New Shelter video attacking letting agents and rental conditions
Shelter claims Landlords and letting agents have got away with cutting corners for far too long and have released a satirical video with an agent played by comedian Rory Marshall.
In the latest press release, Shelter’s ‘research’ also indicates one in six private renters in England (equivalent to two million people) are forced to accept poor conditions to find somewhere they could rent. It goes on to say:
“With the government’s Queen’s Speech next week, the charity has exposed the sorry state of private renting. Shelter’s shocking YouGov poll reveals millions of private renters have endured dangerous conditions in their current home, such as mould (42%), broken boilers (31%), pests (14%) and electrical hazards (11%), within the last year.
“Even worse, when private renters raised a maintenance issue that needed fixing, 17% – equivalent to 1.9 million people – had to wait over a month for their landlord or letting agent to start dealing with the request.”
Polly Neate, Chief Executive of Shelter, said: “Landlords and letting agents have got away with cutting corners for far too long because renters are powerless to challenge them. Tenants are sick of paying through the nose for terrible rentals because they have no other choice.
“Every day our frontline services hear from renters stuck living in nightmare situations, too scared to complain for fear they’ll be kicked out. No-one should be stuck living in mouldy homes that make them ill or have to put up with landlords who turn up unannounced.
“Private renting is broken and the only way to fix it is by strengthening tenants’ rights so they can stand up to bad landlords and challenge poor conditions. The government must keep its promise by introducing a Renters’ Reform Bill this year that will scrap ‘no fault’ evictions and bring in a national landlord register. It’s the only way to transform private renting for good.”
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Queen's Speech - Landlord Reactions
Member Since December 2015 - Comments: 3
1:12 PM, 10th May 2022, About 4 years ago
All of those ‘issues’ could be fixed using just a fraction of a shelter directors salary, and have lots left over for their pension in return for providing no shelter whatsoever! Unlike orgs like Crisis who actually do rather than making videos full of s***e!
Member Since May 2016 - Comments: 1576 - Articles: 16
1:19 PM, 10th May 2022, About 4 years ago
Where are All Landlord Associations, regionally, together with PropertyMark ( who are open to the concept ) of forming a Landlord Coalition. ? to challenge Freeloader support groups.- who act n the detriment of the majority of decent Tenants.
Member Since January 2020 - Comments: 134
2:03 PM, 10th May 2022, About 4 years ago
It follows from Shelter’s ‘research’ that five in six private renters in England (equivalent to ten million people) are NOT forced to accept poor conditions to find somewhere they could rent.
I wonder if the social sector is doing as well?
Member Since October 2011 - Comments: 140
3:09 PM, 10th May 2022, About 4 years ago
I couldn’t watch it!
I could see after about 30 seconds it was just going to make me angry and ruin a perfectly good day
Member Since February 2016 - Comments: 1056
3:18 PM, 10th May 2022, About 4 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Ian Cognito at 10/05/2022 – 14:03
And if it’s one in six renters as they say, rather than one in six tenancies, at an average of say three tenants per tenancy that would mean only a third of those one in six private rentals is substandard. Unfortunately, Shelter make a practice of extrapolating figures from people who turn to them for help and applying them to all private tenancies when obviously most tenants are happy with their accommodation and do not approach Shelter. This is more than misleading, it is downright dishonest.
Member Since December 2015 - Comments: 292
3:52 PM, 10th May 2022, About 4 years ago
If the tenants do not like their PRS rented accommodation there is the door. Move on rent somewhere else. It’s that simple. Supply and demand will balance the ‘books’ eventually. If they still not happy work hard , save, forego a few luxuries for a few years and buy their own houses! Like I did. What is wrong with this current generation. Supported by groups like Shelter and Gen Rent who have no actual homes to let out but wish to destroy the very people providing decent homes to those to bone idle to graft for a living and get ahead. Stand on your own to feet and feel the benefit it achieving something you actually work for.
Member Since January 2020 - Comments: 134
4:02 PM, 10th May 2022, About 4 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Old Mrs Landlord at 10/05/2022 – 15:18
You miss my point. I am genuinely interested to know what proportion of renters in accommodation provided by the state are forced to accept poor conditions.
I suspect the figure may be higher that one in six.
Member Since October 2019 - Comments: 401
4:07 PM, 10th May 2022, About 4 years ago
I think the days of mouldy old semi derelict rental properties are gone! It’s time ‘Shelter’ moved on – a ‘rogue tenants’ register would be useful as I had one that paid no rent and left a mountain of ‘dog do’ in the lounge.
Member Since November 2016 - Comments: 227
7:55 PM, 10th May 2022, About 4 years ago
So why doesn’t the ‘Housing Charity’ show us all up by doing a better job with their £63,000,000 annual income.
Member Since September 2015 - Comments: 1013
7:20 AM, 14th May 2022, About 4 years ago
Perhaps someone should make a spoof Shelter video and see how they like it.
Scene 1:
Caller: hi I’ve just been made homeless
Shelter: sorry you must called the wrong number we don’t provide shelter for anyone
Scene 2:
Caller: ive just been served notice to quit
Shelter: don’t worry with our expensive lawyers we can play the system and keep you in the property for at keast 12 months possibly up to 2 years.
Scene 3:
Caller: there’s mould on the wall
Shelter: don’t clean it, let it get really bad, and we’ll get our overpaid lawyers to sue the Landlord.
Other suggestions please?