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Rob Davies

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my expertise in the industry

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Good luck with that one!

From: Rob Davies 05 March 2019 08:35 AM

@Michael English - Gavin Barlow? Does that mean Gary Barwell is now the lead singer/songwriter of Take That? :) In a very competitive field, I think Barwell was possibly the worst Housing Minister of recent times. And now he's helping May to dilly-dally endlessly on Brexit, without a clue as to how she's going to leave on 29 March 2019 while pleasing all parties (she won't, it's impossible). As for a clampdown on no DSS, I don't know enough about the lettings market to offer too much comment, but seems the general consensus it that it's more unwarranted government intervention in a sector they don't seem to understand.

From: Rob Davies 04 March 2019 11:13 AM

A grand total of diddly squat I'd imagine.

From: Rob Davies 22 January 2019 15:49 PM

Is that really how it works? Tony Blair hasn't been PM for nigh on 12 years, he's about as relevant to the current Labour Party as sense is to those advocating for a no deal Brexit. Just because someone from Labour once didn't do something doesn't preclude others from being outraged or seeking to change it in the future, does it? In case you hadn't noticed, and whether you like them or loathe them, the current incarnation of the Labour leadership is very, very different from Blair.

From: Rob Davies 21 January 2019 15:59 PM

Wouldn't believe anything written in The Sun. Probably from one of their infamous insider 'sources'.

From: Rob Davies 04 December 2018 09:30 AM

Great video. The Bohemian Rhapsody bit is inspired!

From: Rob Davies 04 December 2018 09:29 AM

Whatever you think of them, Shelter are very, very effective when it comes to PR and getting their name in the press at every available opportunity. They are also very good when it comes to placing considerable pressure on the government and various institutions. Like you say, the industry bodies could learn a thing of two from Campbell Robb and his cohorts.

From: Rob Davies 24 November 2016 09:20 AM

"Could portals have done more to stop fees ban being considered?" No. Next question.

From: Rob Davies 24 November 2016 09:17 AM

And she'd be exactly right. Don't expect the government to listen, though, their whole economy is built off high house prices and sky-high rents. If house prices actually started to come down to normal levels, the economy would tank and the poor would probably be blamed for, you know, wanting more affordable housing. Osborne knows that. If nothing else, he isn't stupid. He knows the only vague credibility he has is on the economy - 0.5% growth after 5 years is apparently the sign of a booming economy, but that's a whole separate argument - and if we fall back into another recession, he won't have Labour to blame this time. There are a lot of vested interests when it comes to property. Many at the very top will be quite happy for London to remain the plaything of the super-rich while ordinary workers are driven out, so it will take a brave person to change that. Sadly, the government doesn't have anyone who possesses such qualities, so it will be more spin about "affordable homes", Right to Build, Build to Rent and a load of other policies that don't tackle the problem at its root.

From: Rob Davies 22 October 2015 11:00 AM

Pretty shocking, if true. Obviously this survey isn't representative of every landlord in the country, but the majority don't seem to be acting. This is why information distributed to landlords, particularly first-time ones or ones who have fallen into it more by accident than designs, needs to be much better and much clearer, to make sure landlords know their responsibilities.

From: Rob Davies 25 August 2015 09:32 AM

Shouldn't we be asking why so many evictions are taking place?

From: Rob Davies 19 August 2015 11:45 AM

Fully behind what? BTL landlords getting more tax reliefs than first-time buyers? How is that fair? I don't agree with George on anything usually, but I do on this. It's quite clearly a cynical ploy to appeal to a public that are angry at the proliferation of buy-to-let properties, but it's the right move nonetheless. It's a lot easier for BTL landlord to buy a property - thanks to tax breaks and easier to acquire mortgages. That needs to change.

From: Rob Davies 17 August 2015 16:03 PM

Hmm, and why is the demand so high in the PRS at the moment? Is it because buy-to-let landlords, like your good self, get generous tax breaks and easier to acquire mortgages that makes it easier for them to buy properties, while young people and first-time buyers are squeezed out of the market? I can't see the issue with licensing in the PRS if it drives up standards. Which, no matter how much you landlords want to bury your heads in the sand, is an issue. We read about it all the time. There are whole programmes on TV about it. Unrepresentative and blown out of proportion, yes, but there is a huge problem with rogue landlords and that problem is only growing. All this good/bad landlords stuff doesn't really hold up to scrutiny, either. It's the same with agents. As I've seen during my short time in the industry, there are excellent agents, there are good agents, there are average agents, there are bad agents, and there are ones who should never have been given the job in the first place. Same with landlords. It's not simply a straightforward divide between good and bad - to stop as many rogue landlords as possible from slipping through the net, we need to put barriers in their way. Licensing is one way of doing that, and it's really not that costly, is it? You know, not with the rental yields you can achieve, particularly in London. I just don't get this poor me attitude from landlords. No-one is asking you to be a landlord, it's your own persona choice. The idea that you're just going to make a load of money without any checks, regulation or legislation is nonsense. We expect most professions to pass a fit and proper person test - this is something estate agency doesn't do, to its shame - before they become employed. If landlords insist on calling themselves professionals and businesses, start acting like it. Pubs are licensed, aren't they? Cabs. Restaurants. Why should landlords be any different?

From: Rob Davies 14 August 2015 11:59 AM

Quite right, Oliver. Something needs to be done to beef these audits up because they're clearly not doing the job.

From: Rob Davies 07 August 2015 11:51 AM

Tut tut. They were given plenty of warning so there can be no excuses. As you say, John, a big well done to Sheffield Council for clamping down on this.

From: Rob Davies 21 July 2015 10:25 AM

Fair play. The angelic landlords who post on here might not want to see this sort of thing, but clearly it does happen. Some people are just not fit to rent out property, so it's only right that a tenant has the means to take them to court over that.

From: Rob Davies 14 July 2015 11:31 AM

Steve, I'm as sceptical as you. I think they'll find ways round this - either joining the other redress schemes or operating under a different name. ARLA should do more to vet their members - the 'we'll take anyone approach' is not a good long-term plan.

From: Rob Davies 13 July 2015 09:50 AM

Tut tut. Why do people think they can breach legislation and get away with it?

From: Rob Davies 03 July 2015 09:20 AM

Quite right. Fair's fair. Then again, the Houses of Parliament is full of private landlords, so it wouldn't be in the best interests to introduce this, would it?

From: Rob Davies 26 June 2015 12:21 PM

Well, yes. There are bad tenants just as there are bad landlords. Difference is, tenants aren't making any money out of their activities, so they gain nothing by acting up and being a nightmare. Whereas bad landlords seem to be quite good at making as much money as they possibly can before the authorities finally catch up with them (if they ever do). This sort of programme doesn't help things - sensationalist, divisive dross that in no way shows the whole picture. Luckily, it's on Channel 5, so only one man and his dog will be watching, but there are too many of these cheap, nasty, reactionary shows appearing in the last few years, purely there to cause controversy and chase after easy ratings.

From: Rob Davies 23 June 2015 09:24 AM

Well said, Andrew. Fees are too high but if we all sit back and do nothing about, will anything ever change?

From: Rob Davies 22 June 2015 10:21 AM

Yes, the sentiment is correct, Andrew. Letting agent fees are unfair and regressive - as you say, rather than increasing the pool of tenants, it does quite the opposite. And tenants and landlords starting off on the wrong foot is never going to go down well. Sadly, I'm not sure the rogues will ever be completely eliminated. There will always be a criminal minority out to make a quick buck, no matter who they put in danger along the way. But we can certainly make it as difficult for them to operate as possible, while not punishing the landlords out there who do a good job. Easier said than done, though.

From: Rob Davies 12 June 2015 17:27 PM

Can I make a startlingly outspoken attack about their woeful TV adverts?

From: Rob Davies 12 June 2015 12:07 PM

This is the problem. Letting agents and landlords are too thin-skinned when it comes to criticism. Listening to them, you'd think the PRS was some sort of Paradise and any questioning of it is just scaremongering and driven by bitterness and spite.

From: Rob Davies 09 June 2015 10:07 AM

Good news! These naughty, hidden fees are one of the main reasons why letting agents get a bad press. Still not sure I totally agree with fees for both landlords and tenants, but this is a step in the right direction.

From: Rob Davies 27 May 2015 10:13 AM

I predict this won't go down well. Sometimes the truth hurts.

From: Rob Davies 22 May 2015 10:19 AM

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