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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Eviction ban ending: government tries to soothe critics

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has given Letting Agent Today a statement trying to soothe critics of its decision to finally end the evictions ban at the end of last month.

Over the weekend LAT was told by a department spokesman: “The government has taken unprecedented action to support renters during the pandemic and  there will have been no evictions for five months. 

“We are working with the judiciary to ensure that, as far as practicable, arrangements are in place to give appropriate protections for those who have been particularly affected by coronavirus when proceedings start again.

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“We have put in place a support package to help prevent people getting into financial hardship or rent arrears which includes help for businesses to pay staff salaries, providing over £6.5 billion to strengthen the welfare safety-net and increasing Local Housing Allowance rates so that they cover the lowest 30 per cent of market rents.”

In addition the MHCLG says that additional support Discretionary Housing Payments are available to those who need them and adds that - as announced at the spending round for 2020/21 - there is already £180m in Discretionary Housing Payments for local authorities to distribute for supporting renters with housing costs in the private and social rented sectors.

The department says that those “significant financial measures” will help to support tenants to continue to pay their living costs, including rental payments.

 

It concludes: “We continue to urge any tenants who may be experiencing problems to contact their landlord at the earliest opportunity and for parties to agree a workable way forward.”

The evictions ban is due to end on August 23; there is already substantial evidence of a vast backlog of possession cases, many stretching back to well before the Coronavirus outbreak, which will have to be taken through court. 

  • girish mehta

    Humbug
    If the government is supporting tenants then there won’t be evictions as all rent will be up to date and they won’t to bring new rules and banning evictions and need landlords help
    If this is the case then tenants are receiving money for rent And spending it elsewhere when it is meant for rent.
    Yet asking landlords to provide tent free housing for a year????
    All media hype from clueless politicians to keep them in power

    No rent kick tenants out Not landlords problem

    Let the government sort their mess

  • PossessionFriendUK PossessionFriend

    This ' balance ' struck by the government is a convenient way out of the state funding the welfare provision of Tenants ( genuinely ) affected by the virus.
    Make Landlords suffer the rental loss through delaying and tinkering with the Court process ( Not as much as Labour would like, admitted )

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    My house is being seized by this government, to provide housing for someone who is not only refusing to pay, despite working, but refusing to respond to attempts at communication.
    Meanwhile, I'm renting house. I can't use equity from my house as a deposit to buy for myself.
    Politicians supporting holus-bolus, this ill-conceived, blunt instrument, are showing that they are mere glory seekers. Why can't they explain why belligerent tenants shouldn't be deprived of this shield?

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    • 01 September 2020 17:49 PM

    So Govt succeeds in getting rid of you as a LL.

    It will see that as success for it's bonkers anti-LL policies.

    You are just one LL victim of what will be many.

    Govt is seeking to eradicate the likes of you

     
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    Yes, I'll certainly be out of the game as soon as possible. The tenants taking their revenge, as I'm sure they see it, are often too cowardly to face it. Mine definitely is. If only I could confront her to ask WHY? What have I done, other than provide a two bedroom house with a garden, off-street parking, a secure garage, with power and lighting, a large secure workshop, also with power and lighting, for just £475 per month?

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    • 03 September 2020 09:16 AM

    By the way you are an evil greedy parasitical LL for providing the tenant all those decent services.

    You should be ashamed of yourself for being a good LL.
    It is people like you that stop people being homeless.


    You are a social pariah for making such excellent provision for this tenant.

    Who do you think you are!!!!!!????

     
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    Sorry Paul, I missed this. I've only just seen it. I hang my head in shame.
    I'm not familiar yet how the reply-edit-like bit works. I'm new to this.

     
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    Seriously though, she hasn't even got a car. She doesn't have a woodworking hobby or weld things to put in town centres. The whole place is completely wasted on her. They talk about doing this to stop homelessness. I don't suppose she's allowing some poor wretch to sleep in the spare bedroom.

     
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    Mind you, this is a good way of advertising. Anyone out there know someone who wants to buy a two bedroom, so-called cottage with garage, private parking, workshop, garden etc.? Available as soon as the parasite has been extricated.

     
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    I'll be quiet now.

     
  • icon

    Great opportunities for renters.
    You are about to see a wave of houses for sale.
    All you need to exercise your right-to-buy, is about £20,000 to use as a deposit*. This is because mortgage lenders don't trust anyone and are not prepared to take any risks.
    You will need about £2,000 to pay solicitors, surveyors etc. Well you need to protect your investment.
    You will then have the responsibility of dealing with all of those issues, such as roof leaks, electrical safety, plumbing, smoke and fire alarms, subsidence, the list goes on. This can be expensive but that's no problem.
    *This is for a fairly modest house
    Unless it is in an expensive area, in which case, double it.

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    Great opportunities for renters, part 2.
    If you feel really adventurous, you can move on and let it to a complete stranger. The conditions will be much stricter and there will be serious liabilities. However, you will enjoy the total respect of the tenants because they will appreciate your providing them with an affordable home.

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    • 03 September 2020 09:12 AM

    I doubt many snowflake tenant buyers will get your justified sarcasm!!

    Can you really see feckless tenants being responsible to manage a property on their own!!??

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    Well, no doubt they will have a lot of fun trying to work it out.
    Undoubtedly, some will. Then they can try explaining it to their MPs. That will be the real challenge.
    Hopefully this will haunt them when they're competing for the few remaining lets.

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    There will be one benefit for those who choose to carry on letting. The places will be so scarce, rents could rise significantly. No doubt Bungle will enjoy avoiding that issue.
    He will conclude that:
    "Erm, landlords will erm be erm, er ABSOLUTELY! ... to blame for this"

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