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by Mick Roberts
10:47 AM, 10th March 2022, About 2 years ago 40
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Shelter are doing webinars on: The Renters’ Reform Bill Q&A session is scheduled for 30 March 18:30 – 19:30 and will be run over Zoom Click here
Rebalancing the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords. By driving up standards, landlords will know what’s expected of them, and we hope that the new tenancies that are introduced when Section 21 is scrapped are really clear for both landlords and tenants.
The DSS Q&A session is scheduled for 27 April 18:30 – 19:30 and will be run over Zoom Click here
We have done lots of work with mortgage providers to remove ‘no DSS’ clauses and consequently, over 99% of providers now no longer have this clause. We’ve worked directly with the insurance industry, who have assured us that there are a whole range of insurance policies readily available and at a reasonable cost, to cover letting to a tenant who receives benefits.
Dear Shelter,
I’m the biggest Benefit Landlord in Nottingham, u do know about me, yet it’s completely baffling how you’ve still not picked up the phone to talk to see WHY we ain’t taking benefit tenants anymore.
U ain’t helping. We didn’t have these homeless problems pre-2015 before all the landlord attacks.
U supported Selective Licensing, and that’s been the biggest cause of homeless in Nottingham since the Queen took reign.
Landlords love Licensing for the income it brings, it’s given them a Licence to print money in extortionate rents. We have no competition, because of Govt and Councils and yourselves calling for more regulation.
Every Anti Landlord regulation the Govt & Councils & yourselves have called for, has cut supply & made it worse & more expensive for tenants, especially Benefit tenants. I used to love helping Benefit tenants. I no longer can because of all these policies.
Benefit tenants can’t afford these extortionate rents anymore which Landlords command, some because they have to, some because they think Screw u I’m charging more now, & some just because they can cause 50 working people queuing for every property – Benefit tenants don’t get a look in.
Ooh & some, because if u want New Build Standards, you gonna pay New Build rents.
You are too besotted by the minority bad landlords & areas that you are forgetting the massive majority that u don’t hear about that haven’t got a problem.
When this section 21 gets banned, u watch rents spiral upwards yet again. Councils won’t take tenants anymore when more Sections 8’s get issued cause that’s intentionally homeless.
U thought Landlords weren’t taking Benefit tenants cause of mortgage restrictions & insurance? And what’s happening now? Ooh, Landlords are still refusing Benefit tenants. Wake up Shelter, come & ask us why. Landlords are telling u all sorts of excuses, because u will prosecute them if u don’t like the answer.
Gees, u have no idea. I want to be your friend. People like me have been housing your clients for 25 years & you are pushing us away. U make it better for that one tenant that rings u, consequently u then make it worse for the next 1000 tenants with another anti-landlord ruling or reg.
Simple one for u, who does it help when the Judge chucks it out of court because the Landlord has no proof he gave a boiler certificate 6 years ago? And he’s had a new boiler since, so it’s a completely irrelevant certificate for the old boiler.
It helps that ONE tenant. But u know afterwards, when the Landlord has spent another £1000 on court fees & solicitors & he eventually gets his house back, he sells the ruddy thing & the next Landlord don’t take any less than perfect working tenant again & charges the earth.
You should be coming to ask us and saying Mick, what can we do for u that is going to make u not sell all your houses and what can we do to entice more landlords in as we in the crap here, our hostels are full too and not emptying.
We’re sorry we wanted all your 50-year-old houses to have New build standards, we didn’t realise that would result in impossible rents for benefit tenants.
Few extracts below & link herein
https://docs.google.com/document/d/111cUAfUbS8mdHI1uOoE_V3i6zRZnp1JJXjd4yQeTXXs/edit?usp=sharing
from pieces I & other Landlords have written on the issues u need to solve. Long I know. But work with us and rents will reduce.
I am emailing u privately these long bits.
Mick Roberts
Steve B
9:39 AM, 12th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by david porter at 10/03/2022 - 11:11
Or perhaps Dunning Kruger?
(smiley face)
Ann Shaw
10:01 AM, 12th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Smiffy at 11/03/2022 - 16:55
I couldn't agree more, Smiffy. Once we know when the eradication of s21 will be coming into statute, I will be issuing a lot of my tenants with s21 and turning most of my properties into Airbnb. Airbnb also negates our s24 obligations! (for now anyway). It is a bug-eat-bug world out there. As a business, we need to survive these testing times. There is only one solution, diversify or die!
Seething Landlord
11:41 AM, 12th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by david porter at 10/03/2022 - 11:11
Who are you suggesting is over or under estimating their skills/knowledge and in what respect?
nevmc
12:38 PM, 12th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Andrew Kent at 11/03/2022 - 11:20Hi Andrew, did anyone reply?? Surely there must be some way of being allowed to sell your property. I agree wholeheartedly with this whole thread, our properties are our tenants homes and should be treated as such, but they are investments for the future and when we reach that step what are we allowed to do. Extra regulation is my main concern........
Andrew Kent
21:41 PM, 12th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Hi Neville, don’t you get the impression that successive governments would like to see the end of us small independent landlords? Regulating us out of the sector! I’ve always told new tenants that whilst it’s my property it’s their home and I will treat it is as such and ask that they do the same…….works for some. But, I’ve put money into property because my pension based on stocks and shares has performed woefully and I will need to release some equity at retirement. It does seem though that existing tenancies will still have s21 available and I imagine it will become standard practice to issue notice that it is intended to sell or have a family member move in to the property to new tenants. Thus allowing the issue of a s21 or its new equivalent. The whole thing does feel a bit like a sledgehammer cracking a nut……..again.
Mick Roberts
17:08 PM, 13th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Andrew Kent at 12/03/2022 - 21:41
They setting a dangerous precedent, by not being allowed to get your house back. They again helping the current tenants, but the next Landlord won't buy any more to help the increasing homeless.
Has anyone seen the new Ireland ruling where u got to have your phone on 24 hours a day. I had missed call off tenant last night twice at midnight. Lost keys. Mum lives 300m away & lived there 6 years & not thought of giving Mum a spare.
They forgetting we human too & sleep.
Jonathan Clarke
3:27 AM, 14th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Nice one Mick - keep battling on
I like you have been waiting years and years for The Council DWP Shelter etc to pick up a phone and ask me why I wont take DSS tenants anymore. I reel off my e mails to them every now to offer my wisdom but it always falls on deaf ears as they are not open or receptive to any change. They close ranks and stifle any meaningful debate . You think they would be curious as to why I have reduced my exposure to the DSS market (via natural wastage ) down from around 80% of my portfolio to now only 14%. But they are not . I heard the other day they had 800 tenants waiting for emergency accommodation. But they persistently shut down any attempt to work effectively with private LL`s .
I had one more DSS tenant left yesterday and they will be replaced by a working tenant.
The various tenant focused organisations we come in contact with all alienate us at every turn, but if they listened and learnt and made a slight tweak to their approach I would increase my exposure right back up to 80% DSS again.
These are my 4 requirements
1) Pay me direct
2) Pay me the market rate
3) Pay me from day 1
4) Talk to me
All 4 are entirely possible
Mick Roberts
7:07 AM, 14th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Jonathan Clarke at 14/03/2022 - 03:27
Shocking isn't it. Needs to be bought out in the open. Yet the Media don't seize on this.
Wow you've done well down to 14%. I'm not getting any natural wastage. In Nottingham, Benefit tenants can't move any more due to UC & mainly Selective Licensing with their unbelievable dozens of pages to give to tenants which excludes Benefit tenants:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sD_HRl57ANNw4PBAb-FGRU7h-0Qby9Vm5xLioH_nA7c/edit?usp=sharing
Yes very good simple requirements u ask for Jonathan. Just as we'd expect from a working person. And the DWP wan't to treat UC as working people, yet won't give them or us the tools to do it.
Rod
17:03 PM, 15th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Mick
If you've not seen it here's an article about your favourite licencing scheme
https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/latest-landlord-successfully-calls-for-probe-into-value-for-money-of-selective-licensing-scheme/
Seething asked why the iHowz proposal suggests removing the availability of S21 for rent arrears. This is to counter the claim by Shelter, etc that S21 is mainly used for arrears. Whilst that may be true for some landlords, we have S8. grounds 8 (mandatory) & 10 (discretionary) and could be amended, so court attendance only required for contested possession requests.
Mick Roberts
17:15 PM, 15th March 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Rod at 15/03/2022 - 17:03
Yes,
It was me that got the National Audit Office to start the investigation.
Let's hope.