Change of law for landlords and tennants

[Gin96]

www.theguardian.com/society/2019/apr/15/short-notice-evictions-face-axe-in-tenant-rights-victory

Do you think this will help tenants? Will landlords think renting is to much hassle and start selling their properties?

It won't help tenants if landlords decide to sell up because that will remove properties from the rental market. Less properties means higher rents.

It doesn't make sense to me. If there is an AST in place, the tenant is secure for at least 6 months, and could then ask for a longer tenancy agreement, with agreed break points.

What isn't mentioned is the notice the tenant has to give if they wish to leave.

I rent, and am clear on what rights my l/l has (we are abroad), and what the notice period is.

I think the use of 'eviction' is,wrong too. Being given two months notice isn't 'eviction'....anymore than the tenant deciding they want to move. It's notice to leave.

I think that as we move away from home ownership as our residential model (because it is so unaffordable now) we need to make changes like this to protect tenants. We are out of step with lots of other European countries where renting is common and tenants have significantly more protection of their rights.

Less properties means higher rents.

The property doesn't cease to exist when it's not let, and will presumably be continue to be occupied by a similar number of people. Taking it off the letting market removes both demand and supply from the rental market, so there should be no net effect on rent levels.

Petty, not if it's sold, if it's sold it will be a property removed from the local rental market. How will that reduce demand?

As a landlord Id happily swap the right to S21 evictions (which I've never used) for a quicker, clearer eviction process if/when there is a problem. And as a responsible landlord I'd happily see a lot more shyster landlords out of the market

Exactly this

A tenant can give one months notice to leave. A landlord can give 2 months notice with a section 21.
Not that tricky really. There are some bad landlords and there are some bad tenants. In practice it takes 4 to 6 months to evict and during that time there is often no rent paid.
The govt is squeezing small landlords. You can no longer offset mortgage payments as expenses for tax.
Many of us put in new carpets for each new tenant, that is no longer t a tax claimable amount for renewals and repairs.
Landlords and tenants should work to have a good co operative relationship and everyone wins. Good tenants are great, why would anyone want to evict them

If this passes, it is BRILLIANT news for renters. The stress of always thinking you are two months away from losing your home is very stressful. You can't really settle, or make the house feel like a home. It is almost enough to make me vote Tory and I always said it would be a cold day in hell before I did I still won't

I think it’s long overdue.

We got turfed our just before Christmas when I was pregnant once. Owner wanted to sell. We found somewhere else then he got easy because he hadn’t sold. Had to go round multiple times to get our deposit back. He basically expected us to sit and be told when he wanted us to move. He let himself in too without asking and damaged our fridge with builders but that is a whole other thread.

Now own our own home. We have friends going from one short contract to the next with landlords dicking them about. So shit for any dc involved.

More and more families will rent and need protection. The be all and end all of renting shouldn’t be paying somebody else’s mortgage.

This will only help bad tennants. The only way to fix the housing market is to increase housing stocks by significantly replacing planning regulations and permissions processes. It’s is immaterial whether you are renting or paying off a mortgage when 50% of your take home salary is paying your housing costs (if you’re lucky).

Arsy

It’s good news if it puts more property on the market, leading to falls in prices. More people will then be able to afford to buy.

YANBU

I understand I've been fortunate with my ASTs but I know that vexatious evictions happen.

When I first received a S21 I thought I was being evicted but a call to the letting agent assured me that it was just my notice and if I wanted to stay I could (if the landlord agreed) but also if I wanted to leave I could.

It's one of those things that happens if you rent.

But the law should make it easier for LL to evict tenants that are not keeping up their end of the contract.

Also - there's been very little in the press about The Tenancy Act 2019 which comes into force on 1st June.
It makes illegal a load of upfront tenancy charges like holding deposits, referencing and arrangement fees.

Taking it off the letting market removes both demand and supply from the rental market, so there should be no net effect on rent levels.

Petty of course it won't reduce demand as few tenants buy the house they are renting - they can't afford it. The landlord I know is in the process of selling their housing stock and all have been sold to home owners not tenants there or at other properties. It reduces the supply.

Clicky link. www.theguardian.com/society/2019/apr/15/short-notice-evictions-face-axe-in-tenant-rights-victory

This further increases the difficulty of a ll to remove a bad tenant. As a ll, you have no right of entry, even if it's to make repairs (unless a dire emergency) and the anecdote of a family being thrown out and the locks being changed is surely very unusual. Lls will be sued if they do this.

I'm aware you're at the whim of the ll should he want to sell, but that's his right as the owner. 2 months is enough time to source another property. Ll generally dont rent out then immediately sell up as this is financially ruinous. This new proposal may well push a ll to hike the rent or sell (apparently easy enough if you claim you want to move back in) so I'm not sure this is helping anyone.

Removing a rental property from the market will inevitably create a shortage: what is needed is to make mortgages easier to obtain. It's ridiculous to say a renter can't have a mortgage because they don't have the 20% or whatever deposit when they may be paying more rent monthly than a mortgage would be. It's a bonkers system.

Did anyone see the interview on Sky between an evicted tenant and some female newscaster? The tenant unfortunately came across very poorly, swore, didn't really know how to answer the questions. Didn't help the cause. ☹️

When I first received a S21 I thought I was being evicted but a call to the letting agent assured me that it was just my notice and if I wanted to stay I could (if the landlord agreed) but also if I wanted to leave I could

That's weird. Why were you sent a Section 21 if you were then allowed to stay? It should gave been an extension to your AST that was offered or a rolling tenancy. Odd.

What we need is not a change to the termination process but longer term assured tenancies. 6 months is a ridiculous length of time for most people. You have just got yourself sorted out and you are moving again. I have a friend who stopped unpacking after her 3 move in 14 months, it wasnt worth it when she didnt know if she would be there any length of time.

My grandparents rented their home for 35 years. They could not be evicted (much to their new landlords annoyance who wanted them out and to rent at a higher rate to students) because they have a long term tenancy and as long as they paid their rent on time and kept the property well then they were safe. Thats how it should be. Ok so 35 years is a long time I know, but the principle should be that when someone signs up to live in a house it becomes their home and not a stop gap before the next stop gap.

People need the security of knowing that they will still be there in 5 years if they need to be. The houses can still be sold, but with sitting tenants as happened in my grandparents case. It doesnt happen anymore due to short leases, but it was common 30 years ago and before. You could have any number of landlords over a long period and never meet any of them, just the rent man who would collect for them.

I dont think 2 months is plenty of time to find a new place to live at all. And moving costs money, including finding a new deposit when you haven't got the old one back. And - other than when there'sa problem - there is no reason for landlords to be able to repossess their home so quickly. Want to sell or move back in yourself? Fine- but you can factor in a 4/6 month notice period for your tenants.

It is almost enough to make me vote Tory and I always said it would be a cold day in hell before I did I still won't

It was a labour election pledge too I think. So you have that option takemedown

I agree with this law but also think the eviction process for shitty tenants needs to be streamlined. It takes far too long at present.

Unfortunately I think renting had to be tightened up due to all the crap landlords. Especially those that refuse to repair, or swear blind they are looking for a long term tenant but just want someone to pay the mortgage for 6 months while they to travelling or see if it works out living with a new partner. This type also tends to be unreasonably possessive about their houses too.

One lady I rented from lived near by and flipped when she saw that I had changed the curtains, hers were safely packed away but no how dare I. The same lady was furious when she split up with her partner 4 months in and wasn't allowed to take her house back straight away, did I not realise it was her home and she had nowhere else to go . Luckily it was in the early days of the TDS and despite her best efforts I got my full deposit back. The lettings agent, not know for their generosity, subbed me the deposit for a new place via them and waived the tenancy fees as she was the most unreasonable person they had ever dealt with.

The Tenant Fees Act looks interesting. We rent and we’re excellent tenants. We keep the property well maintained- eg we clear out the gutters and touch up the paint etc and the agents still charge us £130 to renew. It’s a joke.

2 months is not enough time to find a new property or in the best interests of children who suffer from disruption and often need new schools.