RLA plea to Tory candidates

RLA plea to Tory candidates

10:18 AM, 1st July 2019, About 5 years ago 7

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Landlords are urging the candidates to lead the Conservative Party to adopt a more positive approach to the private rented sector.

In a letter sent to Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson the Residential Landlords Association warns that the interests of tenants are not being well served by policies which are reducing the supply of homes to rent.

According to Government data, 10% of landlords representing 18% of all tenancies in the sector plan to reduce the number of properties they rent out whilst 5% of landlords representing 5% of tenancies plan to leave the sector altogether. Recent RLA research suggests that 46% of landlords are planning to sell some or all of their properties.

This comes following a raft of Conservative policies aimed at dampening investment in the market, including imposing a tax on landlord investment in new homes to rent. This means that landlords investing in new rental housing are hit by a 3% stamp duty levy.

Most recently the Government has proposed limiting the ability of landlords to repossess properties when they need to.

As a result of the fall-off in investment, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has warned that expectations for increasing rents are now at their highest point for 3 years.

The RLA is calling on the leadership candidates to back its 5 point plan for the sector, namely:

  • Pro-growth taxation to ensure enough homes to rent to meet growing demand.
  • A fair system for repossessing properties that protects tenants from unfair evictions whilst retaining the confidence of landlords to regain possession of their property where there is a legitimate need. This needs to be coupled with a dedicated, housing court to settle disputes swifter and easier.
  • Supporting vulnerable tenants by ending the Local Housing Allowance cap.
  • Rooting out criminal landlords by providing councils with more resources to better use the powers they already have.
  • Rejecting all forms of rent controls which serve only to dry up the supply of homes to rent, reducing choice for tenants and thereby increasing rents overall.

David Smith, Policy Director for the Residential Landlords Association, said: “The new Conservative Prime Minister needs to reconsider the approach to the private rented sector. Otherwise the situation for tenants will just get worse as they face less choice and higher rents because of a growing shortage of properties.

“We need a raft of changes that will encourage more investment in high standard homes rather than efforts to scapegoat landlords for failures by successive governments to build enough homes.”


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Comments

Laura Delow

12:05 PM, 1st July 2019, About 5 years ago

One of the above 5 recommended RLA points "A fairer system for repossessing properties....." will not work unless the current court & new housing court system is evenly balanced between Landlord & Tenant rather than biased towards the tenant. Judges also need to be more respectful of Landlords which they are presently not. In fact they are downright rude. I'm also concerned that the word "legitimate" is cited. What is legitimate in a landlord's eyes may not be seen as legitimate in a tenant's eyes nor the courts. This would likely lead to abuse of the courts as with the current Section 8 which is why most landlords forgo claiming rent arrears by using a S21.

17:09 PM, 1st July 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Laura Delow at 01/07/2019 - 12:05
Surely “legitimate need” is if we genuinely need to sell, move back into the property ourselves, etc, or if the tenant simply isn’t complying with the terms of their tenancy agreement. Persistently in rent arrears of over 8 weeks, wilful damage to our property, continuous anti-social behaviour, criminal activity, etc.

Whiteskifreak Surrey

20:04 PM, 1st July 2019, About 5 years ago

From LLs point of view, both candidates are totally useless IMHO.
Both are now planning to unlock war chest to mitigate the upcoming disaster.
Does anyone seriously think they will care about homelessness, landlords, tenants etc? They will have a huge economic task to save this country from collapse, 40% trade tariffs, WTO trade and years to negotiate any sensible agreement, etc. Do you think if they have choice to save farming, medications and food or save Lls, they will chose the latter? Really?

20:12 PM, 1st July 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Whiteskifreak Surrey at 01/07/2019 - 20:04
No!!! Of course they won’t. But at least the RLA are standing up for us. We cannot stay silent.

Whiteskifreak Surrey

20:16 PM, 1st July 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Fuming Landlord at 01/07/2019 - 20:12
Yes, of course it is a good thing! Both NLAs are so far silent.
I am just not holding my breath at all.
BBC News at 6 London Edition had a piece about fantastic rent control in Berlin. They just forgot to mention tenants' obligations and the fact that the state helps tenants a lot...

Freda Blogs

11:17 AM, 7th July 2019, About 5 years ago

I believe Jeremy Hunt is a LL himself; one would hope he would engage if only from self/interest.

I don’t know whether Boris is a LL, but wouldn’t be surprised (and IMO he is all about self interest...)

Whiteskifreak Surrey

12:19 PM, 7th July 2019, About 5 years ago

Hunt bought 7 flats in Portsmouth (I believe, no time to check that) about two years ago, under a Limited Company. He is not a private Landlord.

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