Rents to be frozen from April 2012
by Mary Latham
The National Landlords Association announced Friday – “We have just learned from the Department for Work and Pensions that LHA rates are to be frozen from April this year.”
If you are thinking “Thank goodness my tenants are not on benefits” don’t stop reading because one P45 can change all of that. I didn’t take tenants on benefits but I now have two tenants on LHA because of unavoidable changes in their circumstances. This means no rent increases for at least another year and that is on top of reductions due to recent changes in LHA.
Anything that forces some rents down will have a knock on effect on all rents, which is why Government are taking this very risky action.
We still have a couple of weeks (until the end of February) to increase the LHA rates, after that there will be nothing that landlords can do. Please complete this simple form from VOA and email it to the address provided.
This is not for landlords who have tenants on the LHA rate, it is for those of us who are getting rents that are above the LHA rate because those rents will increase the average. Once this information is given to the VOA they are legally bound to include it in the calculation for the rate of Local Housing Allowance (LHA). Please ask every landlord you know to do this and, in particular, those who let to students and are achieving a high single room rate. There will be thousands more people on the shared room rate in the coming months because of the rise in the age at which a person becomes entitled to self contained accommodation and the LHA rates are usually well below the level at which landlords can provide good accommodation.
Please do not leave this to someone else, one day you may be very glad that the rates in your area reflect a rent close to that on your AST, but if that rate does not increase before April it will be too late.
The NLA will be updating members as soon as more information is available. They are working to understand the impact this change is likely to have on landlords and tenants.
Please complete this simple form and email it to the address provided.
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Member Since September 2011 - Comments: 882 - Articles: 30
6:53 PM, 11th February 2012, About 14 years ago
And as you also know young man landlords nag me ALL THE TIME to do something to help them. This is what my blogs are all about. I am trying to cover landlords backs by keeping them well informed. If that is what you call nagging I am guilty as charged.
Member Since April 2012 - Comments: 81 - Articles: 2
6:56 PM, 11th February 2012, About 14 years ago
TO THE GALLOWS WITH YOU WHERE YOU WILL STAY FOR 3 MINUTES! 😉
Comments: 1108
10:38 PM, 11th February 2012, About 14 years ago
Nagging is a way of expressing the importance of what you are saying; so nag away.
Comments: 1108
10:45 PM, 11th February 2012, About 14 years ago
I like the young man description; perhaps unforunately not in years but certainly youthful inexperience as far as the landlord game goes.
Member Since September 2011 - Comments: 882 - Articles: 30
10:49 PM, 11th February 2012, About 14 years ago
Paul Do you think that I am Doreen here?https://www.property118.com/index.php/why-landlords-will-not-take-lha-tenants/24271/
Comments: 1108
2:42 AM, 12th February 2012, About 14 years ago
No I fail to see any resemblence to such characterisation.
of that neat little vignette.
Your words of wisdom would never , unfortunately ever emanate from such a character.
Mores the pity.
Have you got anymore like that; it does get the message across.
I reckon though if you played it in the average job centre it would go straight over the claimants heads!!
Member Since September 2011 - Comments: 882 - Articles: 30
11:17 AM, 12th February 2012, About 14 years ago
Thank you Paul.
If it was played in a JC some people might think it was just another reality TV show
Comments: 1108
8:01 PM, 12th February 2012, About 14 years ago
Too true Mary; and that says it all doesn’t it!?
4:27 PM, 26th February 2012, About 14 years ago
Not sure if you’re speaking from England but in Wales, we landlords/agents are sent a form from the valuation office asking for details of the types of properties we own/rent and the level of rent being collected. Whether all landlords and/or agents subscribe to this, I don’t know though.
Comments: 1108
7:34 PM, 26th February 2012, About 14 years ago
How does Wales know who the LL are to send them VOA forms?