Renters rights

I also had a gormless tenant, although he was old enough to know better than iron something on the floor, not on an ironing board and left a wedge shaped iron impression burnt into the middle of a fairly new carpet. It caused much mirth when he admitted liability with the letting agent, his name was Mr Burns!

I doubt any future legislation will be fair or just to both landlords and tenants. It's clear there are both awful tenants and landlords. Governments are interested in keeping up occupancy and reducing headline complaints from renters so I think any legislation will favour tenants.

Governments and local authorities are interested in keeping up occupancy in privately rented accommodation do they don't have to provide the alternative.

you have to be 3 months in arrears now before landlord can start proceedings, the courts take months during which time arrears continue then they pop into court and say they haven't paid for 10 months because somethings not been fixed and the judge postpones for another 6 months.

Janetashbolt that’s precisely why we’ve have always had rent protection insurance on property we let out.

I am wondering though how much it will cost when it’s up for renewal now we have this Labour government which is heavily weighted in favour of tenants’ rights.

I'm not sure I agree with people buying- up property to rent out! When we were selling our little terrace a while ago a load of nun's came a calling, wanting to potentially buy said house to rent -out to the university students up the road. It just seemed odd / un-christian even, to want to make money out of people's basic human need for shelter. 🤔

Somebody has to own the house in order for it to be available to be rented. Not everyone can or wants to buy a house. Where do you think students are going to live if there are no houses available to rent?
I don't own any property to rent out, just for clarity.

Rosie51

Somebody has to own the house in order for it to be available to be rented. Not everyone can or wants to buy a house. Where do you think students are going to live if there are no houses available to rent?
I don't own any property to rent out, just for clarity.

In university-owned accommodation maybe.

Ilovedogs22

I'm not sure I agree with people buying- up property to rent out! When we were selling our little terrace a while ago a load of nun's came a calling, wanting to potentially buy said house to rent -out to the university students up the road. It just seemed odd / un-christian even, to want to make money out of people's basic human need for shelter. 🤔

The "church" has always owned property.

Ilovedogs22

I'm not sure I agree with people buying- up property to rent out! When we were selling our little terrace a while ago a load of nun's came a calling, wanting to potentially buy said house to rent -out to the university students up the road. It just seemed odd / un-christian even, to want to make money out of people's basic human need for shelter. 🤔

The student weren't going to buy it because they would only be there for a short time and they wouldn't have any money anyway.

The students needed somewhere to live whilst they are studying; Halls of Residence are often only available to first year students.

As people have a basic human need for shelter what did you do?

Friends bought a house on a loan because they knew they would not have pensions apart from the State Pension. They rented it to their DD until she moved away, then rented it out to someone they knew through work who was desperate for accommodation. He wrecked the place. They had trouble getting him out and the cost of repairs was enormous.
Now they rent it through an agency but the red tape and bureaucracy, not to mention the cost of the agent, makes them wonder if it is worthwhile.

Well it's a good job that some have bought property to let out with the shortage of social housing.

growstuff

Rosie51

Somebody has to own the house in order for it to be available to be rented. Not everyone can or wants to buy a house. Where do you think students are going to live if there are no houses available to rent?
I don't own any property to rent out, just for clarity.

In university-owned accommodation maybe.

How many universities own enough accommodation to house every student? Certainly with my own children, nephews and nieces and a grandson, none have been able to secure university owned accommodation beyond the first year.
What about non-university people, where should they find a place to rent? There isn't enough social housing for all, so private rentals are required.

I see Allira had made the point about halls of residence already, I didn't refresh the page before typing.

I agree with Mollygo and Ilovedogs22. Everyone should have the right to safe, warm, affordable shelter. We need to get back to houses being somewhere for people to live, rather than an investment or "get rich quick" scheme. As I see it, the only way forward is a huge scale social house building scheme.

Rosie51

I see Allira had made the point about halls of residence already, I didn't refresh the page before typing.

That's OK!

A couple of years ago, students studying at a university near here were sent to accommodation nearly 30 miles away because there was insufficient for all of the first year students.
Not a good experience for first years.

Allira My grandson only just got into Halls for his first year and had friends that didn't make it. None had to live that far away though!

Ilovedogs22

I'm not sure I agree with people buying- up property to rent out! When we were selling our little terrace a while ago a load of nun's came a calling, wanting to potentially buy said house to rent -out to the university students up the road. It just seemed odd / un-christian even, to want to make money out of people's basic human need for shelter. 🤔

I hope you have the same opinion of the Church of England who have a property portfolio of almost £2 Billion
I grew up in a house owned by the church.
We couldn’t use 2 of the rooms because of the damp.

Where are Councils going to get the money to build Social Housing? Many LA's have handed the problem over to Housing Associations.
Some enterprising guy has bought up an old office block and converted to little flats which are now being criticised for being too small and poky for a family. You can't win.
The problem is family lets. People don't seem to want to let for people who might have a lot of children and pets.
Everything come back to money.

We lived in California for a year, my parents let our family home, via The Armed Forces. They were meant to inspect every three months and leave the house as they found it and they did nothing.

When we returned home the house and sofas stank of (human) urine.

Some carpets and furniture had to be replaced and it was most upsetting to know our lovely family home had been mistreated.

On the flip side, I have friends who’ve had to move several times, with small children, because Landlords needed the properties back (two to sell, two to give to family)

It’s a hard balance.

Steelygran

I agree with Mollygo and Ilovedogs22. Everyone should have the right to safe, warm, affordable shelter. We need to get back to houses being somewhere for people to live, rather than an investment or "get rich quick" scheme. As I see it, the only way forward is a huge scale social house building scheme.

👏👏👏😊

Boz

Where are Councils going to get the money to build Social Housing? Many LA's have handed the problem over to Housing Associations.
Some enterprising guy has bought up an old office block and converted to little flats which are now being criticised for being too small and poky for a family. You can't win.
The problem is family lets. People don't seem to want to let for people who might have a lot of children and pets.
Everything come back to money.

I agree with you too Cossy.

Boz

Where are Councils going to get the money to build Social Housing? Many LA's have handed the problem over to Housing Associations.
Some enterprising guy has bought up an old office block and converted to little flats which are now being criticised for being too small and poky for a family. You can't win.
The problem is family lets. People don't seem to want to let for people who might have a lot of children and pets.
Everything come back to money.

My local council set up its own independent not-for-profit housing association and has borrowed the money to build social housing. Apparently, that's within the rules for councils.

Allira

Rosie51

I see Allira had made the point about halls of residence already, I didn't refresh the page before typing.

That's OK!

A couple of years ago, students studying at a university near here were sent to accommodation nearly 30 miles away because there was insufficient for all of the first year students.
Not a good experience for first years.

No, it's not, but that's more to do with universities having their recruitment caps lifted. I don't really understand how taking housing out of the market for selling to increase the number of units available for students improves the housing situation generally. Unless universities build more of their own housing (or subcontract to organisations who will build new), all it does is push up the price of homes for sale.

Rosie51

growstuff

Rosie51

Somebody has to own the house in order for it to be available to be rented. Not everyone can or wants to buy a house. Where do you think students are going to live if there are no houses available to rent?
I don't own any property to rent out, just for clarity.

In university-owned accommodation maybe.

How many universities own enough accommodation to house every student? Certainly with my own children, nephews and nieces and a grandson, none have been able to secure university owned accommodation beyond the first year.
What about non-university people, where should they find a place to rent? There isn't enough social housing for all, so private rentals are required.

Well, they should! They've been forced to recruit more students (especially overseas ones) to balance their books. When they make those kind of decisions, they need to factor in accommodation and plan for new building. The local market can't absorb a huge increase in numbers.