I am helping a Telegraph journalist

I am helping a Telegraph journalist

14:09 PM, 22nd April 2020, About 4 years ago 9

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I am helping a Telegraph journalist with an article and she would like to know:

1. What experience landlords have of being refused the so-called ‘mortgage holidays’?

2. Which lenders are doing this?

3. She would also like to know what reasons they are giving for refusing?

4. Finally, she would like to know whether lenders require proof that the tenant is struggling – such as evidence of them losing their job, of their income going down etc.

If you can help with this, that would be great. The Telegraph has always been the landlords’ friend and so it is important to help them in that role.

Please leave your answers in comments below 🙂


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Comments

Blodwyn

9:06 AM, 23rd April 2020, About 4 years ago

Why does this lady not request an interview, then she'll source her info direct?

JamesB

10:42 AM, 23rd April 2020, About 4 years ago

Watch for the spin factor .. the journalist is likely looking for angles to throw the good intentions of the landlords helping under the next bus !

Alistair Cooper

11:25 AM, 23rd April 2020, About 4 years ago

I think a big issue of concern to landlords is not necessarily being refused an interest roll up per se but the effect on their credit ratings and/or ability to borrow again in the future as the position on this is still unclear.
Many lenders have given assurance that they will not report missed repayments as arrears which is welcome; however some have said that they will report these missed payments as ‘U’ or unclassified/unreported.
If lending is sought in the future any underwriter is bound to spot this and ask for further information including a mortgage statement. This would then reveal the arrangement and may indeed influence that future underwriters decision to lend.
Many PRS landlords rely upon the ability to remortgage to keep costs down and access funds to further build their portfolios and are rightly paranoid about any derogatory influence however minor upon their credit files/ratings.
I doubt many have an issue with being asked for proof that indeed their tenants are in difficulty; it is a reasonable question for the lender to pose; if indeed the landlord is still in receipt of the majority of his rent why would he/she need to roll up interest?

Freda Blogs

9:33 AM, 24th April 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Lindsay Keith at 23/04/2020 - 09:06
An interview can be with only one or maybe a few more. Calling for evidence from the property community, as Ros is doing, enables the journalist to get much much information from many sources, so a more valuable and persuasive article can emerge.

Freda Blogs

9:37 AM, 24th April 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by JamesB at 23/04/2020 - 10:42
I disagree. If you have seen any of the Telegraph articles, including over the last few days and weeks, you will see that they have been supportive of landlords, including the fact that there is no government financial support for us.

I believe there is more to be gained by providing the information than not doing.

Dr Rosalind Beck

10:14 AM, 24th April 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Freda Blogs at 24/04/2020 - 09:37
Thanks, Freda. Yes, the aim of the article is to show the predicament landlords are in and the lack of any help or support for us, whilst at the same time we are being expected to carry the can - for example, housing people who aren't paying but can't now be evicted, and facing expectations that we should let tenants off the rent and live off fresh air ourselves.

Paul landlord

13:13 PM, 25th April 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Freda Blogs at 24/04/2020 - 09:37
I am normally very wary and sceptical of the press and keep well away.

But as you say it has been with a very welcome surprise that I have read Telegraph articles that actually seem to report landlord and tenant situations fairly- landlord and tenant issues reported in an unbiased fashion is highly unusual.

Id say go for it. We (landlords) need as much help and as many friends as possible in a world that seems to continually and unfairly 'have it in for us', demonising and seemingly wanting to drive us out of business with us having no right of reply.

reader

13:57 PM, 25th April 2020, About 4 years ago

Which journalist? What are their archieved published articles like?

Some landlords are stuck in a very difficult position. Highlighting how we are caught in this problem and are no different from other players in the economy could help.

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