No Fault Evictions

[Ozi]

I have just (last Friday) been able to get a tenant evicted on a "No Fault eviction" first time in 25 years as a landlord. Owed £3000 in Rent, £1000+ damage to property, legal costs £250 and it's going to be at least 3 weeks before the place is fit to rent again.

Spend the last two days cleaning dog mess off the kitchen floor, replacing kick boards and 5 cupboard doors on new kitchen, just the tip of the iceberg, every carpet in the house new when he moved in is damaged some must be replaced, plasterer coming in Friday as the dogs he didn't tell me he was bringing stripped a wall. It's taken since January to shift him. If I had had to go down the fault route it would have been another 12 weeks and £1500 legal costs even if he left before I had to pay bailiffs to shift him. Found out he stopped paying gas and electricity, probably council tax as well and he did the same to a previous landlord.

Just hoping when they end no fault eviction they do something to speed up this process.... not holding my breath landlords are an easy target, it's all unearned income after all. Perhaps they will even build the houses we need to bring rent down to sensible levels that people can afford and stop people turning streets into endless HMOs that exploit the tenants and wreck my business.

End of Rant

 

[niemeyjt]

When there are so many people looking for a rent, now I won't take anyone without a guarantor - it is the way others will go too.

Of course, it screws those without one - but that is the law of unintended consequences for you.

There is no situation a politician cannot make worse.

 

[Jacob]

.... landlords are an easy target, it's all unearned income after all.

Yep. Did you build the property? Have you thought of investing in another area?
n.b The issue is "no fault" evictions. Sounds like your tenant was "at fault" but that seems to be the risk of being a landlord, you are dealing with real people warts and all, but making people homeless is not an answer.

 

[paulrbarnard]

Yep. Did you build the property? Have you thought of investing in another area?
n.b The issue is "no fault" evictions. Sounds like your tenant was "at fault" but that seems to be the risk of being a landlord, you are dealing with real people warts and all, but making people homeless is not an answer.

What is your fixation with landlords building properties?

 

[Cabinetman]

Feel for you @Ozi, happened to my previous lady, totally soul destroying. Jacob says making people homeless isn’t the answer, I don’t suppose I would wish that on them but the effect is the same when no sane person would rent to them in the first place, just what do you do with the feckless?
After her experience all future tenants were checked out by asking their previous Landlord, also going to their previous address, which usually they were still living at and it’s really easy to see the sort of person they are even from a cursory look. - Recommend it.
Ian

 

[Spectric]

Yes there has to be a two way relationship between a landlord and the tennant, you hear so many horror stories of bad tenants but also landlords with really run down properties so the first step is to have something in place where any property that is going to be a rental has to meet a minimum standard and landlords will want more guarantee's in exchange such as deposits and guarantors which just makes things more difficult for those wanting to rent.

 

[Jacob]

What is your fixation with landlords building properties?

Because the claim is that landlords supply properties but the vast majority of them do not, they obtain existing properties.
In other words they are useless, nobody needs them, except for their fairly simple property management services which in general they don't perform at all well.
Secondly their domination of the market and profiteering pushes rents up to the highest level possible, with the lowest quality of service possible.
They are a social problem.

 

[Ozi]

Yep. Did you build the property? Have you thought of investing in another area?
n.b The issue is "no fault" evictions. Sounds like your tenant was "at fault" but that seems to be the risk of being a landlord, you are dealing with real people warts and all, but making people homeless is not an answer.

Who said he was homeless, moved on to wreck another house.

 

[Ozi]

Feel for you @Ozi, happened to my previous lady, totally soul destroying. Jacob says making people homeless isn’t the answer, I don’t suppose I would wish that on them but the effect is the same when no sane person would rent to them in the first place, just what do you do with the feckless?
After her experience all future tenants were checked out by asking their previous Landlord, also going to their previous address, which usually they were still living at and it’s really easy to see the sort of person they are even from a cursory look. - Recommend it.
Ian

Did that , it just wasn't his home but a mates.

 

[paulrbarnard]

Because the claim is that landlords supply properties but the vast majority of them do not, they obtain existing properties.
In other words they are useless, nobody needs them, except for their fairly simple property management services which in general they don't perform at all well.
Secondly their domination of the market and profiteering pushes rents up to the highest level possible, with the lowest quality of service possible.
They are a social problem.

So property developers who build and then rent properties are OK?

 

[Blackswanwood]

My wife is a director of a small house builder. Along the way the company has kept three properties which are rented out. She’ll be delighted to know she has Jacob’s blessing

 

[Ozi]

What is your fixation with landlords building properties?

Didn't build it. Did replace rotten wooden windows, fit new kitchen and bathroom lots of renovation. What I try to do is improve a hose in need of work, it increases my profit and gives someone a nicer place to live. was waiting for Jacobs comment, not disapointed.

Yes there has to be a two way relationship between a landlord and the tennant, you hear so many horror stories of bad tenants but also landlords with really run down properties so the first step is to have something in place where any property that is going to be a rental has to meet a minimum standard and landlords will want more guarantee's in exchange such as deposits and guarantors which just makes things more difficult for those wanting to rent.

What I would like to see is licensing for landlords IF DONE PROPERLY, having a clean license would be an asset. Getting points put on a license for lack of repair etc. and having to make the repair plus pay a fine to remove them would level the playing field between good and bad landlords.

I truth most tenants are decedent people who want somewhere nice to live and will take care of the place they rent, most landlords are decent people who want to keep their tenants long term and look after the property to make this happen, in 25 years I have had two bad tenants not a bad record just very annoying when you get someone like this, not short of money just living beyond his means at everyone else's expense. Before I got him out of the house he lost his car, no license no insurance, no tax, much more expensive car than I have ever owned. My mistake was setting the rent too low which attracts people like this, I have always worked on a profit margin basis rents have risen way above the level I need to achieve this and if you are prepared to turn unsuitable properties into HMOs you can add 50% on top, we desperately need to build more homes and of the type people need and with the civil infrastructure parking, schools, water and sewerage etc. etc. but this will only happen if we reform our planning system.

I had a very nice business model. Find somewhere in need of repair, make it slightly better than the average of it's type, advertise it at slightly higher than average rent to attract tenants who noticed it was good, could afford to pay a little more, the type of person who looks after what they rent, which keeps my costs down so I don't need to put the rent up - everybody wins. Can't do that at the moment, rents are ridiculously high and try to sell how nice somewhere is when the street becomes HMO ridden and you can't park in the street.

 

[deema]

Build more houses where people want to live? Well, what happens when they all want to live in the same place? London is big, commuting is hard and takes a lot of time, but you can get cities the size of UK counties, ie Shanghai is about the same size as Devon. It will take less time to commute around Devon than it does in Shanghai! What point am I making? Well it’s Simple, there is only so much land that is highly desirable to live on, and you can’t build houses for everyone in it. The argument for more housing where people want it defies logic and physics.

The population of Scotland between 1991 and 2021 has only increased by 353600 people, so about 11,700 per year. In 2023 Scotland built 20,992 houses a reduction of 11% compared to the previous year. It would suggest there is an abundance of housing, and yet, in the major cities in Scotland house price keep rising! Everyone would like to live as close to work, schools, doctors, shops, theatres, etc etc. but you can’t so, areas are more desirable and prices rise. Whether houses are rented or owned, it won’t allow 66 million people to live within walking distance of what people want, so, house prices will rise as the population size increases. If you want to reduce house prices, decrease the population……a good war for instance, bit drastic, but its very effective.

 

[skeetstar]

Because the claim is that landlords supply properties but the vast majority of them do not, they obtain existing properties.
In other words they are useless, nobody needs them, except for their fairly simple property management services which in general they don't perform at all well.
Secondly their domination of the market and profiteering pushes rents up to the highest level possible, with the lowest quality of service possible.
They are a social problem.

Keep taking the tablets as prescribed, and try resting in a dark room from time time.

 

[Adam W.]

Build more houses where people want to live? Well, what happens when they all want to live in the same place? London is big, commuting is hard and takes a lot of time, but you can get cities the size of UK counties, ie Shanghai is about the same size as Devon. It will take less time to commute around Devon than it does in Shanghai! What point am I making? Well it’s Simple, there is only so much land that is highly desirable to live on, and you can’t build houses for everyone in it. The argument for more housing where people want it defies logic and physics.

The population of Scotland between 1991 and 2021 has only increased by 353600 people, so about 11,700 per year. In 2023 Scotland built 20,992 houses a reduction of 11% compared to the previous year. It would suggest there is an abundance of housing, and yet, in the major cities in Scotland house price keep rising! Everyone would like to live as close to work, schools, doctors, shops, theatres, etc etc. but you can’t so, areas are more desirable and prices rise. Whether houses are rented or owned, it won’t allow 66 million people to live within walking distance of what people want, so, house prices will rise as the population size increases. If you want to reduce house prices, decrease the population……a good war for instance, bit drastic, but its very effective.

What a moronic thing to say. There's no such thing as a good war.......Will you be the first to go to the front, or will you just expect the young, lazy, feckless snowflakes to go for you?

Asking for my children.

 

[Cooper]

I have just (last Friday) been able to get a tenant evicted on a "No Fault eviction" first time in 25 years as a landlord. Owed £3000 in Rent, £1000+ damage to property, legal costs £250 and it's going to be at least 3 weeks before the place is fit to rent again.

Spend the last two days cleaning dog mess off the kitchen floor, replacing kick boards and 5 cupboard doors on new kitchen, just the tip of the iceberg, every carpet in the house new when he moved in is damaged some must be replaced, plasterer coming in Friday as the dogs he didn't tell me he was bringing stripped a wall. It's taken since January to shift him. If I had had to go down the fault route it would have been another 12 weeks and £1500 legal costs even if he left before I had to pay bailiffs to shift him. Found out he stopped paying gas and electricity, probably council tax as well and he did the same to a previous landlord.

Just hoping when they end no fault eviction they do something to speed up this process.... not holding my breath landlords are an easy target, it's all unearned income after all. Perhaps they will even build the houses we need to bring rent down to sensible levels that people can afford and stop people turning streets into endless HMOs that exploit the tenants and wreck my business.

End of Rant

I’m also a private landlord and very fortunately have two excellent tenants but I have also been worried about changes in renting laws. I think the best we can do is contact our new MPs. They must know that the homes we provide will not be available in the future unless it is easy to remove bad tenants. I have no problem with regulations about maintaining the condition or even rent.
MPs of all parties are in favour of changes and the better informed of the realities of the experience of good landlords the better . And that they do not presume that we are all charging exorbitant rents and leaving tenants in squalor as is so often reported.

 

[Cooper]

Because the claim is that landlords supply properties but the vast majority of them do not, they obtain existing properties.
In other words they are useless, nobody needs them, except for their fairly simple property management services which in general they don't perform at all well.
Secondly their domination of the market and profiteering pushes rents up to the highest level possible, with the lowest quality of service possible.
They are a social problem.

Jacob, quite often I have a lot of sympathy for your points of view, though not today. You make presumptions about the vast majority of private landlords that are just not true. Many are small traders who found their pensions worthless and it was the only way to secure their future and not be a burden on society. Others let their own homes when careers take them elsewhere. A lot of the problem I think is the letting agents who don’t arrange proper supervision or maintenance.

 

[ey_tony]

Because the claim is that landlords supply properties but the vast majority of them do not, they obtain existing properties.
In other words they are useless, nobody needs them, except for their fairly simple property management services which in general they don't perform at all well.
Secondly their domination of the market and profiteering pushes rents up to the highest level possible, with the lowest quality of service possible.
They are a social problem.

If successive governments of both colours had over the past 40 years built sufficient rental housing to keep pace with population growth and changes in who and why people rent properties then there wouldn't be any housing issues so let's lay he blame at the feet of those responsible.
I know this may shock you but landlords are are not altruistic, they invest their hard earned cash into property in the hope of making a profit and it's been that way for many millennia. Whether you like it or not, it's a business venture just like any other business investment and if they weren't doing it where do you suppose the millions of people who rent would live?

I can understand your concerns over a scurrilous landlord terminating a tenant's tenancy in order to re-let it at a higher profit but it's not the fault of those landlords who seek to recover their properties from the hands of people who don't have it in them to behave like reasonable human beings when renting a property.
The landlord may need to recover their own property as they themselves are in desperate need of somewhere to live or in the case of recent mortgage rises, they may have to sell the properties in order not to become bankrupt. That is the risk people take when they rent from private landlords.

So what exactly is your solution to tenants who behave far worse than animals and who are prepared to wreck a landlord's property and not pay rent or utility bills etc? Where would you put people like that who act in such a depraved way?
If you object to them being made homeless because of their choice of behaviour, what would you personally do with them?

Questions: Have you ever actually rented out a property? Have those tenants ever damaged your rental property? Have your past tenants ever refused to pay rent and have you had to take expensive legal action to have them removed?

My daughters since their early twenties have each owned a number of rental properties between them which they have bought in poor condition and updated and restored to make them very habitable and desirable rental properties, rented at very fair rents I might add only to find certain tenants completely wrecking them and skipping out without paying rent etc leaving owing many thousands of pounds in damage and unpaid rent.

This has happened so often that now just one daughter is down to just owning two remaining rental properties and those are now on the selling market simply because the risk is so high that tenants will default on rent and cause damage that it isn't worth her investments any longer. She even gave her tenants a discount on their monthly rents so that they could afford to heat the property during the recent energy crisis.

My OH is a social worker, working with very vulnerable children in extremely difficult and dysfunctional families on a daily basis and she regularly has to negotiate with councils to prevent them making her clients homeless purely because of their lifestyle choices and owing many, many thousands in back rent and council tax. There are some people who because of behavioural or mental health issues are virtually impossible to help...how would deal with those people?

 

[Jacob]

..... small traders who found their pensions worthless and it was the only way to secure their future and not be a burden on society.

But there is a housing crisis and the private landlord system could be seen as exploiting this and becoming a burden on their tenants.
It's not their fault as such, nor the tenants, the system is "broken" as they say.
One unfortunate detail is the idea of "social" or "affordable" housing as distinct from housing as a whole. It implies a dual system for the haves and the have nots. All housing is "social" housing serving society, and the lack of "affordable" housing is down to unrestrained free market economics leading to the housing bubble.

 

[Jacob]

........

My OH is a social worker, working with very vulnerable children in extremely difficult and dysfunctional families on a daily basis and she regularly has to negotiate with councils to prevent them making her clients homeless purely because of their lifestyle choices and owing many, many thousands in back rent and council tax. There are some people who because of behavioural or mental health issues are virtually impossible to help...

House prices/rents is likely to be the biggest strain on the disadvantaged whoever they are and however it came about. Ordinary working people on low wages are also "impossible to help" when rents are too high, as they are around the UK especially in big cities..
There is a massive housing problem.

how would deal with those people?

I'm not a landlord, maybe this is a question you should ask yourself - you are in the game!