Private Landlords Will Need To Be Much More Vigilant if Proposals Go Ahead

Private Landlords Will Need To Be Much More Vigilant if Proposals Go Ahead

16:53 PM, 11th November 2011, About 13 years ago 54

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Tenants with anti social behaviour orders will be forced into the private rented sector if proposals to give housing associations and councils a discretionary power to evict tenants who commit crime – even when they have acted long distances away from where they live – go ahead. “Social landlords have claimed their tenants are being stigmatised by the Government’s plans to evict tenants who commit anti-social behavior miles from their homes.”

My concern is where will these people go to live? The answer seems fairly obvious, they will go to private landlords who have no way of knowing that they have been evicted from the social sector and this will exacerbate the already increasing problems that landlords face when dealing with this type of tenant. If local authorities, with their trained and skilled Anti Social Behavior staff, cannot modify the behavior of these tenants how on earth can private landlords, who have no skills or training, be expected to deal with them?

Moving people out of the social sector will not solve the problem, it will worsen it. Landlords will be forced to go through the lengthy eviction process to remove them from our properties and in the mean time other tenants and neighbours will put us under pressure and are very likely to find support from Police and local authorities. This is a ridiculous situation.

According to this article, “The National Housing Federation suggested that the new clauses appeared ‘to be at odds with the minister’s introduction of the original proposals, which focused on the need to stop anti-social tenants making the lives of their neighbours a misery’.”

The issue of anti social behaviour was highlighted by the summer riots but it is not exclusive to people who cause problems on this scale. One person can have a devastating effect on the lives of those around them and moving that person from one area and/or tenure to another is not going solve this growing problem.

Government need to address the illness not the symptoms and give people a clear message that their behaviour will not be tolerated. I haven’t got the answer, although I have got my opinions, but the issue needs to be discussed at the highest level with all those who deal with the people who cause the problems and solutions must be found to stop ASB once and for all. If it is thought necessary to remove people from where they live because the impact of their behaviour is so great, then perhaps they should be placed somewhere that they will be supervised and retrained to become useful members of society.

One thing is certain and that is private landlords like me should not be expected to deal with these people where trained professional have failed.


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Comments

Mary Latham

11:33 AM, 15th November 2011, About 13 years ago

I know from message that I have received that there are many people reading this thread. I would really love to hear your thoughts on this very important issue. I know many landlords who, through their personal experiences, have stories to tell and information to share and it would be gresat if they posted a comment.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

12:01 PM, 15th November 2011, About 13 years ago

HERE, HERE !

Mark Reynolds

12:29 PM, 15th November 2011, About 13 years ago

Mark & Mary

Having spent the last 24 years in the public sector I can honestly say that the experience I have gained has provided me with the tools to go with my "gut feeling". People used to say years ago that I was too harsh on individuals but now they say I am shrude.

In my experience, there is nothing better than gut instinct to help you decide 🙂

Paul Routledge

16:34 PM, 15th November 2011, About 13 years ago

Hi Mary,

The thing we are finding is that more tenants are showing an interest in what we do, they now understand that if all the Landlords & Letting Agents in an area join together and join us, they will eventually stop the bad tenants getting into property and that in turn could stop them getting a neighbour from hell.

I truly think that lifestyle referencing just adds to the tools to help landlords & Agents stop getting a tenant whose behaviour is always bad and lifestyle is not what is acceptable in normal society.

With over 200,000 registered tenants it gives a landlord 200,000 more chances of not taking a bad tenant and that has to be good for our industry.

My voids are down to 4% across the board on 127 tenants and that does it for me.

Regards
Paul

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

16:37 PM, 15th November 2011, About 13 years ago

Excellent commentary Paul, we sincerely wish you all the best and hope the bit of free promo we've done for you by running your animated video on Property118 and featuring it in our Newsletter will increase awareness of your free service.

Mary Latham

19:53 PM, 16th November 2011, About 13 years ago

Mark As you have said you have a lot of experience on which to draw and not all landlords have that experience and are as well to check out their cut feelings just to be toally safe.

I was at the Landlords Show in the NEC Birmingham today and I am sad to say that there are still many landlords who are getting into trouble because they don't know the law and regulations. More stories of tenants who are "working the system" more stories of landlords who have no paper trail, more stories of landlords who have been let down by their Agents. We must all get up to speed it is a minefiled out there.

I told many landlords about Property 118 and the support that it can be for landlords who are struggling to find good contractors and also so much useful information on blogs.

The Localism Bill is now the Localism Act and my next blog, which I will write this weekend, will look at how this might affect private landlords - now that should be an interesting discussion and I hope that many landlords will join in

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

21:37 PM, 16th November 2011, About 13 years ago

Mary, you are the best ambassador Property118 could ever hope for. THANK YOU x

Mary Latham

23:03 PM, 16th November 2011, About 13 years ago

Can you see me blushing Mark? I only speak as I find

Mark Reynolds

8:09 AM, 17th November 2011, About 13 years ago

Thanks Mary, My gut has never failed me yet 🙂

Are you at the show today? We are just getting ready to embark 🙂

If not we look forward to seeing everyone there who reads this blog/website

Regards

Mary Latham

19:26 PM, 17th November 2011, About 13 years ago

I pointed landlords to this blog while I was speaking at the Landlords Show at the NEC these past two days.

Landlords were not aware of the new ligislation that gives local authorities powers to evict anti social tenants and now that they are they are forewarned. Landlord Referencing were really busy for two days dealing with landlords who realise that the site if in effect "a black list" of tenants the PRS should avoid. Of course we are not allowed to have a black list but this is the next best thing and landlords now realise that.

I heard some new horror stories from landlords who are already dealing with anti social tenants and some of them were very worrying.

We need to lobby Government to speed up the legal eviction proceedure to enable landlords to remove offenders from our properties much quicker. This is more about the neighbours who have to live with these people and have no control over the negative impact that they have on their lives.

I heard about elderly people who were afraid to come out of their front doors - this is a disgrace and must not be allowed to continue.

I heard about landlords who are selling properties in areas where they attract badly behaved tenants - this will really help the housing shortage. Government MUST address the issue and find solutions to stop these people not just move them on.

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