The scrapping of Section 21: landlord responses

The scrapping of Section 21: landlord responses

14:39 PM, 28th June 2019, About 5 years ago 54

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Given that the Government appears to be rushing to scrap Section 21s possibly before the end of this year (and notwithstanding any change Boris Johnson might make to this if he becomes and stays as Prime Minister for any length of time), how are you as a landlord responding? “Section 21 could be outlawed within months, says outgoing prime minister Theresa May”

Are you going to instigate some Section 21s now, to get rid of any ‘dodgy’ tenants you have – the ones in arrears, notably? We all know that getting rid of them later through Section 8 will cost us a lot more in missed rent, so why not sort it now?

Are you going to give notice to tenants who you feel are very – or too – settled in an area? You might prefer to have more transient tenants – rather than those who are likely to stay even after their children have grown up. This might make your property worth less as you will only ever be able to sell to another landlord – because of your ‘sitting tenants’ – restricting your potential market, which will cost you.

Are you going to give Section 21 notices to any difficult tenants in shared houses – the ones that others find it hard to live with – whether because of their smoking, their rudeness, their aggressive attitude, their awful friends and visitors – including for example, drug addicts – and so on? We all know that Section 8 isn’t fit for purpose for this as other tenants and neighbours are often too scared to corroborate the fact that the tenant is anti-social.

It would be interesting to hear your views in comments below on how you will respond. If for example, you hear the ban is coming in by January 2020, what will you do and when?


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Comments

Freda Blogs

10:18 AM, 3rd July 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Frederick Morrow-Ahmed at 01/07/2019 - 19:10Don’t forget that Mrs Thatcher started off the Right to Buy of social housing, which has been a massive contributor to the housing shortage - and now they are doing it with Housing Association stock too. Politicians don’t seem to learn from the past, or even exercise some basic common sense in their quest for votes....
A bit off topic, but as an illustration of the absurdity of the policy:
I was involved in the past with Councils and Housing Associations developing affordable homes (council supplied the land, housing association did the development and gave the council “nomination” rights to house people on the housing list), I am all too aware of the constraints and time taken in providing affordable dwellings.
In the council I worked with, there was an 85 year council waiting list for large homes for big families. 2 years after completion of 2 five bedroom dwellings, at least one of them was subjected to a Right to Buy, and hence removed from the social housing stock, going into private hands, and at a discount. You couldn’t make it up.
It begs the question of how anyone who apparently qualified for a council house could afford a five bedroom house here in the south-east, but that is another matter.

The consequences of scrapping or reducing the effectiveness of S21 is going to cause more landlords to sell up, hence even greater shortages of available rented accommodation. It is so basic it is astonishing that the government doesn’t see it.

Frederick Morrow-Ahmed

15:47 PM, 7th July 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Freda Blogs at 03/07/2019 - 10:18
Freda, I totally agree with you that Mrs Thatcher committed a blunder with her Right to Buy. It should never have been done. Social housing is the fall back position for people in distress.

dismayed landlord

11:32 AM, 8th July 2019, About 5 years ago

hi Freda, sorry for delay. no problem at all. it currently stands at 15 households. it not something I relish doing. I have in the last year evicted 3 families. One for rent arrears took 15 months. Single mum 3 kids. I am informed all three kids had to change schools. Very acrimonious and she threatened the police if I went anywhere my property. (there was no just reason for this) Another one was a direct result of my desire to get out of the sector re section 21 and the onslaught of legislation and potential fines etc if I make the slightest mistake. The LHA which was not the local one moved them relatively quickly which surprised me but 20 miles away. Couple with three kids but younger. Only two kids had to change school but mother lost her part time job as distance is now too far to justify her travel costs. We were (maybe still are) still on talking terms. Both these houses are now sold. Third one (so far) is couple and one under school age child. Husband blamed me on breaking up their relationship. Wife assures me it was already broken. House currently under offer. I have another family who have found something locally going in two weeks time. We still talk and the situation was understood why I wanted the property back. They will be paying nearly 30% more for less accommodation. They had never defaulted on any payments. its a rubbish business plan but I am getting rid on the basis of CGT minimisation and potential repair issues first. I have no real non payers (anymore) - just sometimes its a bit late or comes to me in two instalments.

Whiteskifreak Surrey

19:48 PM, 23rd July 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Dr Rosalind Beck at 29/06/2019 - 10:01
There will be no Erasmus after Brexit, and the number of professionals coming to the UK for scientific contracts will also drop (it is dropping already in our area).

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