To be a bit shocked at the landlord who is evicting 200 families because they are on housing benefit

[wetaugust]

Heard this and 'Wow' - I was shocked.

He's being interviewed on C4 News.

He'd rather rent them to Eatern Europeans who are working.

He said that if house prices go up then rents should go up.

He said he's not the only landlord doing this.

Wow!

So some local authority will have to find new housing for all these people.

Where will this end?

I am stunned.

Also, what might be nice is at the stage where the landlord is requiring bank statements/references etc, they are required to supply the same to the council and also their tenants. If they turn out to be too highly leveraged and at risk of going bust, the council to refuse to licence them. Other information that should be provided to tenants could include matters such as how many times a landlord has withheld deposit money, whether they have ever been the subject of court action by tenants for this or any other matter - ie steps to ensure that they are fit to be providing housing.

I agree with much of what you have to say. I definitely think that longer notice periods should be provided, on both sides. Not just on behalf of the tenants though.
Not sure about rent regulation. Sounds costly and impractical. The level finds itself related to house puchase costs.
A lot of what you say is already there in one form or another, but yes, I agree.
I'd like similar info about tenants though. They can be bastards too.

Rent regulation works perfectly well in other countries and used to work here. I don't see how it is any more 'costly and impractical' than spunking £20bn a year, every year, on housing benefit to landlords.

landlord is requiring bank statements/references etc

good point, as a tenant these days it seems all your past behavior is up for scrutiny but you dont get to find out whether the LL plays fair until it's too late.

As a modern liberal democracy should we not aim for a situation where everyone has access to a basic standard of affordable accommodation?

No one should have to fall into poverty and destitution, that kind of thing doesnt just impact the poor, in the long run it holds back society as a whole.

And I'm not asking for a longer notice period for the tenant to be able to stay as long as they want, provided that they are not breaching their contract. The main reason for this, aside from the fact that no-one should be kicked out of their home for no good reason, is that whatever other rights and securities you give tenants, they count for nothing if a landlord can give notice with no reason required. If they had to apply to a court to prove insolvency/need to sell/need to use the house as a family home for them, then they would not be able to chuck out tenants just because they, for example, ask for too many repairs to be done.

I'm not asking for a longer notice period BUT for the tenant etc, that should read.

Bold fail. I give up. Hope you get the gist.

The level finds itself related to house purchase costs

really??
with landlords manipulating the situation by monopolizing large portions of the housing stock.
Not to mention the fact that property prices are totally out of whack with wages
You are a landlord and yet you seem so naive about the social and economic side of the situation

Not naive, realistic. I want money to provide a service. Fine if regulation keeps pace with reality re rents.
Yes I'd like more info about tenants too. I'd like to know if they've defaulted on rent or if a landlord has had to withhold the deposit.

I mean naive about the wider social implications and power structures involved

Landlords manipulating the situation
Really. Buy to let landlords are usually just trying to pay for their old age because regulation in the city isn't working and our pensions have been pissed up against the wall.

the implications of having basic needs like housing provided for by the private sector as opposed to having social housing

Lazy- I am pretty clued up actually, that's why I make money.

I do care about the wider community. And I know I'm part of it.
But my family comes first.

I'm not blaming individual landlords, they are just behaving opportunistically as business is wont to do, the problem (as we keep repeating) is the lack of govt regulations

The landlord who is the subject of this thread is clearly manipulating the rental and indeed buyer's market in his locality.

if you are a business your sole motive is profit, being sentimental and caring in business just makes you a mug

Lazy, there is room for ethical businesses.
And I've already said I agree with you proposed regulations mostly.
What do you do for a living?

me?
arms dealer

Ha ha. Can't fess up

business is only 'ethical' when ethical behaviour is in it's long term financial best interest.
The profit motive is the driving force.

Avoiding the question, are we?
Of course profit is the driving force. I can't live on air. But I can provide a decent service at a decent price.

Kitten this thread is about landlords, I think demanding to know the occupation of posters is irrelevant to the thread. I work in a training company btw. See? Completely irrelevant. Unless your motivation is to identify those who maybe on benefits of course, and you think this in itself makes someone's view point invalid?

F course it it relevant. If you are going to judge others, you should be beyond reproach. What do you train people in and how do they use it?
We are all working in this imperfect system
I don't care if someone is on benefits.
Had to do it myself in the past

I am not judging anyone!! Perhaps rtft.