3 houses in 3 years

[OneCoralCat]

Just a moan really 😫

My landlord called today to say he was going to be putting the house on the market.

We have been served section 21 notices in May 22, May 24 and now August of 25. Never done anything wrong just landlords all wanting to sell. It’s utterly exhausting and I’ll be so sad to leave this house, I really love it here.

As a single parent to 3, with a dog, it’s almost impossible to find somewhere to take us on each time. It has been the most stressful 3 years and I really thought we were going to be here for a good while. I know things change but I specifically asked this landlord if he was planning on it being a long term let 😭

I wish more than anything we could have a home of our own where we didn’t have to move again 😔

We have had the summer recess in parliament and it is likely to pass into law September/October. It’s been only a just year in the making which is incredibly quick for any legislation.

One of the tenants I deal with the other day was only bemoaning the abolishment of fixed term tenancies as it will leave him open to eviction if the LL wants to sell, whereas he has had 3 year tenancies a time up to this point for stability and he is right.

In this final version, yes. But the abolition of S21s and a general reform for renters was first discussed by Theresa May in 2019.

End the right to buy, end building endless student accommodation that sits empty, end the ridiculously small “affordable housing” quota and isn’t actually affordable and remove restrictions on local authorities building local authority properties, end tax free status for foreign investors who buy up tower blocks of properties leave them empty and then sell at a profit, powers to reclaim empty properties, high taxes on second homes in areas like Cornwall where locals have been priced out of the rental and property markets. I could go on…

All fantastic ideas…. Couldn’t agree more with everything you’ve said. But this is exactly what I mean, government could do these things, but they don’t, they hide behind blaming everything and everyone else.

I have no idea about your circumstances but Skipton Building Society do a proven renters mortgage scheme based on the rent you have been paying. I only know about it because I saw a post on Reddit about people getting onto the property ladder this way. Might be worth a look as it is zero deposit scheme just to see what your options are.

Completely shit that you are once again having to look for another property.

Thank you, that's really helpful, I'll check it out :)

It isn’t just that - we don’t even have a mortgage on our rental, but after paying stamp duty, income tax on the rent, maintenance, CGT when you sell etc you would make far more money investing it than you do owning a rental property. Honestly I’d make more money sticking it in an ISA. And property prices are stagnating, so you aren’t making money that way either.

Which is all fine and I don’t object to paying any of it (we have it rented out because we expect to move back in down the line), but it isn’t a sound financial investment any more, so obviously people are investing elsewhere with bigger returns.

DBro tried to sell his own flat (that he lives in) earlier this year and there is such a glut of ex-rentals on the market that a) prices are falling, and b) flats are sitting on the market for months. So ironically after 9 months and two sales falling through, he is renting it out for a year or two in the hopes that the market improves. I’m not actually sure that it will though!

Yeah my landlord has actually said he doesn't have high hopes for it selling, it is a lovely 3 bed Victorian renovation finished to a beautiful standard but it does have some damp and plumbing issues, which I've come to be fond of but I can't imagine are hugely appealing!

He's said he'll put it on the market for 2 months and if it doesn't sell do me another 12 month fixed term at an increased rent to cover his mortgage increase. Lose lose either way lol!

Would you be able to access shared ownership at all? It has disadvantages, but you wouldn't be forced to move with a landlord selling. You would also be building up some deposit for future.

The end of S21 has done for a lot of landlords.

And they've only got rid of it because the councils can not cope with rehousing people due to the enormous levels of demand on housing.
S21 gives an obligation to the council to house people. Remove S21 and you remove that obligation.

They haven't got rid of it yet though. And it wouldn't absolve the council of their responsibility to homeless people, as tenants can still be evicted, just for stated reasons, rather than no reason.

I don't think so at the moment, I just don't have any funds behind me at all and probably don't look very favourable for a mortgage as literally every penny is accounted for in my income.

But this is my new goal after a bit of research today, not sure how I'll get there, but my best option I think!

Indeed, landlords winge but were happy to take the easy money while it lasted. I am not selling up, my house is energy efficient and in great condition and I am quite happy to pay tax.

@OneCoralCatTry and buy it from him.

As a pp said, check out the proven renters scheme.

This sounds like such a good opportunity for you - he wants to sell to you, he will no doubt give you a good price as he won’t have to pay marketing costs, you won’t get into a bidding war, you won’t have to pay moving costs, you love the house and it doesn’t need any work done to it.

Im assuming you are working full time? If you can afford the rent, there’s a good chance you can afford a mortgage on it.

good luck

This. Have to say, it would put me off but many people are BTL investors and you’ll even save them the trouble of finding a decent tenant.

Selling off council houses and penalising landlords will have an impact and it won’t be on those with money to invest.

Im sorry this is happening to you again.

Blame the Government for making it harder and harder for landlords.

My landlord hasn't had it made harder for him outside of his mortgage increasing. It's no ones fault but his that he rents out properties he can't cover the mortgage on.

The additional fees local authorities are imposing for registration are a real.pisser.

Not in the LA where I am. There's no fee for him being a landlord.

Once you have to have a scheme to make some housing "affordable" then you know the system is so broke.

No one ever dreams their children will be able to buy 25% of a house.

Yuppppp but the poor people who have second homes to rent out and have to pay fees, they are the true victims in all of this.

Same position here x Section 21, single parent, dog...and it will be my daughter's 8th move in her lifetime (16 years). Had some REALLY shitty landlords over the years who were just nasty human beings. Current one bought the house with me as a sitting tenant. Gave a section 21 within 2 months of buying it and had been attempting all sorts of underhand tactics to force me out.
It's such an awful situation. In my area, the Local Housing Allowance is about £500pm less than actual rents, so whilst I get UC in addition to working, I can't afford to private rent. But the chances of getting local authority housing is also nil. Quite frankly, I don't have the energy or headspace to work, parent, look after the house, care for a dog, and bash my head against a brick wall trying to find somewhere else to live when it is simply impossible.
Good luck, OP. It's a thoroughly shit situation and you're not alone x

This is terrible advice, if the OP isn’t eligible for council housing then she’s at the mercy of the private rental market and no decent normal landlord with a property of a good standard is going to let to someone who has been the subject of a court order - even if she dutifully pays her rent while waiting to be evicted the court order will come up in her credit check and she’ll be blacklisted by all but the slummiest landlords who let to anyone without doing checks and “turn a blind eye”.

I do not know why people always get advised to wait to be evicted - I appreciate you won’t get help from the council if you’re deemed to have made yourself homeless but I’m sure OP’s end goal is not to become eligible for the council waiting list and languish on it for 2+ years while living in a bedsit with 3 kids, having had to rehome the dog. 🙄

OP I am sorry for you. I am an evil landlord but until recently I was also a tenant and we were served our notice 4 times in 5 years because our landlords were selling up and none of the buyers were landlords unfortunately- like you we did nothing wrong just not a good market for private landlords anymore 😑it’s just awful. 5 moves in 5 years it’s miserable but we got there in the end and you will too.