Landlord trap never ending

Landlord trap never ending

23:00 PM, 5th January 2021, About 3 years ago 15

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Following the announcement of another National lockdown there is no end in sight for desperate landlords and there must now be government support.

This is an exceptionally difficult situation for everyone and as before it is vital that tenants who are genuinely impacted by the pandemic are protected from losing their home.  Echoing calls from the NRLA, the Government should be following Scotland and Wales and providing access to a Tenant Hardship Loan Fund to prevent further possession action.

However, it should not be a case of protecting tenants over landlords or vice versa, it should be about protecting people.  We now have a situation where some landlords have rent arrears cases which started in 2019 and they still do not have possession of their property, nor are they receiving any rent.  Some of these landlords have also lost jobs and are trying to cover mortgages.

Landlords are desperate for some kind of timescale. The reality is that the ban on evictions will now continue throughout lockdown, and it could even be April or May before bailiffs are able to enforce evictions, depending on what kind of restrictions or tier systems are put in place in Spring. All the while, caseloads are increasing but old cases are not being cleared.

Since the property market remains open for people to move home and Courts are still operating, it should be made possible for pre-Covid eviction cases to proceed. If something is not done soon to alleviate the mounting pressure on landlords, the market will experience a surge of illegal evictions and landlords selling with tenants in situ.”

I am discussing the impact of lockdown #3 on landlords and tenants on LBC with Nick Ferrari tomorrow at 7.40am (6 January 2021).

Contact Landlord Action

Specialists in tenant eviction and debt collection. Regulated by The Law Society.


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Comments

Trevormlazenbury@aol.co.uk

11:30 AM, 6th January 2021, About 3 years ago

Whilst I appreciate that people's lives are more important than money. It is somewhat concerning that, the Government through its actions is enabling some tenants to stay in properties rent free.

I have one such tenant that last paid £1,000 towards her rent arrears in November 2019 , with the arrears before fees, now totalling some £13,000 and understand from from the letting agent that the tenant has been receiving income throughout.

Whilst I understand that in Wales they provided loans to tenants to assist with paying any rent arrears, and I believe that there was some support in Scotland , there has been no such assistance being provided in England.

Perhaps we should be taking proceedings against the UK Government aswell as the tenant?!

Here's to a speedy Covid safe 2021!

John Mac

12:45 PM, 6th January 2021, About 3 years ago

This has now gone beyond just helping Tenants, its all well and good (and right) in saying we are helping Tenants through Furlough payments & Benefits. Unfortunately a minority of Tenants are taking advantage & are not passing any help they are getting onto Landlords, with the added kick in the ____ that Evictions have to all intents & purposes been stopped.
In what other sector have suppliers been forced to continue providing a service (by Gov) when they are not being paid for that service?

Whiteskifreak Surrey

13:54 PM, 6th January 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by at 06/01/2021 - 11:30
"It is somewhat concerning that, the Government through its actions is enabling some tenants to stay in properties rent free" - call me a cynic, but it is a part of a plan to wipe off the PRS, especially small Landlords. I wonder what is the situation in the big BTL run by cronies? Do tenant also not pay and happily live rent-free? Or are they allowed to do so only in the privately rented properties? Anyone knows?
Did anyone notice our Dear Leader's reaction to a accommodation-related student question yesterday? There were no reply except usual incoherent mumbling. The government has no intention to keep PRS and use covid as an opportunity to kill us quicker.

Reluctant Landlord

13:56 PM, 6th January 2021, About 3 years ago

I simply can't understand why if eviction cases are now being heard and a judge rules that an eviction is necessary, why an eviction date can't actually be set according to the law as it stands. I understand it may not be able to be enforced at the mo, but surely the decision must be made and a date given.

I have just heard that I have a possession hearing due to be heard in court on 2nd Feb - at last! The eviction process started November 2019 well before Covid.

If benefit tenants are being evicted the Council still obligated to find them alternative accommodation and have even more time to find places for such tenants so they have no excuse in not providing something for the tenant by the date of eviction!
If the Courts have deemed in favour of a private LL that a benefit paying tenant has to be removed and sent back to the Council for housing - there is the judgement.

Surely then there would be valid claim from a LL against a Council for negating their duty to do this given the additional time they had?

John Mac

14:00 PM, 6th January 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by RL at 06/01/2021 - 13:56
CDouncils are "obliged" to act on the Notice NOT on the Court order or Eviction date - Direction given by the then housing minister years ago now.

However if the Tenants are savvy they won't even tell the council as they are living rent free so why change that??

TrevL

19:32 PM, 6th January 2021, About 3 years ago

Maybe the government want landlords to sell out......just saying.
As for illegal evictions, some will get away with doing it, but would you take the risk.
Do you really think the government will somehow support Landlords, when there are whole swathes of the self-employed completely unsupported......and by comparison landlords are assumed to be well-off people (even if that is an inaccurate view).
I think selling is a very sensible option if you can't stomach another 6 months of arrears. Plenty of buyers if you are sharp with the valuation.

Whiteskifreak Surrey

19:42 PM, 6th January 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by TrevL at 06/01/2021 - 19:32
But selling means eviction and that is not allowed, is it? Unless you sell with tenants in situ...

Reluctant Landlord

12:28 PM, 7th January 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by John Mac at 06/01/2021 - 14:00
wondering if in my case then I should contact the Council to tell them that proceedings are continuing, remind them of their obligation within this, add in the info about the recent case with Haringey Council on 25th June 2020 whereby the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found that a local authority did not do enough to prevent a single mother and her family from becoming homeless.

Hmmmm.....

John Mac

13:17 PM, 7th January 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by RL at 07/01/2021 - 12:28
Absolutely, I have a copy of the Letter from the hosing minister to councils if you would like a copy?

Reluctant Landlord

13:29 PM, 7th January 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by John Mac at 07/01/2021 - 13:17
Just sent off an email...I'll keep you posted and if need be I'll come back to you for a copy please 🙂

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