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Generation Rent returns to warpath over eviction fears

The campaigning pressure group Generation Rent has returned to the battle to win an extension to the current evictions ban in England.

It appears likely that this week the Scottish Government will confirm an extension to its ban, which has already been welcomed by campaigners such as Shelter north of the border. The Welsh Government has already extended its ban.

Now Baroness Alicia Kennedy, the director of Generation Rent, says: “The governments in Scotland and Wales have recognised that, with the virus undefeated and the economic situation bleak, renters need much more certainty in their homes. 

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“Yet in England, the government is ploughing ahead with reopening eviction cases in the courts. Whether you’ve lost income and benefits don’t cover your rent, or your landlord simply doesn’t appreciate your gardening skills, you’ll have no protection from a no fault eviction. 

“Time is running out for [Housing Secretary] Robert Jenrick to keep his promise to keep renters hit by coronavirus in their homes.”

The Westminster government has been strident in its insistence that the ban on evictions in England will end on August 23 - in a week’s time - and has made provisions for amendments to court procedures to ensure the cases are dealt with fairly.

The Westminster government has also given the go-ahead for the operation of so-called Nightingale Court buildings - additional courts in converted premises - to accommodate the backlog of cases.

  • girish mehta

    Landlords can not afford to give free housing for 2 years
    By the time they get property back and bring back to rentable condition with rent arrears, mortgage payments and property repairs you could be looking at 50k plus long term interest cost to add on mortgage added on top, the risk won’t be worth the investment.
    Government forcing landlords to exit the market through back door
    Those will lead to landlords exiting the market
    Lot of homeless people will be on council waiting list people needing help .
    Build to rent if they manage to pull it off. Then the rent will rise for them to get returns
    The government may then change the law and not make a duty of council to house people as the won’t have the finds.

    All short term thinking for to keep clueless in power

    Roll on effects of Covid and Brexit and join the race to become 3rd world country

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    • 18 August 2020 01:30 AM

    Indeed I am one of those LL exiting due to what you suggest.
    It has been fortuitous that some occupants vacated a few months ago.
    I have kept the property vacant to give me the opportunity to sell with vacant possession.
    There is simply no way I will take on further tenants especially with the current prevailing regulations.

    As you suggest there is no way I can afford rent defaulting tenants.
    So I have to leave the PRS.

    I simply do not have the resources to subsidise feckless tenants.
    For me the risks of being an AST LL are simply not worth the hassle.
    When things are going well then the net yields are great.
    But that is predicated on a mountain of risk.

    That risk I am no longer prepared to climb.
    You could call me a cowardly LL and that I should have more confidence in my capabilities.
    Well I am and I DON'T!!

    I've burned too many times by wrongun tenants who have been supported by the dysfunctional eviction system etc.

    Enough is enough!


    The AST business model no longer adds up for me not even taking into account the stress of worrying whether tenants will be paying the rent.

    With no RGI possible I am truly on my own.

    I have to say that I do consider that tenants simply aren't worth that much to me in light of all the anti-LL regulations etc.

    I can adapt my business model to either FHL or as a lodger LL.
    Far less stress!

    I believe many LL will ve coming to the same conclusions as me that all the supposed yield in the world is simply not worth the stress of worrying about repossession because of rent defaulting tenants.

    At least with lodgers or FHL the LL is in charge and NOT the occupants.

    I'm simply fed up with the possibility of my personal financial future being controlled by feckless tenants.

    The risks are to me no longer worth it.

    Of course if Govt made very quick repossession possible in the event of rent default I would retain my properties.

    In Oz you have 14 days before Police remove you from the rental property.

    I know this will never occur in the UK and as I'm not prepared to be controlled by feckless tenants I'm going.
    As you suggest other LL will be doing like me.
    Whether this will be good or bad for tenants and LL remains to be seen.
    The LL haters will welcome my leaving the sector but I know for a fact that my former occupants will miss me when I'm gone.
    They have all praised by dedication to them whilst they were my clients.
    But I bear no ill -will towards the PRS.
    It has changed so much from when I started 11 years ago.

    It has simply changed too much to where for me it is unviable.

    I accept Govt is winning.
    I call what I'm doing a Strategic retreat.

    I will simply adopt a different perfectly feasible strategy which doesn't involve tenants and TA.
    I sincerely hope that other LL are made of sterner stuff than me and may well profit out of my going.
    If so I say good luck to them.
    I for one will NOT resent any additional success they may achieve as a result of my going.

    They are welcome to it!!

     
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    This Kennedy woman has lost sight of the fact that the properties do NOT BELONG TO THE TENANT. They belong to the owners who should have every right to repossess their property for whatever reason.

    She should know that bailiffs evict and landlords repossess, but her version sounds more emotive so works in her favour.

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    .............. you’ll have no protection from a no fault eviction.

    There is no such animal as a no fault eviction, there is always a reason.

    Those who don't like it should stop jumping up and down and moaning. If they don't like it they have the choice of clearing off somewhere else.

    PossessionFriendUK PossessionFriend

    Renting from the Private sector is only one of a number of options.
    People can rent from Councils and Complain to L.A's via their Councillors as to Why there isn't enough Council owned properties ( because their spending Millions speculating on Commercial property portfolio's and leaving Renters, particularly those on benefit, to the PRS, or Social Housing.

    When we take a closer look at Social Housing, their garden isn't quite as 'Rosy' as many including the govt would make out. Rents are comparable now, and complaints of repairs and standards are worse than the PRS.

    Of course, there is always another option. People could get a job, save, don't Pi$$ their salary against the wall, and buy their own property.
    [ now there's a novel idea ;-]

     
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    @PossessionFriendUK PossessionFriend

    Now, now, you know you cannot use that 4 letter word (W*RK) when referring to Paul Barrett's feckless ones!

     
  • PossessionFriendUK PossessionFriend

    @Lyndon Baker
    I didn't use the Blasphemous 4 letter word ( WoRk )
    I used the other equally derogatory 3 letter word, J.O.B ;-)))

    I said to someone at the Local Authority in a particular area where I rent a property, that I had secured a tenant who had letters after their name.
    Such was the nature of the area, I knew he'd be amazed, until I spelled the letters out ... J.O.B.

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    As in the Wisdom of JOB?

     
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    Headline says, “Returns to warpath”.

    Surely to return they have to have left at some point?

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    For many years. I have been stung by the lack of legal support when it comes to protection for my property and income. I worked hard and decided not to be a burden on society and invested in rental properties so, in my retirement years, I would have a pension income I could live on. I don't have a Government job, nor a local authority job where my work pension is safeguarded by the employer/taxpayer. In, fact private pensions were lost by many a result of the Labour Gov's Chancellor's interference.
    Don't get me wrong I have excellent tenants, it is only the one or two rogues who give a bad reputation to the majority. But we as LL provide accommodation to those who would prefer to rent rather than buy, when renting one pay's rent, as LL we pay a mortgage, if tenants don't pay they cannot be asked to leave, they get 6 months notice, at the LL expense. The problem with that arrangement is the tenant leaves after 6 months and the money the tenant owes is in majority of cases never retrieved as it cost more in time and money to achieve payment. The rogue tenants go on to do it again to another LL. On the other hand the LL because of non-payment from rogue tenants falls into mortgage arrears, and the mortgage lender shows no such mercy ie write the interest of and there is nowhere for the LL to hide, it is paying up and look happy, which in many cases means selling up. The plan to have a half-decent pension has been taken away. I think the harder I work the less help I get. I should stop working sell up enjoy myself for as long as the funds last and then go on benefits. I have had the experience of renting a 4-bed to lady with 3 children who got divorced, did not work and was living completely on benefits and was a great tenant, who had more disposable income than I who was working 60 hours a week. Can someone explain the fairness of this?
    It is possibly a long time ago since Baroness Kennedy found herself struggling to make ends meet, we need politicians who understand that while their job is to govern the country, it needs to be done fairly, reward those who are trying to better themselves and not be a burden to society, rather than making it easier for those who seem to believe they are owed a living.
    Perhaps Baroness Kennedy and her contemporaries should speak to the man/woman in the street who are trying to contribute.
    Perhaps the restrictions on evictions should only apply to those who are in government rentals.
    I wonder how our do-gooders would feel if they had a property abused by a bad tenant and left them with a bill of thousands of £s, I suspect they would feel as aggrieved as any of us LLs who have found ourselves in that particularly stressful situation.

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    • 18 August 2020 10:24 AM

    Unfortunately as you have discovered nobody gives a s### about the justified woes of LL.
    This situation is highly unlikely to change anytime soon.
    Indeed it is scheduled to get a lot worse.

    Perhaps diversify away from AST lettings!

     
  • girish mehta

    Work shy law breaking , irresponsible generation the politician is encouraging as long as the get to stay in
    Power. Doesn’t pay to work hard to better yourself .ad you will be punished.
    Better to not work . Spend and enjoy life as government will support you as long as you vote for message. Politicians mismanage and misinform got their gain Divide and rule.
    They have dived people by blaming various section of society and everyone who have voted for them is stabbed in back
    Brexit, Covid, student fees, cut on benefits but landlords pick up the housing bill and are taxed to hilt as their make more money for themselves

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