To think being a tenant is an absolute misery

By the way I also feel strongly that landlords should be subject to CRB checks too. That's something very easy to introduce with it being compulsory to include a copy in the Tenancy agreement paperwork.

The theory sounds good, and I know most decent landlords wouldn't have an issue with it. But the problem is 'bad' landlords who fail in their statutory duties, with little or no enforcement of the current laws.

Legislation without enforcement is just another nail in the coffin for decent landlords. They will follow the rules, which will inevitably be costly and the shit landlords won't do anything and will continue giving the rest of us a bad name whilst breaking the law.

Yeah we had a horrendous landlord and one before that wasn’t great either. Would’ve have liked to have reported them both

@GordonBlue ha, ha- I totally agree.

I always think it's crackers that tenants can't do referencing/affordability checks on landlords. It would be good to know how likely they are to try and pull a fast one with the deposit, or take the piss with repairs, or need to sell because of money problems, or have ever been bankrupt etc.

The majority of professional landlords use a referencing service which also checks income. If you are on benefits you wouldn't pass my referencing/affordability checks.

Just a note – it is not necessary to disclose to a landlord you are on benefits.

Some may ask to see wage slips or bank statement, however it’s not necessary to volunteer the information

I'm still shocked about the article I found last night. Very relevant imo to all the talk here, on the news, and by political parties, about the issue of increasing numbers of people unable to work, and also related to heavier burden on the NHS.

Especially worth noting there's an increase in older people private renting. 40s, 50s, and 60s. Relevant to the news about an ageing population. Especially that many are going into older age in poor states of health.

still as many people wanting to rent but now far less houses available to rent.

Your sentence is inaccurate. Most people don't want to rent. They need to because everyone needs a home and, with some exceptions*, majority private renting don't have any other option. They can't afford to buy and there's not enough social housing

*Private renting suited me when I was young. I wasn't at a settled stage of life. It's also something people do like OP when in-between house moves, and also people who only want to stay in an area short-term (work secondments etc).

you push house prices up. This puts home ownership out of reach of people who might otherwise be able to afford it.

When I was looking as a FTB, lots of flats advertised said 'suitable for FTBs and investors'. FTBs have to compete with landlords, which as LameBorzoi says, pushes up prices.

It's not like it's easy to find a private rental on a low income either....

This. PP saying private landlords fill the need for people on the lowest incomes are ignoring that few landlords accept benefits. Many on the lowest wages need benefits to top-up their earnings and many disabled people are unable to work. So the taxpayer ends up paying lots of money for hovel like temporary accommodation.

I don't think all landlords are Bad and there is a place for them but I agree with PP the problem is the ones who own a string of properties. Separately there's a urgent need for more social housing because private renting isn't the answer for people on the lowest incomes.

We are renting while the home we own is being renovated.

I agree: it’s a total pain: the landlord seems to think we are actively out constantly to “get one over” on her. I wanted a water meter installed because the assessed household charge for water in unmetered properties like the flat we rent is extortionate. Cue 6 weeks of back and forth with her and the agents, while I repeatedly tried to explain that the provisions of the Water Act 1991 mean tenants with tenancies over 6 months long need not even seek landlord consent to instal a water meter and the legislation overrides any provision in the tenancy agreement which has the effect of prohibiting tenants from installation a meter. But no, it was a huge issue - every excuse under the sun was trotted out to try to prevent us our exercising a tenant’s right, enshrined in legislation. Then they needed pics of the meter after installation etc. Wise up.

Then, hilariously, our gas and electricity provider emailed me to say the electricity meter needs to be changed to a smart meter because the signal that powers the current old Economy 7 meter will be switched off next year and it’ll no longer work. I asked agents whether they wanted me to arrange this (at my own inconvenience as I must be there to let the engineer in). Unsurprisingly, when it was suddenly in her interest to have the meter changed as the old one will no longer work, she immediately said yes to that - mysteriously, no attempts to invoke the relevant clauses of the tenancy agreement.

We have actually actively improved the property since we have lived here (“professional clean” of the bathroom before the tenancy began, my fat ass - I was scraping years of caked-on limescale off taps to make them presentable).

Landlord clearly just sees us as a big cheque book and wants our cash while having to do the bare minimum in terms of fulfilling her responsibilities as a landlord.

Can’t wait to move back out.

Cook pass carer.

Inspections every 3 months? We don't have that. We had one a few months after we moved in (which I panicked about, then the guy turned up and checked the smoke alarm and boiler and promptly left), and then another after we renewed the contract.
No rent increases so far either. In fact I offered £150 more rent per month in the first place as we were desperate and there are so many people applying for each rental property, and the landlady said she was perfectly happy with the original amount and didn't want any extra.
Surely it's obvious you'd need to double check with landlord about pets? We just asked the letting agent, then got confirmation it was all fine a few days later. Hardly the end of the world.
If we were planning on staying here a long time I'd just double check but I'm sure they'd let us put pictures up etc, but as we will hopefully be buying somewhere soon (once we can find a house we like) it's not worth it. I'm really grateful we have this place in the meantime though, and when we do move we will be paying much much more in mortgage than we do in rent.

There are presumably still the same number of houses present.

People don't become landlords out of the goodness of their hearts and a desire to provide housing. They do it from a desire to make a profit.

If it's too easy to turn a profit from investing in private real estate, you push house prices up. This puts home ownership out of reach of people who might otherwise be able to afford it.

It's not like it's easy to find a private rental on a low income either....

? 😂

I can think of 46. Do you know more?

No idea, people with deposits and earning multipliers I assume. The point is after many LL's left the sector some moving to air b'n'b there were still as many people wanting to rent but now far less houses available to rent.

Edit function not working – just spotted this is you as well Borzoi!

😂😂😂

An assumption based on? :)

This is interesting. But I’m also interested in Borzoi’s point. Who did they sell to?

The housing market is so fucked. I hear you. We rented for almost a year whilst waiting to buy in a new area. The landlord agreed to fix things, but was a tight fisted bastard who would come in and do shoddy repairs himself, and replace old broken white goods with old, energy inefficient second hand ones.

It was technically all legal but the spirit of it was to deliver the cheapest, poorest quality service in return for the vast monthly sum paid.

But you would still have your home and roof over your head presumably?

Your inconvenience does not compare with being homeless.

It doesn't seem fair some have many houses and some have none.

Everyone should be able to own a piece of this land, it makes a difference to wellbeing and security etc.

The way things are is very Tory ish ' I'm alright Jack'.

Bring back social renting with lifelong tenancies and support to buy homes with higher taxes for 2nd home owners.

OP I'm so sorry if I've not read the whole thread but I wanted to hop on and see if you've read about your rights as tenants?

If you're in England then typically the landlord can only put up rent once per year and it must be in keeping with the growth in property prices in the area (even on a rolling contract). Also, don't be worried about wear and tear and things naturally just breaking. I know it's easy to say, I had a horrible landlord who blamed us for literally everything that broke and normal wear and tear to the property that even predated us moving in (faulty washing machine, hob, marks on wall, it goes on). It really affected me and I was very anxious, always anticipating the next fight with the landlord.

It went to a deposit resolution service at end of tenancy because he tried to fleece us of money during the tenancy and then our entire deposit at the end despite us never actually having broken anything. It was a faff with the paperwork but we got our entire deposit back, the judge said the landlord couldn't prove we had broken or damaged anything and because we had evidence of us alerting the landlord ASAP to any problems (and photos) we had upheld our side of the contract. So, even if you do have a grabby landlord who blames you for things breaking, in my experience you can 'fight back' as it were - just make sure you keep all your emails as evidence and then at end of tenancy it can go to resolution. If you haven't broken something through misuse (like the dishwasher hinge), don't hand over any money and point out that it's faulty. The landlord can arrange a repair and it can then go to deposit resolution at the end of tenancy to determine who should ultimately pay.

I'm sorry you have a dud landlord, it's so so horrible. But do look at Shelter's advice for tenants and don't be afraid to question things eg if you're getting blamed for something breaking when it's not your fault. Hugs to you X

Rents increased AFTER IT ENDED. What a surprise!