Renters’ Rights Bill could lead to a surge in tenant CCJs

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 21/07/2025 – 16:33
“The PRS is under no legal or moral obligation to house those dependant on state assistance […]”

Our dear friends at Shelter think otherwise.
https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/how_to_challenge_dss_discrimination

And the government will toughen up on this somehow (?) shortly:

‘Make it illegal for landlords and agents to discriminate against prospective tenants in receipt of benefits or with children – helping to ensure everyone is treated fairly when looking for a place to live.’

from

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-renters-rights-bill/guide-to-the-renters-rights-bill

i have been renting for over 25 years, and I’ve only ever had to issue a Section 21 once in that time. Let me tell you the story…
I let my beautiful house to a lovely young 30’s something couple, with a new baby. They had a gaurrentor and I had rent insurance. They paid the rent for years and then one day they didn’t. No contacting me or explanations. If i was a bank by the way, providing a mortgage, a default in payment would trigger a recall of the debt, eviction and sale of the house, in no time flat!
Well i phoned the tennant and he promised to pay a week later. This started to happen every month, and after many many months of this game, he suddenly stopped paying altogether. I phoned, and he explained his wife had left him and he had lost his job. He was sacked for not attending work, and taking too much time off work. They will ALL do this, it’s part of the employment contract in the UK!
Anyway, he said he will pay the back rent arrears in a lump sum when his insurance policy he is cashing in pays him.
I explained that maybe as he is on his own now, a large 3 bedroomed house is too big for him now. He replied that he liked it there, and wanted to stay, but I explained that he couldn’t afford it, now he was not working, but he was adamant he wanted to stay. I asked him to leave if he was not paying rent, but he refused to go.
After 6 months of no rent payments through all of this, i decided to issue a S21, after hearing from the neighbours that young school girls were going into the house, and there were parties going on with loud music, and there was a Police raid on the property where the garage door got forced open and the house back doors were forced open and damaged by the police. They were looking for child p**n on computers apparently.
The tennant still refused to leave and i got judgment on the S21, and I had to then get a court order because he still refused to leave.
After more months of no rent, the Baliffs turned up and he refused still to leave. The Baliffs said he had nowhere to go, so he had to stay. I blew my top and had a go at the Baliffs. Eventually i managed to convince them the eviction order must be followed and he must be evicted, which they did escort him out of the house. The locks were changed by my locksmith and that was that. I did wonder why the tennant didn’t just leave when he had the chance, rather then be evicted.
I did ask the tennant why he didn’t pay the rent, and his reply was “It wasn’t a priority of mine”.
This is what good landlords have to deal with. We are not tyrants stealing money off the poor, we are providing a valuble service.
Gen. rant should take heed. We only issue Section 21’s as a final, and last resort. Most good tennants will leave without a S21 if they can’t pay the rent anymore, and move into a new home they can afford. A CCJ is issued only as a final final resort, and whoever gets one has taken months and months where they could have avoided it, but chose not to, and dug their heels in. Never let someone with a CCJ rent your home. They don’t care! Generally they clearly have issues with paying their debts, (freeloaders) and will default on rent payments because, to them it’s just another CCJ to add to their collection. They just bumble through life, like a train crash, leaving destruction, mayhem and debt wherever they go. They simply couldn’t care less!

Reply to the comment left by Darren Peters at 21/07/2025 – 17:23
everyone IS treated fairly when looking for a place to live. ANYONE can apply.

The reality is not everyone will pass the most important criteria – affordability.

NOT the LL’s problem.

Reply to the comment left by Frank Jennings at 21/07/2025 – 17:57
The police found child porn on my tenant’s laptop, and apparently, it wasn’t the first time.

Reply to the comment left by Northernpleb at 21/07/2025 – 11:40
I dont think that’s why it’s a route being suggested.
Its the second order effects.
1. Other LL award.
2. Other potential lenders , credit card companies, HP etc aware
It’s a small additional cost and effort to help the industry out as a whole.

Reply to the comment left by Darren Peters at 21/07/2025 – 17:23
The link you referred to from shelter. it shows clearly that shelter is not giving good advice to tenants.
“Ask if a credit check could be waived if you can afford the rent but have a poor credit rating.”
The tenants can ask but the credit search is important in deciding about the tenants, so no landlord nor agent will agree to this. In fact alarm bells will be ringing.
Also Insurance companies do ask about the tenants and if you selct option DSS or UC ones ,the premiums are higher. So Shelter needs to inform such issues truthfully. Any such mistake, should have a fine of £20,000.
If landlords are not allowed to make any mistakes then Shelter should not be allowed to give misinformation to the tenants.