Shelter demands 12 months of no re-letting in new Bill

Shelter demands 12 months of no re-letting in new Bill

9:50 AM, 11th July 2023, About 10 months ago 56

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The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee has been told that the Renters (Reform) Bill needs strengthening to prevent landlords from using a loophole to evict tenants for no reason.

The follow-up meeting heard that under the proposals, the law will enable landlords to take possession of their rented property when they or a family member want to move in or to sell it – and there will be a period of three months when the property cannot be re-let.

However, Shelter’s policy manager Tarun Bhakta told the committee that the Bill offers ‘a backdoor to ‘no-fault’ evictions’ and he said the no re-letting period should be longer.

He told the committee: “This is a big concern of ours, at the moment a landlord won’t be allowed to put the property back on the market for three months.

“We don’t think that is a strong enough disincentive when misusing those grounds, particularly when you consider that it might be quite difficult to design quite robust evidential requirements for the landlord moving in. It’s really difficult to imagine what that would look like, but we want the government to try their best.”

’12 months for no re-letting is what we are recommending’

He added: “We think there needs to be strong disincentives via the no reletting period so 12 months for no re-letting is what we are recommending.”

And when tenants believe they have been wrongly evicted, tenants should be able to seek compensation and rent repayment orders – and tenants should be given an incentive to bring a case of wrongful eviction to a local authority.

In response, an irritated Ben Beadle, the chief executive of the National Residential Landlords’ Association, said: “This isn’t roulette. It gets tested in court, it goes before a judge, a judge will need to be satisfied that the landlord is telling the truth about selling the property.

“And the last time I checked, if you lied in court, it was perjury so I would say that was a pretty strong disincentive.”

He added: “I don’t know what it is what my friend from Shelter wants to see, whether it is waterboarding or public flogging, but a financial penalty of £30k if you re-let sounds to me to be a lot of money and I think we have to look through the lens of why landlords are selling and the confidence levels in the sector are where we should start rather than having 12 months punishing waits and lots of extended notice periods.”

Turning to Mr Bhakta, Mr Beadle said: “And, actually, do your clients a great disservice.”

Below is Mr Beadle’s response to Mr Bhakta’s comments:

Watch the full committee exchange on Parliament.tv


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Comments

Mick Roberts

9:03 AM, 12th July 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Rod at 11/07/2023 - 17:46
Great words Rod.
Thanks for keep trying

Mick Roberts

9:09 AM, 12th July 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 11/07/2023 - 16:27
But thar still means IF IF landlord did want to rent out again, that is one less house for tenants waiting.
Regardless of reason or not or whatever, if he did want to rent out again, Shelter would rather that house not be available, so getting back at the Landlord ends up hurting the tenant.
I'm on holiday on small phone, so my full brain not there, but this seems bonkers removing houses that could be available for tenants. Ignore if the Landlord has been sneaky or not flouting the concocted rules, he wants to house a tenant, tenant can't have it

Alpen

11:58 AM, 12th July 2023, About 10 months ago

Basically unable to re-let the property for 12months would mean no revenue for HMRC, even more shortage of housing and as someone else rent would increase even more.

Settler should be working with landlords and organisations to work things out to help both landlords and tenants.

There is never any mention of when Tenants are truly at fault especially when they deliberately withhold rent or deny there is any rent arrears, when bank statement show in black and white what they have paid and not paid.

Also tenant's not taking responsibility of their legal obligations to maintain the property thinking that landlord has to repair when they have whether accidentally or deliberately damaged inside the property.

dismayed landlord

12:50 PM, 12th July 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Alpen at 12/07/2023 - 11:58
totally agree with first paragraph. at least some ones thinking outside the box. and when the market changes back to 1985? ( I am not an historian) when AST and S21 was introduced, which will be very soon after the steep rise in lack of homes to rent being available in my humble opinion, then some of us will still have the homes to rent to very decent tenants.

Rod

13:21 PM, 12th July 2023, About 10 months ago

Don't worry, if you can't relet the property as a home for 12 months on a shiny new RRB Assured Tenancy; you'll no doubt be able to stick it on Airbnb and holiday let it, paying a similar amount of tax, while making a meaningful return on your investment.

I feel certain that's exactly what Shelter's wonks are suggesting would ensure the supply of homes for their purpose of "help[ing] millions of people every year struggling with bad housing and homelessness through our advice, support and legal services."

Seething Landlord

14:30 PM, 12th July 2023, About 10 months ago

If Shelter monitor this forum, as I suspect they do, some of the comments on this topic will give them ample ammunition to support their claim that landlords will be prepared to use the "intend to sell" ground fraudulently to circumvent the prohibition of "no fault evictions".

David Houghton

14:40 PM, 12th July 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Martin Roberts at 11/07/2023 - 09:59
They were not paying their staff enough to prevent them from being homeless. That's what I call irony

Reluctant Landlord

14:56 PM, 12th July 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 11/07/2023 - 17:54
ahh thanks for pointing that out. I thought it had replaced it . Perhaps a case of 'Ive been reading too much and now confused!!

Reluctant Landlord

14:57 PM, 12th July 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by david porter at 11/07/2023 - 18:46
I think its more a case of the local council taking you for breach not the tenant.

david porter

15:25 PM, 12th July 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by DSR at 12/07/2023 - 14:57
do we think they will have the budget?

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