"right. How would that happen? [banning accidental landlords] If you have to move for a job, or because relationship ends your house is confiscated?" You sell it. If that's at a reduced price thems the breaks - that would also likely lead to housing prices dropping which frankly they NEED to.
Essentialhummus - I understand the property price is much larger than the ongoing costs per cost BUT it would be a good way of easily ensuring people who ARE LANDLORDS fully understand and are prepared and organised to cover the costs of any ongoing costs - including if the insurance doesn't cover it. Cos we know how those insurance companies just LOVE to pay out no quibble! 😉
Dreamingofsun - I'm a Scot living in Scotland. Last 2 private tenancies here. Unfortunately a big problem (with tenants AND landlords is enforcement) I was savvy enough to know shelter can not only advise but also advocate - including legally - on a tenants behalf, I couldn't have afforded a lawyer. It's still took the threat of legal action in both cases before the landlords acted. In the case with the windows not even by me but the person who the window nearly landed on! (A neighbour) initially they were only going to replace the window that had fell out, even though the other windows were as bad! The neighbour threatened to sue if the others weren't replaced and fell out causing damage to their property (entirely possible with the set up).
There's not an agency that enforces laws regarding housing. Now THAT IS appalling! It's left to local authorities but they don't get any funding to do this and as someone who's lived and rented all over uk except Northern Ireland I have to say it's very hit and miss if you have a council that is good on this.
As said previously I think there should be registers of landlords and tenants with their history as these recorded - good and bad - and if they take the piss strike them off! And for landlords to register make them take a test on the rules and regs.
Create a regulatory body to oversee and enforce laws with a whistle blowers phone line!
Would solve an awful LOT of the current problems yes?
Getting rid of problem tenants would also be beneficial to other tenants too. Councils are also really shit at dealing with anti-social even illegal behaviour as Helenadove and I are all too aware! Stick em all on an estate together in basic housing in each council boundary - let em annoy fuck out each other!
"this too, you are not an 'accidental' landlord, you are someone who decided that renting the property out looked like a better option than selling it at market value, you made a deliberate choice based on your assessment of the options
there was no accident" exactly! It's a choice. At some point a choice was made.
"Housing Associations may have loans" housing associations aren't necessarily better landlords either. There's an awful lot of dodgy actions by HA's that seems to me is a hidden scandal. I'm with a HA at the moment and they seem to be ok and have a good reputation locally. The other housing association here not so much - no way of contacting them out of hours for emergency repairs, slow to do repairs, making mistakes with rent accounts to the point locally eg on FB pages people are advised to either pay the rent via bank transfer or get a clearly signed receipt at time of paying. I was with a HA ages ago (I'd forgotten until recently) they were somewhere in the middle not awful but not great either, made a lot of mistakes with my rent and poor infrastructure on their estates - basically they'd only put in suitable electrics/plumbing etc for the initial builds then added more houses but not improved the infrastructure so lots of power cuts etc.
And NOBODY is saying landlords should be providing a CHARITABLE service, they'd still be getting the same amount of rent but as many other BUSINESSES they shouldn't be allowed to discriminate against people because they are sick, disabled, female - which is the case for most benefit recipients it's indirect illegal discrimination.
Upthread someone tried to give the example of shopping etc - my money's as good to Tesco, my energy company etc as anyone else's they're not allowed to refuse me service based on where my money comes from - can you imagine?! This is exactly the same.
"They don't make assumptions on whether you might pay the rent or not or trash the place, they just say yes to the people who statistically are less likely to cause them trouble." I rather suspect that was the argument or very close to that which was used by landlords who had the "no blacks, no Irish no dogs" signs!
And it bloody well is personal when you ARE making assumptions on what a tenants like without even talking to them - hell without even credit check and references!
"govts have made landlording much too attractive and easy" yep! But is it any wonder when so many MPs have a vested interest in this?
"Universal Credits have buggered it up for landlords who have taken on tenants who have DSS" this attitude from landlords, letting agencies etc LONG predates UC
hence why many still use "no DSS" that's how far back it goes - at least! That depts been defunct for 18 years!
How many of you that are landlords that are aware of the issues with benefits being stopped arbitrarily or not paid in full have actually campaigned or even just written to your MP to say this is unacceptable? For the tenant as well as you?
Or have you simply fallen for the usual divide and rule and blamed the tenants rather than the govt?
"this is where you are getting confused. LLs have NO moral duty or obligation to you. Nor SHOULD they be expected to." They DO have a legal obligation NOT to discriminate against people with protected characteristics - even indirectly with policies that may not be immediately obviously discriminatory. Most housing benefit recipients are women!
"nothing LLs are doing by excluding DSS tenants is illegal. There is no 'have to' about it." I beg to differ - and some judges are starting to agree with me!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-42979242
There's other cases going to court challenging this on sex and disability discrimination grounds.
"They thought they were dealing with grown ups?" Some "grown ups" don't have the ability to handle finances well, they may have learning disabilities or mental illness that makes this difficult. In theory these people can get their housing payment paid direct to landlord but it's much harder on UC than it used to be. That's just going to lead to more arrears etc so it's in landlords as well as tenants interests to lobby govt to change this.