they want a self contained home.
I had 100 people apply for the last house I advertised to rent, all on the verge of homelessness due to landlord selling up. I could only help 1 applicant, we have insufficient houses to house those being evicted through landlord sales, insufficient houses for the 12k afgans waiting 6months already, what is going to happen in 6mth time when those generously opening their homes just can't carry on doing it, after all its not easy housing paying lodgers let alone traumatized refugees, with a language barrier, and the hope of jobs and housing which may never come
Chris Bradley
20:18 PM, 19th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Jessie Jones at 19/03/2022 - 20:16
You can only get one £350 payment under the scheme no matter how many Ukrainians you home.
By accepting the £350 you agree not to charge any rent.
Luke P
0:54 AM, 20th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Chris Bradley at 19/03/2022 - 20:18
What happens if you get them to sign a tenancy and don’t take/return the £350? Once they’re claiming benefits, could we not submit a UC47 for direct payment of Housing Element…?
Mick Roberts
5:40 AM, 20th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Chris Bradley at 19/03/2022 - 18:24
Great words Chris which is educating us:
So this is in fact rent control by stealth. As visa holders entitled to benefits they should be able to claim a housing benefit, but under the sponsor scheme they couldn't.
My mates colleague earning millions from Govt paying him for Afghan refugees in hotel.
And don't forget we may have 300,000 Hong Kong UK people coming too, all driving rents & sales up.
I've had lodgers before years ago, there is conflict after a while.
Mick Roberts
5:45 AM, 20th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 20/03/2022 - 00:54
Good questions Luke.
What happens if you get them to sign a tenancy and don’t take/return the £350? Once they’re claiming benefits, could we not submit a UC47 for direct payment of Housing Element…?
As I know some of my tenants will be thinking
Ooh £350 a month, I may just do that.
Not thinking like others have said, gas, elec, water, food. If Benefits get involved, DWP say Ooh we stopping your money now.
Tenant says
But Ooh they Ukrainian, we got to help.
DWP says
Not bothered, rules are rules.
So many variables this Govt & Councils have shafted us with & will shaft with, it takes away our head & compassion & we have to think I want to, but then what if I then get punished & fined & penalised.
Chris Bradley
7:18 AM, 20th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 19/03/2022 - 17:04
The government have already said that they don't have staff to do the house checks. I'm on many of the Ukraine housing groups on Facebook and people are offering groups of 3 double bed with single above, in rooms that are no bigger than the bed itself. All that is need for the vetting process is a DBS check.