Peers urged to reject selective licensing on final day of Renters’ Rights Bill report stage

Reply to the comment left by Simon Kinzley at 16/07/2025 – 16:09

I’m selling all me houses & think utter bonkers I should have to pay a License fee for something I may sell one day later.
And I’m doing my best reducing by £20,000 to find Landlords to buy to keep tenant safe in their home of 20+ years.
Yet Licensing think we can sell a house within 3 months. They have nothing written down for keeping tenant safe.

To be fair, Licensing Officer woman that rang me yesterday was pretty good, their hands are tied it seems by Legislation. Legislation that makes people homeless cause rules have to be followed.

Reply to the comment left by Mick Roberts at 17/07/2025 – 15:25remind them legislation is one thing…. enforcement is discretionary and it also has to still pass the reasonable test and still be justified.
A person may request a second temporary exemption however the Housing Act 2004 only allows this to be granted in exceptional circumstances. This is for three (3) months. This means there is a maximum six (6) month exemption period.
If the council know you are taking all the appropriate measures to sell then they have discretion on the timescale of any TEN if you have applied for for up to 6 months.
Like you say you can’t dictate when a buyer will be found. The tenants safety is not compromised in any way even if a TEN is in place.
The only thing I might suggest is that you also issue S21’s to every tenant in the properties you are trying to sell. That way you can also show you are also ending the tenancies. If that comes first the SL would not be required as the property would be empty.
Would they like a sudden increase on their housing list too if you are forced to do this when instead all they could do instead is increase the TEN period?

Get the local MP on your side to explain that if TEN not applied, more will be made homeless?

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 17/07/2025 – 15:42

Yes she’s told me I can have 28 days.
Plus 6 months.
What I don’t like though is the first £400 License part fee I paid & u lose this & have to pay whole lot again. If I can’t find buyer in time for 68 year old woman who has lived there 22 years. They have no answers for this.

I’ve had to give some Section 21’s to tenants who aren’t playing ball & the SAME Council are having to pay £2200 for these tenants to get accommodation elsewhere.

My MP (Labour) did intervene I think & got it delayed this far.

Thanks for your informed words.

Reply to the comment left by Mick Roberts at 17/07/2025 – 16:41
I know you plan to sell but the other possible option is to see if the council are willing to take them some/all on from you for use for temp accommodation (once the 6 month TEN expires and they may not have sold)

The very same tenants that are going to be evicted – will no doubt be back on the council lists for housing (especially if elderly/vulnerable) so that will end up costing the council more that they would do by putting them in other temp accommodation (which is clearly nowhere near as suitable as where they already are)
I remember you saying many are let at under market rate anyway so potentially you could still let to the Council at the same rate – it cuts their costs but you don’t have to worry about eviction costs, EPC upgrades/ RRB implications or SL. Tenants with licences direct with the council means exemption from all of this.

You could sign up for a 2 year fixed deal with the council for example keeping an eye on the market and then sell. As property will already be exempt from SL then no faffing about with TEN’s later on….

Just a thought. Doesn’t get you out of the rental game completely, but does reduce your legal exposure AND if you pitch it so the council can see that it is a financial no brainer….

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 17/07/2025 – 18:17

Yes some good ideas u have.
Yes the Council the homeless dept know it will cost them much more.

If I hadn’t been doing it so long 28 years, and not had so many houses and not been tortured by Selective Licensing since 2018 and UC since 2016 and George Osborne’s Section 24, plus the other shixe, then it wun’t be so bad keeping maybe just 30 houses.
I’ve completed on 9 sales since Jan, hopefully 20 to 30 by Dec 2025 and then I’ll still have way too many as I approach a certain age.

I’ve had enough of lenders, regs, imbeciles, rules changing, Ed Miliband EPC retrospective changes to which I did a video response https://photos.app.goo.gl/f4qDfrndwJ3EGxcH6

I’ve got Grandkid now that my most common words to him on a Sat and Sun are
Got to go back in the office now.
I don’t want to do one ounce of paperwork more than I need to.

Even taking the rent off the Council & dealing with the paperwork I’ve had enough of. The Council & Govt has worn me down.
My analogy of Council & Govt:
Stupidity is something you can only partly save people from.

Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.

Reply to the comment left by Mick Roberts at 18/07/2025 – 07:53
I get you and I hear you!

Hopefully they all sell as fast as. Are you trying to sell individually on the open market or as a large ongoing portfolio. Tried auctions? If you are really getting to the end of your tether then there are those companies that buy the lot off you. I know they are surface feeders, and wont give best price but it could mean you could off load in one hit?
If Rachel decides to whack the GCT up next year higher than 28% then might be worth getting shot now just so you don’t give these clowns any more bloody tax?

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 18/07/2025 – 09:35The top rate CGT is 24%

Reply to the comment left by Dylan Morris at 18/07/2025 – 10:30
For now!

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 18/07/2025 – 09:35

I’m selling as all sorts.
Got some Landlord mates buying one’s, some buying 2’s, some buying 10’s, some exchanging on 10 with completion over next 2 years, so at least I know/hope they gone.
Some I’m saving for so many Landlords when they’ve built funds up. The higher rents we saving till last as got a queue of buyers for them.
I wanted some exchanged before Reeves budget day 30 Oct as she may increase CGT as even though she can’t stand us, she needs us & don’t want us to sell.

I’ve sold loads with Estate agent, same woman who I started buying many of the same houses 28 years ago. The Estate agents ones have been quicker than me mates which I keep reminding em. And more money.

Main priority is keep tenants safe. I’ve got one mate who owns next door & has offered me 15k more so he can kick her out & turn the two into Children’s home & I’ve refused to sell to him.

Yes them companies just want to turf em out or put rent straight up which I’m not prepared to do.

Got a Landlord mate who wants to try auctions for me, but I have no control over the Landlord then. I met one Landlord who said to tenant u paying £900, I said he’s not, he said he is. I said u not buying it then. He said What u gonna’ do, I said I’m gonna’ still keep getting £795. And 2 months later we found good Landlord to keep him on same deal.

I han’t got enough time to sell all in one go anyway, may take 3 to 6 years to sell the majority. The paperwork now on selling is horrendous if anyone has experienced it recently. Here is a reply I did to solicitors replacement this morning.

Ooh u mention CGT too, we think alike.

4. I’m confused as you’ve done your description backwards instead of in order.
Do you mean
Page 3, The First Schedule, “A” Property Register ?
As also I cannot see the “A” within this bit. I just see numbers 1 to 8.
And I see nothing saying Property Register in The First Schedule.

“As far as we are aware, during our period of ownership (but we have not investigated the position prior to that) the rights have been exercised without any obstruction or interference. Please ask the buyers to rely on their own inspection.”

Ignore all the above, you’ve not correctly described the document I needed to open, I’d probably describe as the attachment as named so us non conveyancers know which one to open. I was looking at the other one as that has a Fourth Schedule on. Although on what I think is the document you asking me to look at, I can’t see First Schedule.

5. “We have considered the covenants and we are not aware of any breaches during our ownerships. Please ask the buyers to rely on their own inspection and survey.”

6. I’ve looked on Google Maps which took 7 seconds & if I’ve understood them right, why don’t they just look on Streetview & they will see the cul-de-sac bends round the two houses?

7. There is no garage built. It is a garage door at the side front of the house. Maybe looks like a garage from the front.

8. Nothing been built over the mains. As far as I’m aware Severn Trent has never required access to the property.
What kind of questions are these? Can I ask who the buyers solicitor is? As if it is one recommended by XXXX, I need to tell them, as they can sometimes ask them Why they are going overboard.
I’ll repeat to the buyers solicitor:
Buyer is getting discount for tenanted property. I don’t live there, nor never have. So some of my answers may be vague. Please be aware of this when reading my answers & buyer must be accommodating for that, as they have discount. If they want to pay full price, I will go round house & go through every detail with them.
If I was an out of town Landlord living in London, these answers would be unanswerable.
The house is cheaper, as it is/was tenanted, so some stuff I don’t know & buyer getting discount needs to check for theirselves.

This is your suggested saying:

You will note in the Property Information that the sellers have made reference to “a letter”. The sellers are referring to a letter that they sent to our firm advising that the property is a tenanted property, they do not live there and have never lived there so some of their answers are vague. Please be aware of this when reading their answers and considering whether to raise any enquiries. The sellers have agreed to sell the property to your clients at a discounted price on the basis of a swift completion without any unnecessary enquiries. If the Buyers require any further clarification they must rely upon their own inspection.

10. Please confirm how long the property has been vacant for.
May I ask why they are asking this? It’s now empty a few minutes & days longer because they have asked this. All they have to do it TALK to their buyer who is very nice understandable common sense man. He met the tenant there approx 4 June so he knows it wasn’t empty then.
She gave me all different dates she was going, we eventually got keys around 25th June. So been empty since 25th June, & complicated caselaw, I’m only paying Council Tax since 5 July 2025.

11. There is approx 1/3 transit van rubbish mattress/doors etc. on the front of the house which the Council are supposed to be picking up. If they don’t, yes I shall remove this rubbish.
There is no rubbish in the house.

I’ve already answered this & shall repeat again.

I’ve met buyer very nice man at house & he’s happy to take as is with the discount given, may use the wardrobes, if not he will dispose of them. And the same with hot tub, he may sell it & he can keep the money.
There is a summer house/shed on back garden.
Fitted wardrobes in one of the bedrooms I don’t know which one, freestanding wardrobes in another bedroom. Buyer very understanding knows I’m rushed off not got time to deal with em, & he also is grateful he’s got a seller who won’t pull out on him as had that twice in the last year, so will dispose of them should he not want to keep them temporary.

Buyer on the day he met me has seen house as he’s having it. I’ve changed locks so hopefully vile tenant can’t get in.

The purchaser will have to take a view on some of these things. It is not something that has ever been an issue with me.

My usual notes:

I can’t control what rubbish the tenant has at the house.
Nor light fittings
Nor removing any other stuff.
Tenant is brilliant at moment.

I don’t know what tenant will do with carpets.
I don’t know what curtains or blinds are there.
Nor rubbish when tenant stopping there. I will not be removing any rubbish when tenant stopping there.
Garden sheds I don’t know whether one there or not.