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11:11 AM, 30th September 2022, About 2 years ago 53
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I cannot stay silent any longer because the continued attack on landlords will end in tears for us, tenants and the government.
I was taken aback when the Scottish government announced that it was introducing legislation for a rent freeze without any negotiation or discussion with the private rental sector in the country.
I was stunned when they also announced a moratorium on evictions. Both the rent freeze and moratorium will run until March next year.
However, the reason I cannot stay silent any longer comes after Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, took aim at the private rental sector with some unkind words.
There is a great story on Property 118.com that reveals what Starmer said about landlords. It was this bit:
“If you keep inflating demand without increasing supply house prices will only rise.”
He is right of course – it’s that old issue of supply and demand. The population is growing – but we aren’t building enough homes.
Let me help you, Sir Keir, with a reality that you and your colleagues don’t appreciate. Here’s my rewrite:
“Because if you keep inflating demand without increasing supply, RENT prices will only rise.”
There you go. How hard was that? Oh, wait, there was more nonsense. He said:
“And homes become less affordable for working people.”
I think I can leave that one right there! Rent rises hurt everyone.
To be fair to Starmer, I had already been irked by the smiling loon Lisa Nandy who had already told the party conference that Labour would bring in a decent homes’ standard – all landlords want to provide quality homes for tenants. We don’t all need beating with the same big stick.
However, since she and just about every other politician believes that all landlords are in it for the money and provide poor quality accommodation, she went on to say that Labour would tilt the power towards tenants with a new renters’ charter.
I can’t even begin to explain how angry this notion makes me.
Are we really expected to have tenants not paying rent or trashing our homes or cause problems for neighbours without having any route to repossess our property?
The big issue for me is that what Starmer said is likely to be in the next Labour manifesto.
And there will be a huge problem for landlords unless we have an organisation that stands up more vociferously for us and our rights or, I will explain more later, we organise ourselves with a real threat to the government that they will not be able to deal with unless they offer a realistic compromise.
Remember this date: Christmas 2024. That’s because it’s a month before the next General Election will be held – it will be before the end of January 2025 – according to the law.
I believe that we should organise a ‘Section 21 Day’ and hand EVERY tenant their notice so that the Government and local authorities, politicians and critics (Yes, I’m looking at you Shelter) can see what we do for our tenants.
While this is an unpleasant Christmas surprise for renters, politicians must stop the rhetoric and work with us. You can’t rehouse 4.4million households.
I can’t claim credit for this idea – there was a comment on Property118.com that suggested the same thing. I think it’s a great proposal. We can threaten it once we see the party manifestos and deliver it to give the campaigning politicians something to think about.
If we stay silent and do nothing, we should prepare for the worst. Because the worst will come.
So, I’m the Landlord Crusader and I will be highlighting the issues I have with the PRS and its potential future – it currently does not have a great one – and I look forward to the Conservative Party conference next week.
Yes, while I’m not expecting a lot from the new housing minister who is a former landlord, I am expecting fireworks from the Prime Minister Lizz Blundertruss and the Chancellor ‘Kami’ Kwasi Kwarteng.
Until next time,
The Landlord Crusader
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UK's annual house price growth slows to single digits
Seething Landlord
1:04 AM, 2nd October 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Stuart Ross at 01/10/2022 - 23:26
In many cases it would be difficult to prove beyond reasonable doubt who caused the damage and that it was malicious rather than accidental so why would they bother to devote their scarce resources to investigating this type of complaint? In the eyes of the law you have a perfectly adequate way to obtain redress by suing the tenant for damages.
Stuart Ross
9:13 AM, 2nd October 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 02/10/2022 - 01:04
Copper pipes missing and that becomes criminal, but again, the police don't want to know...??? 🤔🤔🤔😓😓😓
Seething Landlord
9:33 AM, 2nd October 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Stuart Ross at 02/10/2022 - 09:13
Same reply as previously ie how do you prove who stole the pipes?
June Chandler
18:43 PM, 2nd October 2022, About 2 years ago
What you fail to realize as from December of this year unless its only in Wales section 21 is being abolished there will no longer be a no fault eviction together with minimum 6 months notice to be given
Dylan Davies
21:45 PM, 2nd October 2022, About 2 years ago
Had a good tennant for about 18 months then it changed.
She stopped paying but she had signed for housing benefit.
So asked wheres the rent? Pay you end of the week, didn't come.
End of the month came and asked her for the rent she said, "haven't got it and somebody got to pay for my mother's funeral".
Issued with a section 21 and went to court, as all she wanted was an eviction notice to give the council to re home.
Rang the council asking when were they taking her to court for fraud ?(as she was using the housing benefit to pay funeral costs).
Oh! We dont do that.
TheMaluka
8:04 AM, 3rd October 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 02/10/2022 - 09:33
It reqlly does not matter who stole the pipes, a crime has been committed and should be reported to the police. The fact that the police cannot solve the crime is their problem, as landlords we must ensure that the unsolved crime is part of the police statistics.
Seething Landlord
10:28 AM, 3rd October 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by June Chandler at 02/10/2022 - 18:43
It's only in Wales.
Seething Landlord
10:46 AM, 3rd October 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by TheMaluka at 03/10/2022 - 08:04
You have jumped in to a discussion that started with Stuart Ross complaining that landlords can be prosecuted for illegal eviction whereas there is no penalty for tenants who break their contract.
I do not disagree with your comment but it diverts the debate rather than focusing on the specific point under consideration.
The issue is not whether the matter should be reported to the police but whether there is any realistic prospect of the tenant being convicted of a criminal offence following damage to the property.
Duffy
10:48 AM, 3rd October 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Neilt at 30/09/2022 - 12:09
Yes good for you .I'm doing BTL in Isle of Man far more landlord friendly
K Fearon
14:58 PM, 3rd October 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Bluethumbs at 30/09/2022 - 19:38
Councils won't act on eviction until a family is literally on the street with their stuff - then they will get emergency accommodation, which could be god knows what, but is precarious from then on. So that is what tenants are told to do otherwise they are deemed to have made themselves intentionally homeless and aren't eligible for any help. Councils don't have anywhere to put people so they can't just move them into readily available housing.