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Tricia Urquhart
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Reading all these comments it is apparent that many tenants are simply not fit to live in a house!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 April 2024 12:51 PM
I think you are giving the Govt too much credit! I don't think there is a plan at all - just a response to hard lobbying by tenant groups!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 April 2024 16:42 PM
If you issue a S8 tenant can choose to leave rather than fight it through the courts. The beauty of S21 was that as long as it was correctly served, the court HAS to give possession to the LL. many of the S8 clauses are discretionary. That's one reason why so many LLs use S21 rather than S8.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 April 2024 12:09 PM
I have to agree - banning S21 is not the panacea the tenant groups think it. is. Once it is place tenants will continue to be evicted for the same reasons as before, but many will now find it even harder to rent a property as that reason will be available for all to see! I wonder what the tenant groups will demand once they realise S21 was not the problem after all?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 April 2024 07:44 AM
Good news for Scottish renters!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 April 2024 09:52 AM
I was also a renter for many years - as a military family we lived in subsidised accommodation. We squirrelled away that saving until we could buy our first rental so we would have a foot in the market for when we left. We built up a portfolio while those around us had new cars & expensive holidays. LLs don't just 'get' houses from nowhere - they work bloody hard to get them!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 April 2024 08:14 AM
For once I mostly agree with them - this bill does not anything for anyone! The 2 biggest problems for tenants is a lack of properties & increasing rent - this bill does nothing to address either. The tenant groups want everyone to have social housing, so it fails there too!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 April 2024 07:18 AM
My experience is that a tenant in situ devalues a property, so most LLs evict first.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 April 2024 07:16 AM
Why is an MP being a LL seen as negative, suggesting they only protect themselves, rather than positive because they have some knowledge of the sector? When people with no experience make up the rules they can miss the blindingly obvious! Experience is a GOOD thing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 April 2024 07:14 AM
No S21 until courts reformed - so no change No blanket bans on children & DSS - LLs can simply choose working tenants without children Decent Homes Standard - HHHRS already should do this. Enforcement is needed not more regulation Legal right to ASK for a pet - LLs can still say no Ombudsman - well that is new! So not really the change of a lifetime tenants were promised!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 April 2024 07:11 AM
Most renters already realise that & are not represented by these tenant groups! I think the penny has finally dropped with the tenant groups that Councils are not going to step in to replace private rentals & things are getting worse all the time as LLs leave!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 April 2024 16:52 PM
Got to be 20 people in the Commons debating this! Obviously not very important!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 April 2024 16:11 PM
Why do people who benefit from cheap rent then get the opportunity to buy the house at a reduced price - often funded by other family members, who subsequently sell & make a killing? IMO if you can afford to buy a house you shouldn't be in Council Housing anyway!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 April 2024 07:40 AM
This bill doesn't give tenants what they want & yet has plenty in it that LLs don't want either! No-one will be happy with the outcome!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 April 2024 07:34 AM
I thought GenRent WANTED LLs to sell up! In their minds a smaller PRS was good news. Maybe they have now realised what this is going to mean for tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 April 2024 07:32 AM
Give it away to your children so you don't end up giving 40% to the tax man!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 April 2024 11:15 AM
"We did not want to go down this route but the lure of easy money was just to great! Sorry tenants, you'll be getting a rent rise shortly!'
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 April 2024 07:38 AM
Who decides when the courts are fit for purpose? Who picks up the tab when they still aren't? Ben may be happy with this amendment but most LLs aren't!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 April 2024 07:33 AM
This is a bizarre argument! Surely most domestic victims who mange to leave the abusive partner walk out of the home & leave the partner with the bills? If tenancies are not a minimum of 6 months most LLs will start front loading rent to mitigate any losses.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 April 2024 07:30 AM
No doubt this will drive more demand for rent controls! The socialist tenants groups do not get economics - reduce supply & rents go up!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 April 2024 07:43 AM
Labour will introduce something more radical as soon as they are in power!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 April 2024 07:39 AM
Any tenant who pays all that deserves to be poor! £800 on double rent - only in London! £245 on bills at 2 properties - seems high £200 - loss of earnings to view - manage your time better £200 loss of earnings to move - do it at a w/e Removal van hire - yes probably Cleaning costs £100 - do it yourself, properly for about £20 Replace furniture £400 - really? why? One-off fees £50 - maybe No mention of the costs to LLs of rent arrears, damage, cleaning etc which they can't claim for if they do it themselves! Usual Shelter rubbish! If Shelter et al stopped forcing LLs out there would be less S21s issued - at least the ones for selling up!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 April 2024 07:35 AM
I almost agree with Gibbons - but the reason to improve the EPC rating is because a new Govt is likely to bring back the target of EPC C. The fact that the EPC is an extremely flawed algorithm has not changed & its effects on 'rental & capital appreciation' have yet to be proved to me!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 April 2024 07:26 AM
All mine being sold as they become empty - I have no desire to operate in this environment.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 April 2024 14:16 PM
So LLs spend money on properties that save tenants £ - in this anti-LL environment?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 April 2024 14:15 PM
Do you think she is the partner of Gibbons - the EPC expert? They are both certainly as annoying as each other!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 April 2024 14:39 PM
I do not recognise this situation of tenants facing arbitrary eviction. My tenants all know they can stay as long as they like as long as they pay their rent & look after the house. What I do know is plenty of tenants are being evicted by LLs who want to sell because they no longer want to be part of this brave new PRS. LLs are being made the scapegoat for decades of poor housing policy by successive Govt's, but picking on the easy target is just making things worse for tenants as properties become harder to find & more expensive.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 April 2024 07:22 AM
Who are the 50 muppets already signed up?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 April 2024 07:17 AM
Paying more for a worse service seems to be the norm in public services these days!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 April 2024 07:00 AM
You are right! I am getting out 10 years earlier than I had originally planned.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 April 2024 11:03 AM
He is right about 1 thing, LLs do hold the power - the power to walk away! LLs do not leave in a rush, but slowly over time, with momentum building. The PRS will not disappear overnight but private LLs are slowly easing away into other investments. I have another going on the market this week. I am not selling up quickly, just each time a tenant moves on. I will be out of the PRS in 7 or 8 years & with fewer new LLs coming into the PRS, things will just continue to get worse for tenants. By the time GenRent realise what has happened it will be too late to reverse the momentum.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 April 2024 07:56 AM
Extra SDLT 3%, mortgage rates at 5%, S24, RRB, possible rent controls - doesn't look so good from where I'm standing!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 April 2024 07:38 AM
The problem with socialists is they are not very good with money or figures!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 April 2024 07:51 AM
Why would SJP - the company who manages money for people who are rich but can't be bothered - wade in on a debate about renters - people who almost by definition, do not have much money?! Why on earth would they venture into an area of the economy where they have absolutely no relevance?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 April 2024 07:40 AM
Rent increases all round then!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 April 2024 07:37 AM
If I were buying a rental - and I'm not - I would only buy a property that was or could easily be an EPC C. Its just a sensible precaution as a Govt will bring this in eventually, so why buy a problem?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 April 2024 07:37 AM
Another one of mine on the market this week.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 April 2024 07:33 AM
Good LLs pay & pass the cost on to their tenants. Bad LLs don’t bother! Very few properties in Nottingham were improved after 5 yrs of SL but rents had increased significantly!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 April 2024 07:18 AM
Why anyone is still in Scotland at all is beyond me!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 April 2024 07:48 AM
Twomey's '4 months notice & 2 yr tenancies' doesn't reduce homelessness - it just postpones it! What is needed to reduce homelessness is more supply at affordable costs. Forcing LLs out is making the problem worse. I am taking back another one today to sell - a house that 3 people wanted to rent before the tenants had even told me they were leaving!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 April 2024 07:43 AM
My thoughts exactly!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 March 2024 07:39 AM
Rents up 46% in 10 years & the SNP want to reduce this to 0% over 5yrs? What sane person will want to be a LL under those conditions?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 March 2024 07:38 AM
What other business has a state imposed price on its services unrelated to costs? This will kill the PRS in Scotland.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 March 2024 07:35 AM
This is great for people wealthy enough to install solar & batteries but for those who just rely on the grid this will either force them to pay more or cook / wash / shower at unusual times! Big Brother is controlling how you live!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 March 2024 07:39 AM
The truth about smart meters - once you've got one only the wealthy will be able to use what they want when the want, poor people will be forced to live their lives upside down to be able to afford a basic amenity!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 March 2024 07:35 AM
Most tenants just want to rent the home of their choice at a reasonable rent. Shelter, GenRent etc are politicising housing & making it more expensive all round. They may help the occasional individual but actually increasing the availability of stock would help many more renters!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 March 2024 07:33 AM
If I was in a council property, I’d be paying £300 less in rent than I am now.' Many councils sold off their properties because they couldn't afford to run / maintain them & if private LLs cut that amount off everyone's rent they'd go bust. Who does she think should fill this financial gap?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 March 2024 07:36 AM
Maybe things like Coal Mining report will only need to be done once under this scheme - instead of every time the house is sold! If the report stays with the house it could end up saving money!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 March 2024 12:54 PM
if the suppliers actually read meters occasionally, as they are supposed to do they would pick up on tampering!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 March 2024 10:10 AM
I have solar panels & I love them. Do they save me a lot of money? Not really - they work best when it is sunny but not when it is cold & dark! I have added a battery to my system but unless I find gas in my garden my heating costs have not reduced. The system will pay for itself over time but it is only for someone who can afford the initial outlay & that is a significant cost.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 March 2024 07:44 AM
Wouldn't it be great if the Govt & Councils provided long term affordable housing for people on low incomes? We could call it Social Housing!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 March 2024 07:39 AM
Whilst I appreciate that increases in LHA help people already renting there are 3 big problems that come with the increases: 1. LLs increase the rent in line with the LHA allowance so these tenants are no better off 2. Anyone looking to move still can't because new rents are often significantly higher than existing rents so nothing on the market is at these rates 3. All rents go up because more people an afford higher rents. The answer is to build more social housing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 March 2024 07:36 AM
There are a lot of LLs who are playing catch up on rents, having been caught out by big mortgage increases. Rent rises are going to continue to keep rents at the top of what tenants can afford for several years as LLs try to balance their books again.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 March 2024 07:28 AM
Me too Robert. 1% knocked off a couple of savings accounts, yet mortgages still going up. Banks are just fleecing us as usual!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 March 2024 10:49 AM
My son has had 3 full price offers on his property - still waiting to get a mortgage valuation that allows a sale to progress! Mortgage valuers still seem full of doom!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 March 2024 07:28 AM
The LHA bill is going t be unaffordable when the renters retire!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 March 2024 07:31 AM
How about, 'I can't pay my rent this month as I've got to pay for my holiday'? Or 'I'm sorry my rent is late, I'll pay you as soon as I get back from my holiday'?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 March 2024 09:33 AM
As usual Jo, right on the money. I have only ever had one tenant with money problems. The husband had a severe back problem & worked irregularly - I always worked with them to allow them to stay in the house until they eventually moved on. Many LLs already help their tenants but we are mostly small businesses & don't have the financial wherewithal to carry huge arrears. No other small business is expected to help in this way.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 March 2024 07:41 AM
London-based! The London market is unique & always works differently to other areas.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 March 2024 07:47 AM
Social tenants have spent years having their complaints ignored - now, all of a sudden, they are being listened to & action being taken, so the complaints are flooding in. Social housing is not the wonderful housing the tenants groups believe it to be when demanding more of it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 March 2024 07:46 AM
Rents never go up evenly, there is always a pause while earnings catch up. I have seen some evidence of plateauing in my area as rents reach the point where tenants are maxed out, but I expect them to continue to rise later in the year. The shortage of housing is not being addressed so the upward trend will continue.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 March 2024 07:55 AM
Pointless. - the only person who can prevent SL schemes is Gove, & he never does!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 March 2024 09:00 AM
Asking people with no relevant knowledge or experience is unlikely to get a sensible response!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 March 2024 08:05 AM
Commissioned by Battersea Dogs Home - of course it’s pro pet!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 March 2024 07:48 AM
Tenants usually can’t afford to buy the home they rent! GenRent has been demanding LLs leave the sector - suddenly they seem to have realised when we do there will be no homes for tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 March 2024 07:38 AM
A cut in the rate of CGT to 24% after the savage cut in the nil rate allowance is not going to encourage any LL to sell! Lots of other reasons to sell - S24 / S21 / likely EPC regs / mortgage rates - but this is one of them! Besides, I thought GenRent wanted LLs to sell up so renters can buy their own homes!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 March 2024 07:32 AM
Of course its our fault - we're LLs - we're responsible for everything bad that happens!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 March 2024 09:23 AM
Rents will keep going up until there is more supply. There is no policy in place to increase the supply of rental housing other than BTR, which is only increasing slowly. Private LLs continue to leave the sector at a faster rate than new LLs come in & the number of tenants keeps increasing. When will the govt take some action to ease this crisis?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 March 2024 07:42 AM
Paying to house social tenants in the PRS is unsustainable. Build more social housing, move these tenants out of the PRS & both the LHA bill & the cost of renting in the PRS will fall.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 March 2024 07:39 AM
I'm sure having the licence on display in the house you have rented for a decade adds a very homely feel!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 March 2024 07:35 AM
The money may be 'ring fenced' for the scheme but the scheme only does what the housing dept should be doing anyway! Of course ts a revenue stream! Nottingham City Council will raise £25m from their scheme. They are bankrupt - do you think that isn't a factor?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 March 2024 07:30 AM
So right Simon, everyone expects the PRS to fill the void left by the lack of social housing but forgets we are actually businesses not charities! When the LLs that have moved from long lets to short lets simply sell up & holiday areas lose jobs because there is nowhere for tourists to stay & locals can't afford to buy or rent because there are no jobs, then they may regret their actions!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 March 2024 07:28 AM
LLs who have moved from long lets to short lets are likely to just sell up. GenRent will get what they want - no LLs - and still have nowhere to live! Kicking LLs out of the PRS without something to replace them will just result in more hardship for tenants.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 March 2024 07:21 AM
They don't want ANY LLs. They believe the Govt should provide housing at subsidised rates. Classic socialists with no plan as to how to actually achieve their aims!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2024 10:48 AM
I think the LISA is a great product, but most people are unaware of it. You can save more than in the Help to Buy ISA, get your bonus upfront, use with another person who is not a FTBer or put it in stocks & shares & use it as pension planning! My adult kids have all got one - not for house purchase but for a tidy lump sum at 60 yrs - funded out of our income, so no IHT to pay EVER. I would advise anyone with adult kids & a bit of spare cash to look at them.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2024 08:34 AM
I get it - but the problem is it is not an exact science & valuations will fluctuate over time. My son's house valued by EA at £200k, two buyers have offered £200k - first valuer said £180k so no sale, waiting for the second. It does appear the bigger the mortgage LTV the lower the valuation! The housing market is being driven by pessimistic valuers not by vendors & buyers!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 February 2024 14:40 PM
The mortgage lender obviously has the right to protect their business, but down valuations are holding the market to ransom! A property used to be worth what someone is prepared to pay for it - now its worth what some valuer believes its value might be IF the market does something, sometime!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 February 2024 07:45 AM
GenRent are angry! Wait until they get what they want - and realise it isn't what they need after all!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 February 2024 07:40 AM
The optics may be bad, but she hasn't done anything wrong. The issue is the policy not the person.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 February 2024 08:24 AM
I cannot imagine how conservative mortgage valuers will be when valuing a property for a 99% mortgage! Pretty sure the valuer will be knocking £10,000s off the asking price meaning most vendors will withdraw from the sale! If you are not disciplined enough to build a deposit you will probably not be able to afford to run your house after the 99% mortgage.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 February 2024 08:08 AM
This suggests it's a good thing! I see it as LLs desperate to get out of the market. When you see the state of some of the properties coming up for sale now it is easy to see that they have been tenanted & the LL gets it back & says 'I don't want to deal with that level of disrepair anymore' & so it goes to auction. Someone gets a good deal, yes, but it won't be tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 February 2024 07:59 AM
Only an idiot would still ask for rent controls when the damage done to tenants BY rent controls is staring them in the face! Highest rent rises in the UK & LLs leaving in droves.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 February 2024 07:55 AM
No-one on here condones his actions - but you condemn us all!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 February 2024 10:43 AM
If LLs get fined for not having licences shouldn't Councils be fined for failing to issue licences that have been applied for in a timely manner? Why are the penalties only one way?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 February 2024 07:43 AM
I think you mean inheritance tax!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 February 2024 13:24 PM
I have 2 properties, licensed for 5 years. 1 inspection, about 2 weeks before the end of the licensing period. Inspector said it was of a very high standard. Now a new licensing period has begun. My tenants have had 2 extra rent increase to pay for the licenses & an extra inspection to tell them what they already knew - that their property was fine! I'm pretty sure they would rather have kept their money!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 February 2024 13:23 PM
I think perhaps some LLs could offer training to Councils! This would probably have a larger effect on the rental market!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 February 2024 07:37 AM
Rents for my existing tenants have gone up every year & will continue to do so because even with regular rises they are still well below MV. New lets? Well they're being sold off not relet when they become vacant!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 February 2024 07:36 AM
Yesterday a story about how rents were falling everywhere apart from 3 areas, one of which was the East Midlands. Nottingham introduced its 2nd round of SL on 1st Dec, so I would suggest the reason rents have bucked the trend here is because LLs are passing on the cost of SL - I certainly did!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 February 2024 07:33 AM
Yes, Yes, Martin is right! We must spend a fortune on save our tenants a measly amount whilst being unfairly taxed on income not profit! And we must aim for some deeply flawed, mystical EPC C grade even though it is not even a relevant measure!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 February 2024 08:44 AM
We need a specialised housing court who can spot the rogues on both sides with costing the tax payer a fortune!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 February 2024 08:41 AM
LAs have realised they can fund their entire housing dept on the back of SL & the Govt keeps signing off on them! Just what tenants need in a housing crisis - more rent rises!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 February 2024 07:32 AM
Brave of him to include tenants in the 'do not care' statement. Usually its LLs who get the blame for tenants spoiling the community!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 February 2024 07:30 AM
inflation is going up because the energy cap - the one set by a Govt body - is going up!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 February 2024 08:56 AM
Hilarious that this story is just under the one where Shelter et al are calling for more anti-LL measures in the RRB! My son is struggling to sell his 2 bed house. It would sit very comfortably in my BTL portfolio but I don't want it! Too concerned about getting a tenant that I can't remove! The tenants groups' ideas that they are helping tenants is laughable.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 February 2024 07:51 AM
Why? They won't listen!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 February 2024 07:46 AM
Q: Would you like your LL to fit energy saving measures? A: Yes Really? How about Q Are you prepared to pay more rent for a more energy efficient property? A: Er - No!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 February 2024 07:51 AM
S21 evictions are the end result of a series of anti-LL measures. Gen Rant should be looking at the causes (one of which is them) and working out how to stop these. Treat the causes not the symptom!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 February 2024 07:49 AM
The problem now is the undervaluing of properties by mortgage valuers! Apparently 46% undervalue resulting in sales falling through!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 February 2024 07:57 AM
I think this is not the case. You can heat any home with a heat pump but it will be more effective with good insulation. A well installed system should be as good / cheap as gas, but there are not enough good installers yet & retrofitting may be expensive depending on the extra work that is required. We should not be dinosaurs & resist all & any progress but assess new technologies on their merits. I will not be installing heat pumps any time soon but I fully expect we will all have to eventually.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 February 2024 08:38 AM
Probably lots of other factors involved here. Until the EPC algorithm is fit for purpose it is worse than useless.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 February 2024 07:50 AM
I couldn't get anyone to even come & talk to me about a heat pump! I think it will be the default heating option eventually, but not until we have more installers. A gradual transition will allow the technology to improve, reduce in price & give people reassurance it works. We need more carrot & less stick in this green transition. Besides its all fairly pointless with 2 major conflicts going on & China & India opening more coal mines!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 February 2024 07:49 AM
Are social rents really that low? I thought Council Rent was set at LHA & social rents could be upto 80% of local rents.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 February 2024 14:38 PM
But what causes S21? Rent arrears, ASB, LLs selling, anti-LL rhetoric etc. Those are the real reasons behind evictions in the PRS.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 February 2024 08:16 AM
LLs are being expected to put right the poor building standards that were applied! Higher insulation standards should have been mandatory for 20 years before anyone is expected to retrofit! We are paying the cost for the builders bottom line!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 February 2024 10:45 AM
The Govt has pushed social housing tenants into the PRS by failing to deliver adequate housing for decades. The fact that these people require LHA to afford private housing is not our fault - they shouldn't be here! If all the should-be social tenants were not in the PRS the level of rent for everyone else would be lower. Govt has failed EVERYONE with its lack of housing policy & this group has the temerity to attack the LLs who are the only group taking up the slack!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 February 2024 08:04 AM
Story in Nottingham Post of a single mum in Council housing complaining of mould. She's been there 15 years. Council have inspected - no structural problems - maybe 5 people living in a 2 bed maisonette is the problem!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 January 2024 13:04 PM
Is there a single hazard that has been rectified that could not have been rectified by existing legislation? I doubt it. So all tenants get a rent rise because the council doesn't do its job properly!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 January 2024 07:47 AM
EPCs don't give an accurate indication of anything so what would the point be?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 January 2024 07:40 AM
There is no excuse for not submitting your tax return in time even if you choose not to pay until the last minute - the tax year ended over 9 months ago! There is not really any reason for not paying early as HMRC pay a decent amount of interest (Base Rate - 1%) on which there is no tax payable.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 January 2024 07:39 AM
You'd have to be mad to enter the Scottish BTL market!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 January 2024 07:47 AM
Where do people the council evict go to live?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 January 2024 13:01 PM
Newsflash - home owners have problems too! Its called on going maintenance & as long as it is reported promptly & dealt with is just a natural part of living in a house!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 January 2024 07:59 AM
People who fail to pay council tax / rent are usually struggling to pay ALL their bills. Sending in the bailiffs is really not the answer unless they are failing to pay when easily able to. Taking someone's goods & selling them at knock down prices just pushes them into more debt as they try to replace them. Councils need to engage with these families & help them avoid homelessness, which then puts all the costs back on the council!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 January 2024 07:55 AM
As ever, Jo is spot on. I had a plan to sell some properties that were inconveniently located & rebut something else closer to home. CGT & SDLT made. that unviable, so now, and with the RRB coming, I am just selling.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 January 2024 07:51 AM
Opening the windows wide for a few minutes everyday to let warm, damp air escape is so simple. It doesn't even really affect the temperature of the house as heat is retained in the curtains, walls, carpets etc. But you cannot tell some people!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 January 2024 11:12 AM
We all know that bad tenants can cause mould in good houses whilst bad LLs ignore the law! Instead of more regulation, Councils should use the powers they already have to deal with the LLs who flout the law & stop threatening those of us doing a good job with further regulations!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 January 2024 07:46 AM
Last year Skipton BS offered 100% mortgage to 'FTB who could afford the repayments'. It would be interesting to know how many have taken up this offer. IMO its not just the deposit that stops people buying, but the payments - often significantly more than rent because of the repayment part.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 January 2024 07:42 AM
It's not what to do that is the problem, it is the measure used! EPCs still not fit for purpose!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 January 2024 07:59 AM
I wonder how many units have left the PRS in the last 5 years? More needed, less available = higher rent.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 January 2024 07:58 AM
Even the Govt has recognised that EPCs are not fit for purpose & EPC C is just pie in the sky! Now we have the NRLA promoting it again!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 January 2024 07:57 AM
So in a housing crisis, instead of 'working with LLs', they are simply issuing large penalties, which probably means the LLs will do as little as possible to become compliant & pass on as much as possible in extra rent to the tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 January 2024 07:49 AM
It's frustrating that LLs can get huge fines for minor breaches but tenants routinely ignore huge chunks of their contract. Most don't read it & if they do, most don't believe it is a legal contract that can be enforced - mostly because it can't! S21 is the only way LLs can enforce their contract terms.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 January 2024 09:11 AM
I think its just reflecting the usual pre Christmas dip as LLs want to get a tenant in rather than have a long void in a cold period!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 January 2024 07:57 AM
Hidden in that report is the statement that the bill has an amendment to introduce a decent homes standard. I wonder what else is being slipped in at this stage?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 January 2024 07:55 AM
Whilst a rise in LHA rates will help those already in a house who are making up the shortfall themselves, in the end higher LHA pushes rents up again, as more people can now afford the same amount of houses. The answer to ever rising rents is more supply - but we have no action on that at all!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2024 07:55 AM
I think there is lot of false information out there about heat pumps & I believe they will be how we heat our homes in the future. However...there is a lot of improvement going on right now & until the product has been fine tuned & an appropriate number of installers trained, its only a few brave (rich) souls who will fit them.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 January 2024 13:32 PM
Only in new builds - the rest of us have until at least 2035.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 January 2024 07:54 AM
Any form of electric heating will only make fuel poverty worse!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 January 2024 07:54 AM
Tenants often just look at their rent rise not MV. Many who have been on low rents are getting a big shock now as LLs raise them to MV. The funny thing is that all the tenant groups, anti-LL sentiment, taxation etc is pushing MV sky high. The tenant groups have won a bad deal for all tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 January 2024 12:00 PM
And you do realise that the Govt will try to take 40% of your assets when you die because you had the temerity to plan for future generations!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 January 2024 11:56 AM
Nick - that is probably why S21s are issued! If the LL has to sort out a problem they can't, the risk of further trouble is huge. The answer is therefore S21!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 January 2024 11:53 AM
Just shuffling the stock, without increasing supply, just shuts a different group out!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 January 2024 08:04 AM
I wonder how many of these 'repairs' are damp & mould, caused by condensation. If your tenant won't take action but blames the LL, S21 is an obvious route out.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 January 2024 08:03 AM
Vendors will not necessarily give you a big discount for csh but it does allow you to secure a property over someone with either a house to sell or a mortgage offer to wait for!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 December 2023 08:18 AM
I think it's very BAD news for tenants! With so few rentals available, anyone with a pet goes straight to the back of the queue for many LLs.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 December 2023 08:16 AM
Please don't facilitate these animals duping another LL! They need to live on the streets!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 December 2023 09:42 AM
Thanks Richard - the sentence did start with 'If'!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 December 2023 09:31 AM
Because they think its a vote winner!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 December 2023 07:26 AM
What is the point of achieving an EPC C when the algorithm does not actually measure what it is supposed to! If the Govt manages to come up with a sensible measure in its revamp of EPCs then & only then, should we be looking at getting that target. In the meantime decent LLs continue to improve their properties using their own common sense!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 December 2023 07:22 AM
As a Nottingham LL I can tell you that the city has seen development after development of student & non-student blocks go up. Demand in the city is still high & rents rising as fast as anywhere else. Extra housing of every tenure is welcome & none of it is having a negative effect on BTL.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 December 2023 07:52 AM
I can see why they think it's quite a big rise (12%) but tenants don't monitor the market & think 'Hey I'm on a good deal!' That's why mine go up every year. Tenants get used to a regular rent rise & by putting it up each year I avoid the big rise that causes offence. I bet once they start looking they agree to your new rent!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 December 2023 10:31 AM
As Jo says, nothing worse than tenants not reporting minor faults that then turn into bigger ones. GenRent must represent the unluckiest tenants around - given that >80% tenants are happy with their LLs. Govt then believes GenRent, Shelter et al & legislates for the minority resulting in ALL tenants suffering with lack of availability & increasing rent.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 December 2023 07:37 AM
Today's inflation figure - 3.9% - makes interest rate cuts & therefore lower mortgage rates more likely. This will boost the housing market. I predict a stronger recovery than NW.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 December 2023 07:14 AM
The rise is damp appears to correlate with the increase in the cost of heating. People are heating & ventilating their property less & this is causing damp in their homes.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 December 2023 07:12 AM
When they look at their bigger neighbour, Nottingham City Council, raking in £25m is it surprising they want a piece of the pie? The problem here is that Gedling is a relatively cheap area so the extra £25 0r £50 pcm is a big hike for tenants.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 December 2023 08:07 AM
Clearly there are some rentals that have problems, but the biggest cause of damp & mould in rentals is - Tenants! Some tenants seem to believe that houses look after themselves or that everything is the LLs responsibility. I never cease to be surprised at the conditions that tenants bring upon themselves & are happy to live in!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 December 2023 08:02 AM
When there is a crisis in the PRS anyone who is not a perfect tenant in every way will find it hard to rent. This is not discrimination, this is reality. LLs are not social housing providers they are businesses & as such can choose who they rent to. Incidentally I rented to a care leaver once, supported by a charity. All was fine until she upset the boyfriend who started trashing the property!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 December 2023 08:20 AM
Unfortunately even that huge sum of money will only buy a 40 or 50 homes - great for those few families but I suspect it will hardly dent the numbers on the waiting list. Buying at MV is an expensive way for a council to gain extra units, & given that most sold their council houses off because they couldn't afford to run them, it seems a retrograde step. Rather than shuffling units from one tenure to another, what we need is more units, acquired at cost, for social housing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 December 2023 07:13 AM
I think you are on the wrong forum love. This one is PRO-LL!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 December 2023 12:56 PM
Sandra, if you want to know the effect of rent caps look at Scotland. They have the fasting rising rents in the UK.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 December 2023 12:54 PM
I see rents continuing to rise :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 December 2023 07:32 AM
Not a very big fine for a pretty serious offence.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 December 2023 07:32 AM
If high rents were the main cause of homelessness there would be 1000s of empty properties without tenants. Sky rocketing rents are the result of lack of availability & increasing costs to LLs. Only by addressing these issues will rents stop rising. We need increased availability of rental housing but Shelter et al, with their anti-LL policies, are making the situation worse.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 December 2023 07:30 AM
Plenty of advice on the internet on how to avoid damp. Plenty in my tenants' pack in every house I rent out. You can lead a horse to water....... Seriously though, this has got much worse since the huge rise in the cost of gas & electricity. Many people are now simply not heating their homes or ventilating enough because of the cost. With prices higher than last for most this winter, because there is no Govt support, this problem will continue to get worse.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 December 2023 07:26 AM
Let's hope it does not penalise home owners for things they cannot change - outside walls, location, orientation - but instead recognises the positive measures taken - loft insulation, TRVs, LEDs DG etc.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 December 2023 07:21 AM
The only way to stop rents going up is to increase supply. Everything else is tinkering around the edges.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 December 2023 09:41 AM
SL is a blunt tool that penalises good LL (and therefore tenants) in order to find the bad LLs (who don't engage). A property portal, if used properly, should allow LAs to identify the non compliant LLs more easily, therefore erasing the need for SL. Unfortunately for tenants, LAs will not want to lose the income stream of SL. Nottingham City Council - just declared bankrupt - will raise £25m over the next 5 years with its second SL scheme. Why would they abandon that just to save tenants some dosh?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 December 2023 08:10 AM
For once I agree with Polly - the RRB does not give tenants a better deal! Unfortunately it also doesn't give LL a better deal either! In fact its main effect will be to drive LLs from the sector, reduce availability & increase rents. It certainly isn't the 'once in a generation chance to improve the lot of tenants' that it is supposed to be. Who would be a tenant when even the people on your side make things worse!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 December 2023 08:17 AM
Are you sure this is correct? My understanding was that because this becomes an AST S8 can be used, but the freeholder would still have to go to court to regain possession & paying the debt would remove the threat. I don't believe this is mentioned at all in the RRM except that if ASTs no longer exist then ground rent cannot create one.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 December 2023 08:38 AM
LLs may like older tenants but how are older tenants going to pay the rent when they retire? Tenants on fixed incomes when rents continue to rises will either need extra benefits or will fall into debt.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 December 2023 07:56 AM
Rents often drop slightly in December when the merry-go-round stops for Christmas. Having a low rent might get you a tenant in before Christmas & so potential an extra 4-6weeks rent. Watch them go up again in January after all the break ups!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 December 2023 07:56 AM
A few LLs do something unusual - usually in London - and suddenly it is so prevalent a law must be brought in to stop us all doing it! The anti-LL brigade are just looking for examples of bad practice & then drive the policy makers towards ever more regulation. Instead of actually solving the problem they just keep chipping away at LLs integrity.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 December 2023 07:53 AM
I would argue that neither 2.1% or 2.8% reflect ,most tenants experience! Mine all went up by 5% this year. Averages are just a statistic & are usually pretty meaningless.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 December 2023 07:40 AM
As good LLs we should welcome measures that seek to remove the criminal & rogue elements from our industry. However I am not certain that even this eyewatering sum of money will achieve anything worthwhile in the hands of local Govt.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 December 2023 10:03 AM
It doesn't really matter what changes they make, this LL is selling up! I am not prepared to take on new tenants under these conditions & I am selling up as my current good tenants move on. The age of the small LL is ending & a new era of corporate landlording is beginning - let's hope the powers that be don't live to regret our demise.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 December 2023 07:27 AM
The mind boggles at what this training may consist of!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 December 2023 07:59 AM
Most people still don't have a clue about energy efficiency, whether buying or renting!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 December 2023 07:57 AM
My rents went up this month with an extra amount specifically to cover the cost.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 November 2023 07:33 AM
In the context of the crisis in housing it's not many is it? Yet Council's are going after these owners with a money grab!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 November 2023 07:32 AM
Mortgage rates are no longer high but near long term averages & we have often had periods when inflation was well over the Govt's target furlong periods. Everyone needs to get used to it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 November 2023 07:27 AM
This bill is a bit like the RRB - promises to make huge changes for the better but actually will deliver very little for most people!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 November 2023 07:29 AM
Not this LL!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 November 2023 07:46 AM
Until the EPC algorithm is updated it is a meaningless measure. I have done everything sensible - loft insulation, TRVs, programmable thermostats, DG - but I will not be forced into solid floor insulation (disruptive & expensive) or external wall insulation in Victorian properties (expensive & likely to cause damp) I would rather sell them! Any measure that makes a perfectly decent home unrentable in the middle of a housing crisis is ridiculous. Any measure that puts a restriction on rentals but not on owner occupiers is unfair. Any measure that makes a vast swathe of our rental stock (Victorian & Edwardian terraces) unsuitable for tenants is stupid.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 November 2023 07:43 AM
I am with them on tumble driers but dehumidifiers cost pennies to run! You can't help some people!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 November 2023 08:11 AM
TaxCalc. Been using it for years & it is pretty straightforward.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 November 2023 07:57 AM
Why are Acorn even addressing the committee? They are just a bunch of leftwing activists who know nothing about the PRS except their own personal experiences?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 November 2023 07:27 AM
This is always what happens - rents go up, plateau, then wages catch up & off we go again! With other reports of wages now exceeding inflation, & with noting done to address the shortage of supply, this will only be a temporary lull.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 November 2023 07:36 AM
Great for 10 years - if it doesn't cause health problems. The you are left with an unsellable house!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 November 2023 07:52 AM
It's funny how they confuse us with Social Landlords!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 November 2023 07:51 AM
Spot on!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 November 2023 07:50 AM
There points: 1. Odd properties here & there are not ideal for councils to manage 2. It doesn't increase number of units so whilst it may get some out of TA it may put others in it 3. Councils sold off their housing stock because they didn't want to maintain it! Shuffling deckchairs on the Titanic comes to mind.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 November 2023 07:42 AM
If its 4 or more that's me. Selling another one next week, sold one last year & another one going on the market in January!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 November 2023 08:28 AM
You also have to remove & replace skirting & redo any electrical before skimming & redecorating. Hard to do with tenants in place.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 November 2023 16:27 PM
It is a Labour Council in Nottingham that keep bashing LLs with Selective Licensing & its ensuing rent rises - why should they believe a Labour Govt will help them?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 November 2023 07:44 AM
The only way to reduce homelessness is to make more housing available. Removing S21 is like shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic - all it means is different people will be homeless!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 November 2023 07:43 AM
Home Owners are even less aware of what should be done & how to do it than LLs! Most retrofitting is very difficult to do with occupants in situ &/ or very expensive. The best time to retrofit is when the house has a major refurb, but for many houses this never happens. And try to get a heat pump installer! In Nottingham I contacted 7 or 8 & can't get anyone to even come & talk to me about installation!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 November 2023 07:38 AM
We can't say 'No families' or 'No DSS' but we don't have to take them! So we just waste everyone's time & still pick the professional working couple with no pets!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 November 2023 16:02 PM
Agree - but EPC requirements have now been scrapped (until a Labour Govt brings it back) so at least that's one word less.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 November 2023 08:58 AM
Sounds a riveting watch!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 November 2023 08:00 AM
Moving houses from one sector to another just means different people can't access housing! We need more availability, not shuffling the deck chairs on the deck!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 November 2023 07:57 AM
Trigger, there is nothing in the RRB that stops you putting up rent, only that you can only do it once a year with 2 mths notice & a S13.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 November 2023 15:32 PM
Making the decision to sell & actually selling can be years apart. I have made the decision to sell, but I am not currently evicting good long term tenants. As they leave I will be selling up. LLs leaving the PRS is like a slow train coming - it will take a while to get a a head of steam but then be unstoppable. This is only the beginning.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 November 2023 07:40 AM
Let's comment here instead! As Spare Room is a site for flat sharers, this is a condemnation of individuals, not LLs! GenRent -who have blocked me on Twitter for countermanding their posts - don't make that clear at all do they?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 November 2023 09:10 AM
Well that's alright then! I wonder why rents are still rising & would-be tenants can't find anywhere to rent?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 November 2023 07:57 AM
Trying to actually get Govt funding is like trying to catch a bar of soap!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 November 2023 07:36 AM
And Edinburgh ia about to announce a housing emergency! You couldn't make it up!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 November 2023 07:32 AM
Shouldn't this be aimed at electricians? If I pay a qualified electrician for an EICR I expect them to know what to check. I don't expect to have to become a qualified electrician myself!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 November 2023 07:42 AM
Hope for the best BUT prepare for the worst!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 November 2023 07:38 AM
I have looked into my crystal ball & I see the sales market stalling too until the New Year! Nothing like stating the obvious & regular fluctuations in the market & then drawing conclusions for the next year from them!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 November 2023 07:37 AM
Nottingham has a plethora of new, purpose built student accommodation. All whistles & bells but the price! Upwards of £200 pw! I rent a 3 bed house out for less than that. Of course this drives up all other rents too, so capping these new builds would have my support.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 October 2023 10:23 AM
I have been a LL for over 20 yrs & in contrast to d Duck I put my rents up pretty much every year! Nothing new here for me!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 October 2023 07:43 AM
I think the foreign sounding names may lead us to some conclusions, but not that they don't understand English!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 October 2023 10:51 AM
They did a complete U turn on EPC C. There is always hope!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 October 2023 10:50 AM
I believe that is what is generally happening now, John.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 October 2023 10:47 AM
Most tenants only rent a house big enough for themselves so don't have spare rooms!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 October 2023 07:13 AM
He said No to repealing S24 but said they were 'looking at' helping LoL on tax. Don't hold your breath!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 October 2023 08:01 AM
You are right, pet insurance on offer currently might cover 'damage' but not 'wear & tear' One that does will be VERY expensive, as your example shows.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 October 2023 12:07 PM
I am really surprised that an animal charity supports pets in rentals - many of these would end up at their door eventually!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 October 2023 07:46 AM
Let's not forget >80% tenants are happy with their LL! Govt should be focussing on building more houses to increase availability & stabilise rents instead of tweaking the existing rules which will not house anyone!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 October 2023 11:15 AM
Andrew, I think LLs are not given enough credit for bringing houses back into decent conditions. FTBers often don't have the money or knowledge to do it & home owners rarely bother after their initial burst. LLs refurbish properties & maintain them.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 October 2023 11:11 AM
All the comments here are absolutely correct but I think they are missing the point - the RRB seeks to destroy the idea of an individual with a small portfolio of properties. These portfolios - of which I am one - inevitably lead to evictions because they are driven by an individuals needs - all my properties will be sold as I get older. They want the PRS to fill the hole left by inadequate social housing & this is best served by companies, where the business is more likely to continue past one individual's involvement. The new PRS will be made up of companies, not individuals, and S24 is part of the stick being used to lever us out.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 October 2023 07:55 AM
Any concessions will be temporary - they want the PRS to fulfil the roll of social housing ie permanent, long term homes, so this is just going to keep on down the track until we get there - its just about the speed of the train. All the small, 'amateur' LLs will be rail loaded out of the PRS & only bigger players will be left. That's fine - I am taking my money & heading for the exit.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 October 2023 07:40 AM
They don't realise they need our backing! They think we will just carrying housing the UK population whether it makes us money or not!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 October 2023 15:07 PM
Andrew - I assume it is a stone solid- walled cottage or something similar. Not your typical rental perhaps?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 October 2023 12:42 PM
Jo - my son also thought he wanted to be a LL & I proved to hime there were better options! Having said that I am in the process of selling a house to a younger LL who is building a portfolio, so there are people out there who still think it's a good long term plan. I am sure there is money to be made over the long term - just not for those who lived through the good times.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 October 2023 12:41 PM
They are trying to turn the PRS into Social Housing. LLs either accept that - with life long tenancies - or get out. I know which I'm doing!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 October 2023 12:01 PM
EPC F is a pretty dire rating, even with the useless algorithm we currently use. That 1300 houses were at this level, 3 years after it became illegal is astounding. Any LL renting a house like this probably needs to leave the PRS!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 October 2023 08:09 AM
However they tweak the RRB they have lost the confidence of LLs - if they ever had it! The triple whammy of S24, high interest rates & the RRB has many older LLs planning their escape. There will be a new generation of LLs who will work in the new PRS but I think it will be a smaller cohort & only excellent tenants on good wages will get a house. What will happen to the 1000s who don't meet this new criteria? Temporary accommodation, homelessness, rogue LLs & living with parents beckon.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 October 2023 08:05 AM
I think a Labour Govt may U turn too - they are beginning to realise the mess housing is in & will be keen not to make it worse. Won't be the first time a Govt backtracks 'because we didn't know the full story until be were in Govt'.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 October 2023 08:01 AM
I think the there are 2 problems with mediation: 1. the disparity between what a tenant & a LL consider reasonable behaviour & 2. tenants lie.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 October 2023 07:56 AM
For any stock market investment you need a 5 year horizon. Now is probably a good time to invest but the last 2 years have been awful!. There will be another bull market & then we should see good returns. Drip feed into the stock market to benefit from dips & use high interest accounts for anything else.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 October 2023 09:49 AM
Stephen, They may well be in trouble after 5 years when the loan needs repaying!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 October 2023 09:46 AM
High interest accounts for me - upto 6% for a year & 5% instant access, with interest rates remaining high for years.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 October 2023 07:53 AM
Bills have increased because energy prices have doubled due to the war in Ukraine & now the Middle East & failures of our Govt to secure energy supplies not because houses have suddenly become leakier! Having said that, I would support a move to EPC D - with a better algorithm - as everyone should be trying to do what they can to make properties cheaper to heat. EPC C was always too far, too soon.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 October 2023 07:52 AM
This reminds me of the cartoon of a man on a tree limb, sawing the limb off the tree whilst sitting on the bit that will fall! You may hate us Sandra, but when we’re all gone where will you & your fellow renters live?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 October 2023 13:23 PM
The Big Boys are slowing down! Reported yesterday, BTR investment levels falling to 2019 levels.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 October 2023 07:41 AM
Recent analysis of house prices when inflation is taken into account shows house prices back where they were in 2015, yet because of the loss of taper relief LLs are paying huge sums in CGT when they sell. With the cut in the nil rate allowance & a further one for 2024, this insidious tax is just another kick in the teeth for LLs.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 October 2023 07:24 AM
The cost of heating must be a huge contributory factor now.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 October 2023 07:19 AM
Jo's in depth comment shows how complicated the issue of rent rises can be & that LLs are often very thoughtful about the whole process, not just fleecing tenants as the tenant groups believe. I have always tried to put rents up by a similar amount each year, so tenants know what to expect. Sometimes MV get a bit ahead, but then we usually catch up in the next year or two, or with a new tenant. Its all about managing the business fairly.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 October 2023 08:04 AM
Another cost to be passed on to tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 October 2023 08:06 AM
She wants to sell, tenants want to stay so Council should buy them - isn't that what the tenant groups want? Oh wait - Councils don't want to own or run housing! Very short sighted of the Council - there must have been a better way to deal with this situation!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 October 2023 08:02 AM
I put everything in a physical 'House Folder' along with instructions for appliances, bin days & other useful info.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 October 2023 12:31 PM
I always think that having children before you have managed to buy a home condemns you to many years, if not a lifetime, of renting.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 October 2023 12:29 PM
I don't believe tenants want access to these documents or that most LLs want to communicate in this way!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 October 2023 07:42 AM
Breaking News: Children & pets are expensive!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 October 2023 07:40 AM
It is unbelievable how everybody thinks it is acceptable to impose different conditions on private LLs to everyone else. Loss of S21, imposition of S24 & now rent caps, exclusively available to private LLs only!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 October 2023 10:38 AM
The Green Party are targeting 3 MPS in the next election!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 October 2023 10:36 AM
There is recognition in many quarters that we are in the middle of a rental crisis, but no-one actually plans to do anything but tinker round the edges! We all know there is a problem, we need bold solutions.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 October 2023 10:12 AM
All fine when doing a complete refurb & you intend to keep the house for 20yrs, more of a problem with tenants in situ or a shorter time line. No mention of floor insulation Martin, you’re missing a trick.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 October 2023 09:50 AM
They miss the crucial point that Councils don't want to buy or run houses from the PRS.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 October 2023 07:56 AM
Every inspection I ask my tenants if they ever test or clean their smoke alarms - no-one ever has!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 October 2023 07:48 AM
We simply don't believe that.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 October 2023 07:47 AM
Just a shame they didn't ignore it sooner rather than pandering to the noisy left-wing groups!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 October 2023 07:29 AM
This shows we have then legislation to deal with rogue LLs so we don’t need more. What it doesn’t say is how long it took the council to prosecute - probably years!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 October 2023 13:04 PM
Yes I read it. Interference in the market always leads to unintended consequences. The only way to bring rents under control is to increase availability.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 October 2023 13:02 PM
Gove says what his audience wants to hear. It doesn't mean he will do anything!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 October 2023 08:25 AM
Ha ha! Rachael McClean’s weed smoking tenants in the flesh!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 October 2023 07:46 AM
Tenants groups up in arms about being characterised in a negative way. Funny really, they’re happy to characterise all LLs negatively!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 October 2023 07:44 AM
Both parties are talking about Housing ahead of the election but neither is planning to significantly increase social housing. So they will continue to rely on BTR & the PRS to make up the shortfall. The RRB is coming, but maybe the recognition of the importance of the PRS will effect some changes to the original proposal.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 October 2023 12:03 PM
Can they cover responsibilities at the same time please? Interestingly I gave some advice recently to a renter who had been kicked out by their LL. They had been told the LL only needed to give 1 mths notice, because he was moving back in, but then redecorated & relet the house. If only the tenant had read the 'How to Rent Guide'.....
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 September 2023 07:39 AM
That was short lived back - to the 'EPC C is easy' we're so used to!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 September 2023 07:37 AM
For the first time EVER I agree with you! I'm going for a lie down to recover.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 September 2023 07:35 AM
Yet the calls for rent caps in England continue!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 September 2023 07:17 AM
People do nothing until they have to but anyone with an oil boiler are between a rock & a hard place - their system being banned but no viable alternative in place. Let's hope something changes dramatically in the next few years.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 September 2023 07:14 AM
5% completion fee - daylight robbery!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 September 2023 07:30 AM
Take your own advice, Gibbons.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 September 2023 07:29 AM
That is rich coming from you Gibbons! You just post the same cr*p all the time. Most on here would block you if we had a block button!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 September 2023 07:27 AM
Despite the evidence from Scotland proving that rent controls & eviction bans don't work, Shelter continues to call for them in the rest of the UK!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 September 2023 08:00 AM
I don’t think the application fee is annual but I add all SL costs onto my rents out of principle.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 September 2023 12:12 PM
Let’s hope they sort out the algorithm before they inflict it on us again!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 September 2023 12:09 PM
It seems that Welsh politicians believe that doing the same as Scottish politicians will have different results in Wales - delusional!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 September 2023 07:52 AM
If the current housing crisis was one of the reasons for scrapping the EPC C rules then there is hope that Govt may recognise the RRB is another major threat to the PRS. Perhaps this is behind the delay to the bill going through Parliament.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 September 2023 07:50 AM
Why do people who are not LLs think they can speak on our behalf? The sheer number of LLs selling up surely tells us that LLs think differently.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 September 2023 07:26 AM
Yet more rent rises piled onto tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 September 2023 07:28 AM
Same in Nottingham, but all flats so presumably after the young professionals. Nowhere for the benefits family in sight.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 September 2023 09:27 AM
I think a new generation of LLs will be looking to pick up properties. Those of us who believe the game becomes untenable with the RRB & EPC C may leave but the PRS will continue to exist & a new generation of LLs can see large rents rises looming. I have recently accepted an offer from a young LL building his portfolio!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 September 2023 07:42 AM
in military terms we are at a question 4 moment - has the situation changed? Yes it has so its time to rethink the plan. The answer depends on many factors, not least your age. I am withdrawing slowly but surely because there are now other options for my money in retirement that seem much more appropriate for me. I am definatey not panicking!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 September 2023 11:55 AM
I don't think LLs get enough credit for bringing rundown properties back into habitable condition.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 September 2023 11:53 AM
The scheme announced was for houses that were going to be removed from the Council's temporary accommodation pool - it is an act of desperation! Councils do not want to own & maintain properties, particularly older houses, that's why most were sold to HAs. They certainly don't want them dotted around the borough. They need new, efficient easy to maintain properties, run by someone else.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 September 2023 07:26 AM
I thought we were all evicting tenants when they reached 55yrs!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 September 2023 07:23 AM
Michael, in 20 years I have issued 2 S21s. The new S8 should still allow us to evict for most of the reasons we use S21 for at present so whilst unhappy about its loss I am not distraught. EPC C on the other hand......
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 September 2023 17:18 PM
I bought my first around 2000 & have just paid off the last of the mortgages. But anyone who bought in the last 5 years may not be as lucky as we are. If you are trying to build a portfolio you use the rent to buy your next property - I did. We were lucky to live through 15yrs of ultra low mortgages. I didn't make any profit for the first 10 years whilst building my portfolio so I have sympathy for those caught out by this incredibly fast rising mortgage market.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 September 2023 17:13 PM
Nearly 4 years after the event & total fines of £1109! Many LLs would take that cost to remove an unwanted tenant!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 September 2023 07:57 AM
Anyone buying now would be daft not to buy in a company but who knows what the next change in tax laws will be? Those of us not planning to be LLs for 20 years are just getting out & taking the hit with CGT. Fortunately, most will still have a decent gain to lock into cash investments at 6%.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 September 2023 07:54 AM
Whilst RRB is a factor, I have been selling all the properties that are unlikely to get an EPC C without significant expense. There are measures you can take to mitigate the loss of S21 - mostly being very picky about tenants - but EPC C looks like a complete car crash to me.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 September 2023 07:49 AM
I don't care about the number behind the S - I only care that when a tenant is not keeping to their side of the contract I can remove them without a lengthy & expensive process. Our court system is a disgrace.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 September 2023 12:20 PM
Very selective quoting from GenRent. 'No fault evictions are hard for people' - so are non-paying tenants, ASB & all the other faults S21 is used for. 'There is a higher proportion of poorer demography in the PRS' - if they were richer they would buy & many belong in social housing which is simply not available. He could also have said that rising interest rates are tough for LLs & pigs will be flying overhead very soon!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 September 2023 07:24 AM
is the eviction rate of over 55s any worse than for under 55s? Are we talking about single people in HMOs or people in single family homes? I would like more information to understand what Shelter believe is going on. Are more HMO LLs selling up - one HMO could easily result in multiple S21s of over 55s. Or is Shelter trying to promote a picture of everyone's grandparents being made homeless to tug at our heartstrings? Bottomline - the forthcoming RRB is CAUSING S21s to be issued.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 September 2023 07:18 AM
LLs will be able to charge almost whatever they want as the PRS shrinks in the face of increasing demand. Some will capitalise on this, others will try to keep their rents affordable for their tenants. With the added pain of the RRB & EPC C coming at LLs the bottom line is that it will just keep getting worse for tenants.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 September 2023 07:10 AM
Why are tenants different to other humans beings? Home owners avoid damp & mould but tenants can't?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 September 2023 15:10 PM
So, Saint Martin, why do tenants need PIV units & home owners don't?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 September 2023 15:08 PM
Andrew, I think this is undervaluing by mortgage valuers - the sale falls through because the valuations are pricing in further drops in prices & the valuers are being ultra cautious.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 September 2023 14:43 PM
325 doesn't sound very many does it? Until tenants report LLs with properties in poor conditions the Councils will never find them all. But tenants don't report LLs for fear of eviction & homelessness.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 September 2023 07:15 AM
Until the EPC is updated & measures what it is supposed to this is a farce! Simply put, houses with new gas boilers & loft insulation will qualify for better rates than an electrically heated property. Those with higher heating costs will also have higher mortgage costs!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 September 2023 07:11 AM
So maybe BTR is not the saviour of the PRS.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 September 2023 07:30 AM
Worth checking LHA in your area (just google it). If LHA is £600 but your rent is £550 they will only pay the £550 so you may be able to put the rent up without hurting the tenant! Seeing as you are doing them such a favour, might be worth going through a benefits calculator with them to see how increasing the rent affects the benefits. You should not be subsidising a tenant!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 September 2023 16:45 PM
So right Simon. Why can't the pro-tenant groups see that what is bad for LLs is bad for tenants?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 September 2023 07:30 AM
Don't forget EPC C. With the energy bill going through Parliament last night this may be about to rear its ugly head again!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 September 2023 07:27 AM
It's going to push rents up again! Add on a bit incase its short term then don't increase for a year or 2.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 September 2023 14:31 PM
I've just secured 6% for a 1 yr fix - on a savings product! Who needs tenants when there are guaranteed returns like that to be had! 6.2% available wit NS&I if you prefer!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 September 2023 09:25 AM
I am always surprised when tenant groups criticise Govt for supporting LLs - they seem to think we have tax breaks others don't when in reality we have a tax burden heavier than other businesses. Inevitably these costs get passed on in one form or another to tenants but no=one seems to realise that penalising LLs hurts tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 September 2023 07:36 AM
Unintended Consequence - exactly! Govt never seems to think through to the end & see what is obvious to us in the market! Tenants groups are just as bad, but at least they have the excuse of not being in charge of policy making!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 September 2023 10:08 AM
I was put off by 'digital platforms', 'apps' for communication, workshops & training - as a small portfolio LL of 20 yrs not sure how this helps / represents me.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 August 2023 07:45 AM
She refers to Michael Gove - pretty recent Housing Minister - & EPC E has been law for over 2 years now. That is why I assume she is referring to the proposed C grade not the existing E.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 August 2023 09:41 AM
In fairness, MPs have been on holiday most of the time since the bill was introduced!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 August 2023 07:21 AM
More trolling from Gibbons! Pretty sure she's referring to the proposal of EPC C so her house, like most Victorian terraces, is probably a D. Despite Gibbon's assertion that EPC C is just SO easy to get to with next to no investment, most LLs can't get their older houses to a C without expensive & intrusive work so these houses will be sold by LLs.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 August 2023 07:21 AM
Nottingham City Council want LLs to apply for their new SL scheme (starts 1st Dec) from this week. They haven't even announced how much it will cost!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 August 2023 11:20 AM
Not sure Welsh Labour of today is quite the same Ellie!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 August 2023 11:18 AM
IMO there is a difference between someone who lets out a room in a home that they live in and someone who lets out an entire house / flat which is not their home. The former is AirBnB the latter a holiday let.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 August 2023 11:17 AM
Clearly they don't want any BTL business.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 August 2023 07:24 AM
Will he still be Housing Secretary in October?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 August 2023 07:20 AM
Banks are such human, understanding organisations, of course they will want to become LLs with all the regulation that entails! Lloyds organising your gas safety? NW your EICR? Until the tenant groups actually understand the PRS they have no hope of contributing to solving the crisis.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 August 2023 07:14 AM
Unfortunately the tenant groups don't really understand the PRS. Unless you understand the problem it is hard to solve it so there answer is always to blame the LLs.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 August 2023 07:05 AM
The huge rise in costs for students renting in Nottingham has been driven by the building of huge blocks of purpose built accommodation. Whilst it's good to have extra rooms the cost of these units is exorbitant, often around £200 per week. In Nottingham you could rent an entire family home for that!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 August 2023 07:28 AM
LLs only change properties into HMOs if there is a need for them. Where will all the people who can only afford to rent a room live if there are no new HMOs?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 August 2023 07:25 AM
It's astounding how many people want / need help with housing costs. The other way to look at the problem is that we need to pay people a decent wage! Coupled with large scale building of truly affordable housing we could end the need for subsidise housing for working people & allow them to be self-reliant. That would free up social housing for those who truly need it. We need to find a way to make people less reliant on handouts.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 August 2023 07:22 AM
I would imagine most rentals are not suitable for childcare. You need extra space (which most renters don't have) extra toilet & hand washing facilities & easy parking. In 20 years with multiple properties I have been asked once! We bent over backwards to help & in the end the tenant decided not to bother!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 August 2023 07:17 AM
I am selling houses & using the proceeds to pay down mortgages on the ones I still have. Fewer properties but no longer beholden to the mortgage companies & then giving money away out of income to avoid IHT!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 August 2023 07:41 AM
When you read the story on the BBC about how councils are all heavily in debt you understand why they use SL to fund their housing depts. Central Govt needs to fund councils sufficiently to do more than just their statutory duties otherwise they have no choice but to do dodgy business deals & raise local taxes however they can.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 August 2023 07:37 AM
Until the EPC algorithm is sorted out to measure what it is supposed to it is simply a nonsensical figure.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 August 2023 07:34 AM
The taxation regime on LLs shows just how unpopular we are: extra SDLT, S24, higher rates of CGT & having to pay in 60 days are all punitive measures designed to force us out. Guess what - we're going! Nothing will bring me back into the PRS once my existing tenants have moved on & I've sold up. Some long term ones will probably need to be evicted evicted eventually, but with interest rates now back to 'normal levels' risk free cash investments are looking very attractive.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 August 2023 07:32 AM
So tenants lack basic common sense? And it is illegal for a LL to insist of a professional clean so please don't encourage it! Cleaned to a professional standard is what we require.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 August 2023 07:15 AM
East Midlands rents will continue to rise as Nottingham City Council brings in a new SL scheme on 1st Dec. adding c.3.5% to rents before any other costs are considered.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 August 2023 07:14 AM
Rent controls aren't working - Scotland has the highest rent rises in the Uk over the last year. But hey, ho, if we keep going with the same policy maybe the result will change!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 August 2023 07:10 AM
We are in a perfect storm - rising interest rates & low availability of stock means that what is available to rent is commanding top dollar. I can't see an end to this over the coming years as the LL exodus due to RRB, EPC C & S24 will continue the squeeze on availability.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 August 2023 07:24 AM
The BoE is breaking people with its interest rate rises. Inflation is coming down due to mainly external factors, it needs to take its foot of the pedal & give people some respite. Mortgage holder & business owners will be made bankrupt if the rates keep rising.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 August 2023 07:22 AM
No-one wants to see this but why does it take Councils so long to do anything about it? After discovering the man in the shack did they not visit regularly? I imagine these 'tenants' had little idea of housing law, but in general, the people best placed to finger the rogue LLs are the tenants but they don't because they presumably need the housing desperately or are paying low rent. Until we find a way to get tenants reporting this sort of abuse we will never rid ourselves of it.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 August 2023 07:19 AM
Don't forget all those London Boroughs with Selective Licensing!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 August 2023 08:50 AM
Surely the onus is on the trade bodies to ensure that anyone trained to undertake the EICR is competent not on LLs to work it out!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 August 2023 07:20 AM
if the £450 pcm rise is unreasonable the tenant can go to a rent tribunal & challenge it. Unfortunately for tenants, the lack of housing available means the tribunal is unlikely to find it is unreasonable!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 August 2023 07:17 AM
House price maybe down 15% from last year but they're still up 25% from precovid! All depends when you bought & what you are planning in the future. I am happy to take the hit compared to last year as I want rid of one property & I have an extra years rent in the bag to help offset the drop.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 August 2023 08:22 AM
Until the Renters' groups work out that what is bad for LLs is bad for tenants & start working with us instead of against us, things will continue to get worse for tenants. The rhetoric that puts LLs & tenants at war is bad for both. We need a functional PRS for both sides of this equation.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 August 2023 07:13 AM
Anybody know the answer to this: LLs have to pay CGT within 60days of sale. Does this count as 'early'? Do you get interest up to the end of year payment due date? Or is that another way HMRC fleeces LLs?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 August 2023 12:40 PM
They pay BoE base rate -1% so currently 4.25%. Makes paying a large bill early more palatable!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 August 2023 12:38 PM
I had tenants who wouldn't use the electric heating because 'it is expensive' but still paid £80 pm for electricity. They had the timer on the hot water 'on' for 23hrs a day (doesn't it know when I want hot water?) & used the tumble drier twice a week for a couple of hours (doesn't everyone?) because the house was too cold to dry them! Had mould in the house for the first time ever & boy did it get cold with no heating being used!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 August 2023 12:36 PM
I think it is supposed to be punitive to encourage compliance - that's why it is higher. And given how poor some banks' instant access savings accounts are , its not a bad savings rate!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 August 2023 09:34 AM
And everything is based on a flawed metric! Sort out the algorithm THEN ask LLs to meet it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 August 2023 09:31 AM
The increase in the price of electricity must be hugely to blame for fuel poverty in renters. 10 years ago it was 10p kWh now it's 35p whereas gas is about 7p. No amount of insulation is going help people with electric heating - we need electricity prices to come down drastically!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 August 2023 07:37 AM
So it is simply a rent rise for tenants & a bureaucratic exercise for LLs!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 August 2023 07:30 AM
This is likely to make racial discrimination even more likely as LLs will prefer UK passport holders over anyone else to avoid the risk.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 August 2023 07:28 AM
I inherited a tenant under the Rent Act - what a nightmare! Single elderly woman on benefits living in a 5 bedroom farmhouse. She spent nothing on it in 40 years because she had no money but sat there waiting to be paid to leave - we didn't! Eventually she left in her 80s after a Shelter supported barrister won her the right to stay but the costs of the maintenance, which she couldn't afford! House was making her ill, we were receiving very low rent, house was falling down around her ears, tax payer paying a fortune to keep her there, property devalued because of condition. It was a nightmare for everyone involved! Welcome back to the good old days!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 August 2023 09:21 AM
But the tenant groups & Govt still fail to see the ink between their actions and rising rents!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 August 2023 07:32 AM
But no link to the survey?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 August 2023 07:31 AM
And that is why so many LLs are selling up!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 August 2023 07:29 AM
Story in the FT shows rents in Scotland rising faster than in London after rent controls were introduced. Rent controls don't work!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 August 2023 07:16 AM
Jeremy, increasing the EPC is not the same as increasing the energy efficiency!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 August 2023 15:18 PM
Ellie is correct - High Heat Retention Storage Heater. These are the only electric heaters that score reasonably well on EPCs (not as good as gas of course!) Apparently is is a big scam by Dimplex who managed to persuade the powers that be that THEIR storage heater was the only one that was worth having. It is 'Lot 20' compliant -some EU regulation - & it got me 14 points on an EPC when I previously had a Farho radiator. The fact that all the tenants electricity for daytime use for the whole year is more expensive seems lost when those magic words Economy 7 are uttered!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 August 2023 09:19 AM
Jahan, I absolutely will. I have told the tenants & the council very clearly that tenants pick up the cost of SL. NCC repeatedly say 'LLs will absorb the cost' even though LLs repeatedly tell NCC we will not! The last scheme put Nottingham at the top of the list for increasing rent in that year for just this reason!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 August 2023 09:12 AM
Why would anyone want to improve the score they get on a meaningless measure, except to guarantee being able to rent? I put a HHHSH in a property recently. Cost £1000. Will it make the house warmer or cheaper to run? I don't know, probably not. Did it get me 14 EPC points & an EPC C? Yes - so I can rent for 10 years. Who is paying? The new tenant with a hefty rent rise over the old one. Will pay the cost back in 1 yr. Is this what the Govt wants?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 August 2023 07:51 AM
Or time to invest in the latest pons scheme perhaps? They are fast & lose with OUR money - just look at Thurrock!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 August 2023 07:47 AM
not doing it to me Ellie - I am passing it straight on to my tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 August 2023 07:46 AM
Add in the injustice of a new selective licensing in Nottingham which will add £23 to every rent rise & the rise becomes huge!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 August 2023 07:42 AM
Nottingham City Council were slammed by a housing tribunal for SL being a money making exercise. They were under review by the Govt & narrowly avoided having external people put in to run it. They lost millions on the Robin Hood Energy scheme. SL is simply a way to fill their coffers. I calculate the cost at £23 pcm per property - before any increase I need to make!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 August 2023 07:48 AM
Nottingham City Council have just had their £1118 SL scheme approved whilst the are hiring extra lawyers to deal with all the disrepair claims from their own tenants! SL is simply a way to fund housing depts after all the cuts from central Govt. Unfortunately it is the private tenants who have to foot thee bill!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 August 2023 07:44 AM
So the 'Vast majority' of tenants will get a rent rise while the rogue LLs continue too operate under the radar!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 July 2023 07:46 AM
Prices are coming down but interest rates are going up - it is never going to be easy for FTBs to buy!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 July 2023 07:50 AM
This Coalition constantly imbues the PRS with the responsibilities of social housing. We don't HAVE to do anything; we have no moral duty to house people. We are there to offer an alternative to social housing to those who can afford to pay more. There is no security of tenure because people aren't suppose to stay forever! The failure of Govt & Council's to provide social housing has pushed people into the PRS who shouldn't be there & then they blame us for providing a different experience to the social sector! The loser in all of this is the tenant, who probably knows less than LLs or the tenants' groups about the war being waged in their name! Until these groups recognise we are not the enemy but a partner, there is no hope for the tenant, caught in the cross fire.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 July 2023 07:47 AM
Ironic that the biggest cause of S21s being issue is the looming loss of S21! It will be interesting to see if evictions fall after the loss of S21 or whether they just take longer & cost more under S8, driving even more LLs out of the PRS.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 July 2023 07:35 AM
What is Labour's policy? Will we be saved from this policy under the Tories only for it to be thrown back at us under Labour after a GE?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 July 2023 07:27 AM
You are spot on. I have just taken a house back from a young couple - no pets thankfully - filthy! 4yrs of not cleaning properly! Add a couple of big dogs in there too & I hate to think of the damage. If I am forced to take pets I will always raise rents to the max!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 July 2023 10:40 AM
Martin, EPC C Is being forced on us as part of NetZero. The fact that you may prefer it to measure cost is irrelevant. If the Govt says it is a carbon measure, then it should measure carbon. I have no problem with a cost measure but tell us it is a cost measure & I can remove my electric heating that run on green energy & replace them with gas that increases carbon. The EPC metric we use was designed as part of the Home information Pack & was never designed to be used like this. And I do believe the Govt's point IS to scrap our modern gas fired boilers - do you not read the news? Oh I forgot - you're a Chatbot!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 July 2023 10:37 AM
Gove now backing off 'No new gas boilers after 2035 for LLs'. Funny - I always thought this was for everyone! Anyway, good that the original ban (2016) has now slipped from its slipped date of 2035!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 July 2023 10:33 AM
Pet insurance that covers the general wear & tear of having a pet - scratched floors, doors, walls carpets; pee stained carpets, underlay; chewed wood frames; fleas; shredded curtains etc - will either be ineffective or incredibly expensive. Pet owners in their own homes can weigh up the risks & make a decision accordingly. Tenants bear less risk as this will just fall on the LLs shoulders. It is impossible to correct some of the damage inflicted on a property by pets without major works & insurance just won't cover this.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 July 2023 07:13 AM
And when will we see a new algorithm so that we know what the true energy ratings of our properties are?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 July 2023 07:07 AM
Martin, I resent your implication. I invest regularly in my properties but the EPC algorithm is not for for purpose, preferring gas to electricity, penalising your beloved heat pumps etc. We on LLT are so fed up with your sanctimonious preaching - although at least you have someone content these days - would you please go & lose yourself somewhere? Or at least unplug yourself so your random Chatbox answers don't irritate the hell out oath rest of us?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 July 2023 08:44 AM
I agree we owe the Afghans our support but the Govt singles LLs out for special treatment & then wants us to take a financial hit to house them! Perhaps if they made the financial terms a bit more attractive - still a lot cheaper than hotels - LLs would be more interested in helping!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 July 2023 07:03 AM
Rightly or wrongly the perception among LLs is that the court system is not fir of purpose & once S21 is gone regaining our properties will be a lengthy & time consuming business. Together with the likelihood of high interest rates for the. foreseeable future BTL no longer looks appealing as an investment. BTR - the proposed saviour of the PRS - may not turn out to be the source of plentiful, affordable housing promised. LLs have tried to engage with the Govt, but they only appear to listen to the tenant groups. So the PRS will fundamentally change. I believe it will be smaller & much more expensive whilst young people & low earners find the door shut firmly in their face. We tried to warn them!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 July 2023 07:00 AM
Gove said the EPC assessment wasn't fit for purpose but we are still using it. Gove says we should delay EPC C but there is no new policy. With a reshuffle mooted & a GE around the corner it is no clearer what LLs will have to do and when. This is simply a mess! Housing is not nimble. We need clarity & accurate dates. BTW anyone know Labour's policy on this? Could be all change again!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 July 2023 06:47 AM
Can we all agree to just ignore Martin Gibbons? He is either a plant, a chat box or something equally out of touch with reality.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 July 2023 15:35 PM
Ive just be refurbing a victorian terrace left in a petty grotty stated by the current tenants before putting it on the market as it is an EPC E - everything new & great but electric heating. The owner occupier next door still has wooden windows & all his render is peeling off - probably doesn't vent make it on to the scale!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 July 2023 14:40 PM
Is Sandra related to Martin Gibbons? Perhaps we should all just ignore them both?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 July 2023 14:37 PM
Landlords probably know more than any other group about energy efficiency in houses. Unfortunately we have a metric that does not measure energy efficiency but cost & until the metric is an accurate reflection of efficiency & until the Govt actually comes up with a plan there is no point spending money retrofitting anything.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 July 2023 06:14 AM
The Co-op should stick to its own area of expertise. Yet another business that has swallowed Shelter's views on housing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 July 2023 06:11 AM
in Nottingham we are waiting to hear whether there will be a second 5 yrs of SL starting at the end of July. Meanwhile it has been reported that the Council has hired extra lawyers to deal with housing repair claims from its own tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 July 2023 07:15 AM
You make an interesting point about time frames: ban gas boilers by 2016, still being installed today; EPC Cs by 2025 - pretty unlikely now; RRB by the Autumn - really? MTD - keeps getting kicked down the road. This Govt can deliver anything on time!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 July 2023 10:29 AM
And unfortunately, tenants are complicit because they will rent from the rogues as it is cheaper than renting from a compliant LL.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 July 2023 10:27 AM
Fuel prices this winter will cause people further hardship. Although the price is coming down now, most people are no longer receiving Govt support which was roughly the same as the current price reduction. If prices go up again because of Putin or lack of storage or if we have a cold winter, it could be even worse than last year. Our Govt has absolutely failed us - we have no fuel security, expensive & unreliable green energy, & we are ignoring our own resources of fossil fuels in the name of NetZero! Anyone using electric heating is absolutely hammered.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 July 2023 07:45 AM
Have they not heard? There are no properties available! Particularly the large ones Afghans typically need. And at LHA rates? You are asking LLs to fund Govt policy! Funny how millions can be found to house refugees in hotels but when they are placed in the PRS the money drops back down to LHA. Perhaps if the money offered were MV more LLs would consider it.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 July 2023 07:41 AM
I foresee a number of problems as the proportion of renters of retirement age arises: 1. They will not be able to retire 2. They will need LHA to stay in the property 3. They may stay in properties unsuitable for them as they age & become less able 4. Maintenance with an old person in situ maybe tricky 5. Recovering the property maybe tricky as they will be unable to move either with or without council help 6. They may go into hospital or care or die in the property - all scenarios are not very familiar with. In short, a nightmare for them & not necessarily any better for the LLs.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 July 2023 07:32 AM
Its funny how people with no leverage or stake in the market believe they can influence it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 July 2023 08:42 AM
The SDLT holiday pushed prices up by 25% in some place so even with the drops we are now seeing, most people will have done very well with houses prices if they bought before 2019. The people in trouble are those who bought at the height of the boom on a 2 or 3 yr deal, stretching to the max. Double whammy of drop in house value & huge increase in mortgage rates :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 July 2023 08:42 AM
I've got one they can buy - but will they want to pay market price & where will all the extra money come to upgrade all these properties? Given that they will then be rented out at LHA it sounds like an expensive operation to run! What is also missed is that most councils sold their housing stock because it was too difficult / expensive to run. Nottingham City Council is selling off Victorian properties as we speak, despite a shortage of social housing, presumably for those very reasons!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 July 2023 07:03 AM
So the BoE raises interest rates to a level that financially cripples people then checks to see if the banks are ok. When they are, that is deemed successful! I wonder how many people will lose their homes & businesses because of interest rate rises?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 July 2023 07:07 AM
Let's spend lots of money on a commission to tell us what we already know! The affordability crisis in the rental & ownership markets is caused by to few affordable homes being built; Govt policies such as Help to Buy & Stamp Duty Holiday that push prices up for buyers; S24 & other regulation that force LLs out & push up rents for tenants; Right to Buy that reduces numbers of social housing; increasing number of households that increase number of homes required and BOE interest rate rises on top of everything else pushing up mortgage rates for everyone! We need to build more truly affordable housing to buy & to rent not just tweak the tax system to push houses around in to different rental classes!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 July 2023 06:56 AM
And why do they continue with policies that make the situation even worse?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 July 2023 07:41 AM
The stupid thing is Councils are still chasing LLs that are renting out properties with EPC below E! What is the point of bringing in EPC C until they have sorted those out? And then lets go to D before C or the PRS will completely implode.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 July 2023 10:17 AM
Michael, re CWI - can you see the drill holes? This should be enough otherwise you need to drill one yourself & prove you have it - too many points to allow them not to give them to you!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 July 2023 10:15 AM
Don't think that because it is stupid they won't do it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 July 2023 10:13 AM
So some holiday lets will come back on the market for locals - such a shame they won't be able to afford them either!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 July 2023 07:19 AM
I am SO bored with Martin Chat-bot Gibbons!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 July 2023 07:18 AM
I put electric radiators in properties in 2012 because gas boilers were to be banned in. new houses from 2016 & older houses soon after. Now these properties struggle with EPC ratings while builders are still putting gas into new houses! Builders should have been building energy efficient houses for years but instead they have built to the minimum standard & saved up problems for future owners. Even if the insulation is up to heat pump standard, they are all small bore heating pipes, so will need to be replaced for heat pumps!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 July 2023 07:15 AM
Personally I am more concerned about EPC C than RRB. The RRB may stop you getting your property back but EPC C may stop you renting it out in the first place, based on a bullsshit metric!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 July 2023 07:11 AM
I have just bought 14 EPC points. I replaced a perfectly good electric radiator with a HHRSH. I don't know whether it will make the property warmer or cheaper to heat - probably neither - but I now have an EPC C so I can rent it out for at least 10 years. It cost approx £100 per point but the rent has gone up £130 pcm for the new tenant so I will get my money back over the next year. They won't!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 July 2023 12:00 PM
If you need 3 years of housing law to work out how to challenge an unfair deduction you must have no common sense!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 July 2023 07:08 AM
Gove is missing the point - LLs will choose the best tenant for their property & tenants with children or on benefits are rarely the best choice. The reason they are being ‘discriminated’ against is the lack of availability. Fix that& you wouldn’t need to legislate against them!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 July 2023 07:06 AM
Money has always made money. If LLs put their money - sometimes a lot of it - into their property why shouldn’t they make money? Tenants have no skin in the game so they are not entitled to any profit (or loss!).
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 July 2023 06:45 AM
The biggest problem in all of these discussions is this assumption that all tenants are sensible, reasonable, intelligent human beings & all LLs are greedy scum tying to rip everyone off just for profit. Until there is a grain of common sense used, decent LLs will just keep walking away.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 July 2023 11:30 AM
So all the low band EPC properties will move to owner occupiers, where no improvements need to be made. Overall difference to carbon - nil.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 June 2023 07:41 AM
There will probably be a lot of changes before it hits the statute books so this may count as wasted time atm.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 June 2023 07:22 AM
BTR is surely going to be a more expensive option than private LLs. Many of us keep our costs down by doing our own repairs, searching out good deals etc. The BTR companies will just pay the going rate (or way above) for everything, and need to make a profit at the end. I don't believe this is good news for tenants.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 June 2023 10:39 AM
Its going to get worse for tenants - a lot worse!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 June 2023 06:46 AM
How many times do we need to say it - LLs do not routinely evict good tenants! There are a lot of reasons for rent rises, but they are only possible if the market can stand them. The lack of availability at present is pushing rents up & some (many?) tenants can't afford them. The solution is to increase availability not drive even more LLs out of the PRS.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 June 2023 06:45 AM
Just wait until EPC C becomes law :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 June 2023 07:23 AM
The tenant groups are living in cloud cuckoo land if they believe the RRB will make much difference to tenants. We all know most evictions are not 'no fault' so these will continue, rents will go up in case a pet is wanted & LLs are leaving in droves. The whole thing is bad for LLs but worse for tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 June 2023 07:48 AM
I have never had a reply from my MP or whoever he has passed my letter on to, the actually addresses my concerns. It is always a platitude like this one. They may be supposed to represent their constituents but most MPs either think they know better or simple tow the party line.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 June 2023 07:25 AM
The problem for renters is than when you add in the repayment part the mortgage jumps way above the equivalent rent.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 June 2023 07:25 AM
And LLs are supposed to have faith in the court system post RRB when S21 has gone?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 June 2023 07:35 AM
Martin has had a personality transplant!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 June 2023 07:53 AM
I watched a house just around the corner from one of mine, an ex-rental, go on the market in the New Year. It didn't sell, the price was reduce but it still didn't't sell. After about 4 months it popped up as a rental at full MV & it was let within days! I think this neatly sums up the market at present.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 May 2023 06:24 AM
Andy, As long as your S21 is legal there is NO defence against S21 & you will win.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 May 2023 06:33 AM
Interfering in the free market to benefit a particular group of people generally results in unintended consequences. What we need is a coherent housing strategy that provides plentiful housing of all tenures. Net immigration of 660,000 this year - where does the Govt think they all go?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 May 2023 07:32 AM
Unless & until tenants are aware of the rules & report LLs who do not abide by them all this will achieve is good LLs registering. Given that reporting your LL will result in either your rent going up or eviction it is hard to see tenants getting involved!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 May 2023 07:30 AM
I generally keep my rents below MV but anyone with a pet will get an increase to the max every year to cover any 'wear & tear'.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 May 2023 09:31 AM
My thoughts entirely. A dog should not be left at home if you are out at work all day & tenants pretty much should be a work!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 May 2023 09:30 AM
I think the policies currently available only cover accidental damage not the additional wear & tear we are concerned about. NRLA says there will be products available, but if you think of scratched doors, chewed woodwork, peed on l laminate this must be incredibly expensive to insure! And I guess, as ever, a LLs time spent fixing it will be given free!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 May 2023 09:29 AM
Use it before you lose it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 May 2023 07:18 AM
We don't need grants for LLs, we need the new EPC algorithm! We have been told it is going for over a year & until it is in use, no sensible LL will spend money because we don't know what we need to do!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 May 2023 07:13 AM
Jo, I get part time suits some people but also many people work 16 hrs to get the 'in work' benefits & prefer not to work extra hours for only a little more. This is effectively the tax payer subsidising companies 'bottom line!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 May 2023 11:34 AM
Jo, when the LHA rates went up significantly because of Covid, catching up with where they should have been, I discovered 2 of my properties were now at LHA levels. That is not the market I want to rent to so I put my rents up! There's the link between LHA & rent inflation. I also have one tenant now in receipt of UC - I will be checking the rates next year to see if I can increase her rent without hurting her, because the rent is below market rates. If LHA has gone up so will her rent! There's another link!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 May 2023 09:48 AM
Work needs to pay better so people don't need 'in work benefits'. We have become a nation of part-time workers, supplemented by the tax payer! Make companies employ people full time not just for 16 hrs!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 May 2023 09:44 AM
Jo, the Govt needs to build it. Yes it will cost but if they build it and take the 'profit' out then it is cheaper. The long term savings from not paying LHA to all those in the PRS who should be in social housing, where the LHA costs are lower, & not paying for 'temporary' housing at extortionate rates would, in time, help to pay off the cost of building. The tax payer is already paying - in the form of the HUGE benefits bill. This money would be better spent on building homes.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 May 2023 09:43 AM
A tenant has every opportunity to challenge the inventory at the beginning of their tenancy to ensure it is accurate. That many don't gives an indication of how seriously they take their rights & responsibilities!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 May 2023 07:23 AM
On the one hand the beat us with the sticks of C Tax & SL whilst with the other hand they hold out a mouldy sugar cube!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 May 2023 07:18 AM
LHA fuels rent rises! When there are more people who can afford the rent than there are houses, rents go up. Increasing the ability of more people to pay that rent, without increasing supply, just pushes the rents higher. We need more affordable housing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 May 2023 07:16 AM
And insurance is the answer to Pets in Lets?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 May 2023 07:33 AM
This 'properties don't disappear' is just flawed thinking. Not everyone who buys is already in the rental sector & many owner occupied houses are occupied at a lower density. The number of tenants entering the rental market is greater than the number leaving - if this were not the case why has the slow trickle of LLs leaving created such a problem for renters? This constant denial of the facts right in front of us means we continue to sleepwalk deeper & deeper into this housing crisis. The RRB will do nothing to improve the situation & with EPC C coming hot on its heels we are heading for a car crash!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 May 2023 07:31 AM
ChatBot ChatBot ChatBot
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 May 2023 09:23 AM
4 times now ChatBot - not even appropriate here!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 May 2023 07:46 AM
OK Martin having seen your EXACT comment 3 times this morning, prove you are not a ChatBot! Reply with something that shows you are a real person. Otherwise go & post on ChatBot forums with other ChatBots.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 May 2023 07:45 AM
ChatBot Martin spreading falsehoods again - the MEES bill hasn't been written or introduced to Parliament yet, it is nowhere near law. Reading the last line I think maybe he works for Dimplex!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 May 2023 07:37 AM
The more interesting question is with interest rates >4% could you make more from fixed rate cash bonds from your capital?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 May 2023 08:38 AM
A business that relies on underpaying its workers who then claim benefits isn't really viable is it? Whilst I agree with encouraging & supporting people into work rather than living on handouts, the state, ie the taxpayer is subsidising the bottom line of too many businesses by paying low wages.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 May 2023 11:41 AM
And the tenant groups think more social housing is the answer!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 May 2023 07:52 AM
I would prefer that they raise the minimum wage. LHA drives all rents up, but making work pay better instead of having to rely on benefits, would be better for all.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 May 2023 07:24 AM
£1695 for a studio - says everything I need to know about living in London!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 May 2023 07:37 AM
The Skipton mortgage is a non starter for most - the rental calculation will generally only allow renters to buy a much cheaper house than they are renting & the interest rate is high.. I can't see the uptake being more than modest.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 May 2023 07:35 AM
What - no boasting of how you have made all your properties EPC C for less than £1 & how the rest of us LLs are amateurs who the PRS is better off without?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 May 2023 07:32 AM
More rent rises for tenants :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 May 2023 07:16 AM
They are idiots - they don't understand anything!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 May 2023 16:59 PM
MPs may not be stupid (up for debate) but their are plenty who know nothing about the PRS & do what will keep them elected.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 May 2023 07:32 AM
If you can't afford to save for a mortgage whilst renting I'm not sure yo will be able to afford the repayments - plus all the other costs of owning. I'm sure it will help a few people but at 5.49% I don't think it will be that many.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 May 2023 07:31 AM
Most of what is in this is fluff - enforcement is the problem not legislation of standards, so apart from the loss of S21 & joining a scheme or two (more rent rises) nothing changes for me with the long term tenants I have. However I won't be re-renting my properties, just selling them when tenants leave.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 May 2023 07:24 AM
Will they get it on the statute books before the next election?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 May 2023 09:44 AM
Politicians on all sides blame LLs for the housing crisis. When they have forced us all out & things are even worse they will finally realise that high rents & bad LLs are a symptom of a failing housing market not the cause. The cause is decades of poor housing policy. I really feel for anyone who has to rent now & in the future.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 May 2023 07:51 AM
Me - I'm paying them off!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 April 2023 09:07 AM
its not the money - its the use of the wrong metric, the mixed messaging on gas & electricity & the ridiculous recommendations that stop LLs from making upgrades. Until there is a reliable measure of energy efficiency & clear guidance from the Govt you would be a fool to do anything other than the obvious upgrades.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 April 2023 08:00 AM
We may struggle with our businesses but spare a thought for home owners who bought at high prices with low rates - they will be using their homes.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 April 2023 07:49 AM
The irony is that those organisations campaigning for S21 to be abolished are directly causing tenants to be kicked out of their homes!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 April 2023 07:53 AM
Why are they blaming us for the Govt & LA's failure to build social housing? Why are they blaming us for their failure to enforce the law?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2023 15:06 PM
Until EPCs measure what they are supposed to - energy efficiency not cost, until EPCs are consistent & fair, until the Govt actually publishes its plans, I will simply carry on doing what I have always done - updating & improving my properties where I can & selling those that no longer make financial sense to keep.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 April 2023 08:39 AM
Seems like the Mortgage Advice Bureau is massively ill-informed about EPCs too - and landlordzone is proliferating that error!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 April 2023 07:21 AM
Me too!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 April 2023 07:48 AM
Martin continues to write his fiction for us to enjoy - EPC C with gas to EPC C with electric - I simply don't buy it! And if he were the super LL he pretends to be 'supported living provider' is not the way to make money. Perhaps he is ChatGPT?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 April 2023 07:47 AM
It may be the Govt's problem but it will be 1000s of ordinary people who suffer & they are the ones who can do nothing about it.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 April 2023 09:13 AM
Who on earth thinks up this rubbish? I don't need an app to put me in touch with an unknown tradesman & a good tradesman doesn't need extra work!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 April 2023 07:46 AM
As someone said before - not LLs but tenants who will pick up the bill! I'm not buying EPC points unless they are cheap - and lets be honest that is all we are doing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 April 2023 07:45 AM
Supply & demand. Its not going to get better anytime soon.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 April 2023 07:28 AM
The bot hasn't been updated - and its all just propsals anyway.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 April 2023 14:13 PM
it has been illegal for 3 years to rent a property with an EPC lower than E - once again Councils being quick to take action!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 April 2023 07:24 AM
The Govt wouldn't change anything anyway. Taxing LLs is popular.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 April 2023 12:57 PM
3 years after it became law! In 2028 the councils will be so busy chasing LLs with EPCs below C they won't have time for anything else!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 April 2023 10:22 AM
Got to laugh - they're not really incentivising EPC A-C are they?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 April 2023 10:03 AM
Oh hello chat bot!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 April 2023 10:02 AM
Here's my ess*y: We need to build more truly affordable housing. Don't hand over responsibility to developers, who build for profit, this needs to be central Govt & councils building social housing. Then let those who want something more rent in the PRS from LLs who want to make a living providing decent housing to working tenants. Perhaps Gove will write me a forward. NB Ess*y is a spam or swear word & not permitted in comments!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 April 2023 10:01 AM
GenRent seem to be determined to destroy the PRS. Maybe then they will realise not all tenants can buy & those that can't will be homeless without us.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 April 2023 07:45 AM
Saint Martin again! Perhaps he's a chatbot?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 April 2023 07:44 AM
Aren't they funny!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 April 2023 07:42 AM
I don't understand how she has remained in Parliament for so long! She is so wrong about so many things why do voters keep voting for her! What is funny though is how LLs think the Govt favours tenants & tenants think Govt favours LLs! IT appears no-one is happy with the Govt!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 March 2023 09:32 AM
Selective Licensing is another example of Councils using LLs as cash machines. Nottingham's new scheme will raise £25 million over 5 years to run their housing dept. Oh - that's the Council that managed to lose millions on Robin Hood Energy, spend 'housing money' on non housing related things & only just avoided being taken over by Govt Commissars!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 March 2023 09:28 AM
Jo - open a Skipton savings account (pretty good rates & no minimum) & then get upto 10 free EPCs. I have had free EPCs on the properties where my EPC is out of date or I don't have one post upgrades so at least the EPC now reflects the work done.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 March 2023 12:24 PM
I think many bought their house at a huge discount & then sold it a few years later making a huge profit. Only then did Los get their hands on them.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 March 2023 12:21 PM
I hate to agree with the Greens - but they are correct - Right to Buy is a disaster for the social housing sector. One individual hits the jackpot - and if they can afford to buy why are they in social housing anyway - but it is a loss of a housing unit for generations that follow & it takes money out of the sector. It needs to go!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 March 2023 08:48 AM
Everything Shelter et al does reduces availability in the PRS yet the way to drive standards up & rents down is to INCREASE availability. Whatever the tenant groups think, the private LL is an important part of the rental landscape & until we build large numbers of good quality, true affordable housing it will remain so. Personally I have sold 3 properties with another one going on the market soon. The reality is that good LLs with decent properties are leaving the sector leaving the rogue LLs free rein.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 March 2023 08:45 AM
Perhaps when the EPC assessment is a fair, clear & true reflection of a properties energy efficiency & the recommendations are sensible & affordable LLs will begin to take action. Perhaps when all housing stock have to achieve the same standards LLs will not feel they are being unfairly picked on. Perhaps when the Govt & LAs stop picking money from LLs pockets there will be some left over to pay for improvements. Perhaps pigs will fly!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 March 2023 07:50 AM
Simon, I think you mean 'Let them live in hotels'! The ones provided by councils!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 March 2023 15:01 PM
Quote from the Brent branch of the London Renters' Union: "There is no significant "exodus". This is one of the many untruth peddled by landlords & the landlord lobby, the vast majority of whom are making big profits & an unacceptable number who mistreat tenants." So there you have it. We are not leaving & we have a 'Landlord lobby'! Until the Govt & the tenant groups understand the problem in the PRS they have no chance of solving it. Things are just going to get SO much worse!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 March 2023 08:46 AM
They need to issue it in schools to be of any use!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 March 2023 08:42 AM
It won't get through this Parliament & then a Labour Govt will have its own view.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 March 2023 08:40 AM
Just because she believes it doesn't make it true! I wonder why she thinks there is a shortage of properties & rents are rising if, as she thinks, new LLs are coming in to replace those leaving?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 March 2023 07:19 AM
Each to his / her own! Intend to have sold all my properties long before I die & clearing mortgages now suits my purposes. IHT is an avoidable tax & I have no intention of leaving my kids to deal with a complex estate that was my personal choice not theirs or a large IHT bill.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 March 2023 11:05 AM
I am mitigating IHT by paying off mortgages & then giving away ££ out of income. Immediately out of my estate!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 March 2023 09:03 AM
Well that doesn't fit the narrative of the ant-LL brigade does it?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 March 2023 07:31 AM
How long do you think it would take for the council to do the repairs?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 March 2023 07:38 AM
Whether losing S21 will be as bad as LLs think is almost irrelevant - the damage will have been done as thousands of properties are lost from the PRS. Many LLs are not prepared to wait & see, particularly in relation to whether S8 gets 'beefed up'. Every day there are stories in the news of tenants unable to find a home because of lack of availability & high rents. The damage has already been done & unless the Govt does something to reverse the outflow of LLs, its going to get worse.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 March 2023 07:32 AM
I don't think she is suggesting her organisation should represent them - just that maybe they need someone to do so. I'm not advocating anyone should offer them accommodation ahead of any other group, just pointing out the difficulty of their situation & the failure of our Govt to string together a coherent policy on anything.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 March 2023 11:57 AM
For once I agree with her. Being involved with the Homes for Ukraine Scheme I can tell you that most Ukrainians have little or no chance of getting into rented accommodation. They have no credit history, most are on low wages or UC, most are women or women & children. Their only chance is finding a LL who is sympathetic to their situation. I don't believe the £150 million recently announced will do anything apart from pay for emergency accommodation. There appears to be no real help finding accommodation from my local councils. In fairness, when there is no accommodation I don't know what anyone can do - Ukrainians are at the bottom of the pile with other renters who need social housing. Unfortunately we promised big & delivered small to the Ukrainian people. We can send military aid to their soldiers, but we can't house their women & children! It is the same with the Afghanis we promised help to. The Govt never thinks a problem through to the end, just throws the responsibility to LAs who have no way of dealing with it. Refugees in the UK struggle to find a home, a school, medical care, dental care & jobs. They are totally reliant on the goodwill of hosts & a range of charities.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 March 2023 07:48 AM
I think it all depend whether like Jo you are in for the long haul, or like me, you are coming to the end of your time as a LL. This will kick me out maybe 5 years early - but the payback times are too long for me to make it worth while.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 March 2023 12:44 PM
Payback on solar now reckoned to be about 15 years. The only reason to install them is to buy EPC points - which shows again how stupid the whole thing is!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 March 2023 12:42 PM
And today in the Telegraph the boss of Bosch, who make them, says they are not suitable for older properties!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 March 2023 09:16 AM
I agree - if you haven't read this before you sign your contract it's too late! It should be given to schools to educate kids before they try to rent.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 March 2023 10:31 AM
When is a rent cap not a rent cap? When you can raise the rent by 3% - about my usual annual rent increase!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 March 2023 16:43 PM
Robert, I am just fed up with the fictitious Martin Gibbons popping up with the same post every time EPCs are mentioned. He is not adding to the debate - I believe he is simply a bot.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 March 2023 13:37 PM
EPC story = Martin Gibbons fantasy post. Can’t we get him blocked?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 March 2023 10:39 AM
Wherever possible I do and write to CEOs as other suggest putting our point of view. We are a significant number & buy much more from these organisations than Shelter or the homeless!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 March 2023 10:34 AM
As if tenants had a choice in this market!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 March 2023 07:31 AM
You've got to admit - Shelter are pretty good at getting companies to engage with them. First Direct is another. If only we, as landlords, were as effective at lobbying, perhaps we would get our message across better.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 March 2023 07:28 AM
HMRC is quite clear that adding insulation is a capital expense. DG & new boilers are replacements of existing items & so revenue. Robert - you can claim what you like but it doesn't change HMRCs policy!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 March 2023 11:16 AM
Doug - I think the difference is people who live in their house & rent out a spare room, proper Air B&B & people who rent out a whole house & call it Air B&B when it is actually a holiday let.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 March 2023 08:34 AM
its just about filling funding gaps & people hate others who have more than them so it is a popular tax.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 March 2023 07:39 AM
Robert I agree. But you only have to look at Joe Biden to see how mental capacity reduces will age!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 March 2023 10:33 AM
Anyone who has had mortgages post 2008 should have known it could not last forever. I have done very nicely from the super low mortgage rates but now is the time to sell some of the portfolio to pay off the mortgages on the others. I am selling those which will have a problem with EPC C, future proofing the others & paying the mortgages off. it was great while it lasted but we will not see 0.1% base rates again IMO.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 March 2023 10:31 AM
Whilst CGT is difficult to swallow & much of the gain is due to house prices going up, house prices have gone up much more than many other assets. When you take into account the income received & the gain even after tax, many of us have done pretty well. I have no. intention of being an 80 something year old LL making a mess of my business. Sell up, pay the tax & either spend the money or give it away asap.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 March 2023 10:28 AM
In fairness it is pretty cold this week!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 March 2023 10:24 AM
Perhaps 79 is too old to be a LL!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 March 2023 07:39 AM
Interesting pice in the Daily Telegraph about how Finland solved its housing problem not by further regulation but by deregulation! Apparently supply shot up & rents came down. Choice for tenants mens rents come down & standards go up. Not much chance of that happening here though!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 March 2023 11:00 AM
If the Govt is going to build its housing policy on the foundation of EPCs that need to be considerably more accurate than they are now. No-one in their right mind would spend thousands on a property based on this measure - it is simply the wrong measure.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 March 2023 07:39 AM
Here we go again with the troll's response. Bored with this one already!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 March 2023 07:36 AM
If we use qualified surveyors the cost will rocket. Add in every 3 years & that will need a big increase in rents to cover it :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 March 2023 07:36 AM
Homes 4 Ukraine scheme regulations set by Govt - absolutely sure if NCC could've charged hosts for having Ukrainians they would've done. They have done as little as possible for Ukrainians despite being given £10,500 per person + host payment costs + education costs. NCC are flat broke, have narrowly avoided having Govt bods in to run it, lost millions on Robin Hood Energy & are about to fleece LLs with a second SL scheme that will raise £25 million to run their housing dept. They are a disgrace!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 March 2023 10:34 AM
I really hope your comment was tongue in cheek Jim. I generally agree with a lot of your comments but this one is a little unsympathetic. Not much can be worse than living in a cellar of a building while your city is being bombed.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 March 2023 09:55 AM
Because they don't pay rent they are considered guests. If you have friends to stay you are not suddenly an HMO! You may also be interested to know that hosts had home checks to ensure they were safe ie. electrical & gas installations were looked at, smoke & CO alarms & houses & rooms assessed for being suitable to the number & ages of guests being sponsored.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 March 2023 09:52 AM
I think your business model sounds more like charity than business! But then many PRS LLs are kind to their tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 March 2023 09:49 AM
Although you can only earn £1000 before they start taxing that! (£500 for higher rate & 0 for additional rate tax payers)
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 March 2023 09:08 AM
There is no point replying to the consultation - NCC have proved time & again that they are deaf. This is not about standards, it is about funding their Housing Dept & forcing students into the expensive purpose built rabbit hutches their friends have built so the traditional HMOs go back to being family homes.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 March 2023 07:56 AM
LLs who were selling 1 a year to maximise their CGT allowances are now going to just sell, speeding up the process drastically. The PRS was struggling with the slow loss of LLs but this faster exodus will put the PRS under even more pressure. If EPC C comes it it will be carnage! LLs are already selling up because of the threat. The Govt needs to make its intentions clear. Dismissing the current proposals along with removing S24 & leaving S21 might save the PRS but the uncertainty at present is killing it & fast.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 March 2023 07:54 AM
I had a chat with an EPC assessor about underfloor insulation where there is a solid floor. Take the kitchen out; dig up the floor; lay insulation; relay the floor, put the kitchen back in & redecorate - all for 1 point! Oh & evict your tenant before you start & pay council tax & utilities while you're doing it! It ain't gonna happen!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2023 08:55 AM
Yes but only 1 different monologue every year!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2023 08:52 AM
I look forward to re-reading this new post again & again every time EPCs are mentioned!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2023 08:52 AM
After the huge increases over the last 2 years it's not really a big fall is it?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2023 07:44 AM
How many tenants can afford an EV? That money would be better used saving for a deposit for a house!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2023 07:42 AM
The first thing we need is an accurate measure of energy efficiency not what we currently have. EPCs penalise 'green' electricity based on the fact that it used to remade from coal & tied to the gas prices so it is expensive whilst gas boilers, which the Govt want to ban, are the highest scoring heating. Until EPCs are an accurate, transparent & consistent measure of energy efficiency they are as useful as a chocolate fireguard!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2023 07:36 AM
Duncan, I think you misunderstood me. I am happy for C Tax for the services you mention. My point is that Councils charge a punitive tax on empty properties to increase their revenue stream at a time when they are not requiring any of the service. Given they do not have sufficient funds for their statutory duties they look to raise funds any way they can. Most used to offer at least a short free period between tenants, mine now charge for every day empty, ramping it up as soon as they can, discouraging LLs from between tenants maintenance. Maybe that is why people are trying to avoid it.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2023 14:24 PM
If Council Tax was a tax for services a household uses rather than a revenue stream for all Council Services and a punitive tax on LLs perhaps people wouldn’t try so hard to avoid it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2023 09:10 AM
£1 million! How do they spend so much and achieve so little! This may be a very valuable exercise but how can it possibly cost £1 million?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2023 09:06 AM
They are protesting the wrong thing! Even if no-one was ever evicted we would still have a crisis as there is a shortage of property for new tenants. They should be demanding that the Govt comes up with a plan for building more affordable housing. That is the only thing that will bring rents down, increase availability & improve standards.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 February 2023 07:43 AM
If we knew how the 'easily rigged' bit worked we could all get Cs! We all know it just about the piece of paper - not the actual performance!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 February 2023 11:52 AM
Given the money they are raking in on mortgages & the extra interest earned on arrears I don't think they need to charge a fee as well! I don't think this is as generous as the headline makes out!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 February 2023 07:43 AM
No thanks - I'm not renting out at LHA or giving up control of my asset to a council!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 February 2023 07:50 AM
The problem with a 'letter' rather than a 'story' written by a journalist is that there is not even attempt at fact checking! I think the editors at Puffin should be looking at this letter & removing the 'lies, damn lies & statistics' to prevent children being harmed! It is as much a work of fiction as anything Dahl ever wrote!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 February 2023 07:41 AM
BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING! Both to buy & to rent - it is really so simple! An MP yesterday said there were 96,000 households living in temporary accommodation ie hotels paid for by councils. Building new houses would cut the huge waste of money on putting people up in grotty hotels. Why not build modular housing that can be put up quickly & cheaply? More housing is the solution to so many problems!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 February 2023 07:38 AM
You can lead a horse to water......but ultimately it appears to be the LLs fault when the horse dies of thirst!!! Seriously, maybe smart meters will help in this situation.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 February 2023 12:41 PM
A dehumidifier - starting cost about £100 & running costs of a 200w one about 7p an hour - is a great way to stop damp & makes the washing dry quicker too!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 February 2023 10:30 AM
The PRS cannot save the planet on its own! The fact that we are being targeted looks punitive rather than a coherent plan to cut our energy usage.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 February 2023 10:28 AM
How will those tenants who can't afford to heat their D rated homes pay the increase in rent that will result from the improvements to a C? As an aside, my daughter lives in a D rated victorian terrace & manages to keep it mould free & pay her energy bills. Could it possibly be the tenants who are at fault in mouldy properties?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 February 2023 07:45 AM
Taxation & regulation are what pushed people away from the PRS to the short let market. Rather than impose new taxes & regulation to achieve the opposite why don't we scrap the ones that got us here?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 February 2023 07:39 AM
Rogue LLs don't join accreditation schemes so whilst this scheme may help a tenant identify someone accredited to the scheme, the lack of availability will ensure that LLs & agencies not accredited will continue to rent their properties easily, whatever the standard.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 February 2023 08:51 AM
Let's look at Scotland to how well even temporary rent controls work. It's been a disaster. Anyone repeating an action expecting a different result is a fool.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 February 2023 08:01 AM
We were promised a new EPC algorithm that reflected the fact that electricity is much greener than it used to be by the end of last year yet it is nowhere to be seen. No-one in their right mind will change to electric heating until the fiasco that is the EPC assessment is sorted out.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 February 2023 07:59 AM
Friend put a house on the market in Nottingham a week ago, realistically priced - 8 viewings, 3 over price offers. The buyers are out there if the price is right.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 February 2023 07:52 AM
Describing the double Council Tax as 'contributing fairly towards the services they receive is disingenuous'. This is a punitive tax to try to force houses back into homes for locals. Whilst double Council Tax will be unpleasant for the owners it's probably not worse than the S24 taxation that forced many to change their use in the first place! The tax changes together with the staycation boom in the wake of the pandemic, caused much of this problem, I'm not sure that more taxation is the answer. Other the council / Govt should be making the PRS a more attractive place for LLs.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 February 2023 07:49 AM
Funnily, I did my 6 month inspection today of one of my properties. I do this because NCC say I must. I have tenants who have been in for 6 years & do not need checking up on & who happily report any problems to me. I would go in once a year with the gas guy if I had a choice as that is enough. However because of SL I disturbed their Saturday & took a chunk out of mine, to make sure my property is 'decent' - in effect marking my own homework. Incidentally NCC have not been in once in 5 years. SL in Nottingham is a thinly disguised money making program with no discernible output.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 February 2023 09:25 AM
I had a property available in the East Midlands recently. I had a good number of applicants but the thing that struck me was how many couldn’t pass the affordability. Where are these people going to live now they have been priced out of the PRS?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 February 2023 10:47 AM
It is good to see some common sense being talked about. There is clearly going to be RRB - anything that makes it more workable for LLs has to be seen as positive. At last the message that driving LLs out is causing availability issues & high rents appears to be being heard!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 February 2023 07:43 AM
NCC is broke - they lost millions on Robin Hood Energy, have failed to support Ukrainian refugees with anything except the bare minimum (although they have manage to create 4 posts costing £250k to run the scheme!) & narrowly missed having Govt commissioners in to run it. It spend tax payers money like water & achieves very little in return. 5 years ago we told them SL would put rents up & it did; it will put rents up again this year. At nearly £900 per property it is fleecing tenants & LLs to pay for its housing dept budget. It achieved very little last time & will achieve very little this time. NCC seems to be a self perpetuating organisation where its funding pays it employment bill but achieves very little output. And the Govt allows it too!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 February 2023 07:39 AM
Solar panels without a battery pretty much only produce power when tenants are at work - so their savings would be minimal for at least a £5k outlay for LL. If you have a battery as well the costs go up but not every rental has space for all this. I think this is just a tenants wish list. DG on the other hand - every rental should have it by now!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 February 2023 09:06 AM
So they obviously asked a completely different set of LLs from the other article today that said we're not selling, we're buying! Personally I am selling some, paying down mortgages & keeping the best. A small portfolio of really good properties is now my aim - easy to sell if necessary.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 February 2023 08:18 AM
Daughter in law had 3 over price offers from the first 6 viewings with 5 more viewings booked in! Clearly buyers out there if the price is right!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 February 2023 08:15 AM
Did the tenants say they would be willing to pay increased rent for these improvements? It's a bit like all the NetZero stuff - people want to be green until it hurts their wallet!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 February 2023 08:08 AM
2 thoughts: 1. Where is the money going to come from - certainly LAs don't have any. If we have money for this surely we have money to build social housing? 2. The social housing sector gain is the PRS' loss - so where are all the tenants who don't qualify for social housing going to rent?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 February 2023 08:04 AM
I can't even afford the SDLT on them!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 February 2023 07:53 AM
So the saviour of the rental market might not be quite as able to save as planned! Private LLs are leaving in droves but BTR is slowing down & presumably will also be hiking its rents! Many tenant groups will be throwing their members out of the frying pan into the fire as they continue to demonise small LLs and force them out of the PRS.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 February 2023 07:51 AM
The proposal is for double from Day 1. It is just daft - it discourages LLs from doing any maintenance or upgrades and instead encourages them to put tenants in as quickly as possible. Not only that but the way they bill voids is daft. I always get a bill until the end of the current tax year, which I ignore until the tenant moves in and I get a revised bill for the void period. Double billing must cost money. Why not give LLs 1 month free so they can do maintenance & then bill once when the void period is known?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 February 2023 07:47 AM
Such a balanced and informative view! Thanks for sharing it on a Landlord site!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 February 2023 11:50 AM
Shelter are not prepared to let the truth get in the way of their narrative. At least you only got blocked - when I post against Acorn I get personal abuse, again for stating facts! These tenant groups are indulging in cognitive dissonance - they believe LLs leaving the market will reduce house prices & put deposits in tenants' pocket. The former, maybe the later, no chance! Even though we are n a crisis of price & availability in the PRS they believe the answer is for LLs to leave!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 February 2023 11:45 AM
If the only house available is from a LL with a bad review how much notice will a renter take? ATM it is a LLs market & you can probably rent out anything, even the meanest hovel, in most of the UK.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 February 2023 11:42 AM
S21 is the leading cause of homelessness - but being a bad tenant is the leading cause of getting a S21!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 February 2023 08:08 AM
A heat pump reduces the EPC because it is powered by electricity & currently EPCs are a measure of cost. This is supposed to have changed but no sign of the new assessment that was due at the end of 2022.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 February 2023 14:09 PM
Even if the NRLA represented LL as we would wish, their membership is a tiny proportion of LLs. We don't really help ourselves as we don't have any collective representation.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 February 2023 12:46 PM
I agree - but there are those that do.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 February 2023 14:25 PM
Mostly by age - youngsters are usually temporary, families more long term. I agree it is not foolproof so I don't allow pets until tenants have been in for a year & shown they pay on time & look after the property,
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 February 2023 14:23 PM
Until they understand why we are leaving they cannot take the actions required to stop us. The tenant groups are delusional - believing the private LL will be replaced by social housing, when in fact it will be replaced by expensive BTR leaving families, particularly at the cheaper end of the market out in the cold with nowhere to live. Tenant groups - you can tell 'em, but you can't tell 'em much! They just don't want t o hear!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 February 2023 10:30 AM
No.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 February 2023 10:27 AM
I have done all the sensible things & am left with Victorian Terraces that 'need' floor insulation or wall insulation - not doing either! - and electrically heated properties - no real option here - so for me its not about the tax status of improvements, its about the ridiculousness of the entire EPC rigmarole. I just need to know if & when to make my dent, longstanding tenants homeless so I can sell to an owner occupier with no EPC headache to contend with!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 February 2023 10:26 AM
IMO there is a difference between a family renting a house as their long term home where they want to build a life & put down roots & those who are only in a rental 'temporarily'. 'Forever Renters' should be allowed pets as they are the ones who will have to put up with any extra distress to the property the pet causes. Those who are renting 'temporarily' before either buying or finding a 'forever rental' are probably out at work all day, so an unsuitable environment for dogs, or saving hard for the next step in their life, pets are expensive, or only hoping to be in a particular proper short term. The cost to the LL or having a pet in a property usually diminishes over time so these short term renters are least likely to be allowed a pet in one of my properties. There has to be common sense here and forcing LLs to accept pets will only end up with more being abandoned when the owners move on to something else - look at what happened during & after covid. As a pet lover I am as concerned for the quality of life of the pat as I am for the preservation of my asset!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 February 2023 10:16 AM
There are still houses being let out with an EPC below E & goodness knows how many owner occupied properties would also fail to meet this target. The emphasis should be on improving the whole of the property sector not just pushing LLs who comply to further & further costs. On our own, we aren't enough to make a difference to emissions & the only losers will be the tenants as we all head for the door :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 February 2023 07:52 AM
Most people want to buy eventually but when you are young & moving around the country, changing jobs etc, renting is more flexible. With conveyancing taking 5 months or so now buying & selling repeatedly before you finally settle down is really tricky to manage.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 February 2023 11:29 AM
Mind you - Reg & Tina won't be renting one of my properties!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 February 2023 08:48 AM
Sounds like an extension of the expensive student blocks currently being built! If this is what is going to replace the PRS tenants with families on low incomes are going to be left out in the cold!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 February 2023 07:49 AM
Does this not show that instead of more regulation to combat the rogue element what is needed is enforcement? It has been illegal for nearly 3 years to rent out a property with an EPC lower than E & yet there are still properties being rented out. The tenant groups & LAs are keen on more & more regulation & the good LLs abide by them - and pass cost on to tenants - rogue LLs just ignore them!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 February 2023 07:46 AM
They are one of the group of 'Professionals' - people who charge an extortionate amount & do very little, often very slowly!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 February 2023 09:59 AM
And the bizarre thing is that because the Govt & tenants' groups both want to drive private LLs out they think they are working together. But once we are gone the tenants group will find we have just been replaced by big business not council houses! Some people seem to believe that we are suddenly going to see thousands of extra council houses, either built new or bought up by the council. What they don't realise is that councils have no money & have no desire to run housing - that's why they gave them to HAs.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 February 2023 09:26 AM
Another reason to leave!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 February 2023 07:53 AM
There is no chance of a change. Tenants groups are completely deluded that driving LLs out of the PRS is the answer & it will lead to cheaper housing, tenants able to buy (!) & councils taking housing back under their control(!) when instead it will lead to a even less availability until the void is filled with expensive BTR. These groups & the Govt have a stated aim of a smaller PRS without any plan to fill the gap we leave in the market. Tax breaks for LLs are never going to happen. Instead tenants are going to suffer, particularly those looking for & unable to access social housing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 February 2023 07:51 AM
Great idea but who owns an empty house that they subsequently want to live in for 5yrs? Not sure how many properties this will bring back into use.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 February 2023 07:50 AM
A 9.9% drop across the E Midlands - that explains the huge rise in rents & the lack of properties. Could SL be playing a role?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 February 2023 07:48 AM
He forgot to recommend that the Govt stops allowing spurious SL schemes that achieve nothing other than increasing costs for all concerned.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 February 2023 07:33 AM
Rent controls have never worked, anywhere. They are great for the few who are already in situ but for everyone else it's a nightmare. Why don't politicians ever learn from history?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 January 2023 07:56 AM
So instead of rent freezes & eviction bans we need more social housing so those who want to can move sectors & that would then relieve the pressure on the PRS & allow rents to stabilise. Easy!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 January 2023 07:53 AM
Tenants are usually at the sharp end of a cost of living crisis - by definition they are usually young or in low paid jobs - that's why they rent. On the other hand I have seen mortgages go up by £200pcm whilst handing out rent rises of £25 - 50pcm. Tenants are at least protected from that!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 January 2023 07:54 AM
Leicester is putting up its Social rents by 7% - why not the PRS?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 January 2023 12:46 PM
More rent rises for tenants :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 January 2023 08:05 AM
A friend moved into a house on E7 (GCH so shouldn't be) to discover the day rate meter didn't work so all the power was being charged at night rate. The energy company did change it quite quickly, but surely they should've been able to see there was a problem when absolutely no electricity was being used in the day by the previous occupant? The energy companies are shockingly bad at running their businesses.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 January 2023 07:52 AM
I joined DASH when it was free in order to get the discount off the SL fee. Now they charge £100 for every 3 years its not really worth it. But I do wonder how DASH can do it for £100 for 3 years & NCC want £820 for 5 years.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 January 2023 12:02 PM
I am a Nottingham LL. The scheme is expected to cost £820 per property. I am a member of DASH (cost £100 for 3 years) who have inspected my properties which exceed the expected standard. NCC haven't been near my properties & won't because of the DASH accreditation so why am I expected to pay the full amount & why should I pay out of my own pocket? My tenants have already been told to expect a rent rise.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 January 2023 07:59 AM
Hello pro EPC - bot. Good to see a slightly different reply from you today! Meanwhile: Story in Business Insider Deutschland - Germany is planning to ration electricity as TVs and heat pumps threaten to collapse local energy grids!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 January 2023 08:43 AM
Not again! Crawl back under your bot rock and stay there!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 January 2023 08:10 AM
Just reletting a property after a long term let. Market rate is 20-25% higher than tenants were paying & plenty of interest but affordability is becoming an issue for many now. I. think rents need to plateau this year so that wages can catch up after this huge increase in rents.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 January 2023 08:20 AM
Why don't they just buy them? Only a fool would get involved with this.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 January 2023 08:18 AM
New director - new ideas? probably not - just the same old rhetoric of LLs are bad, tenants are good. Seriously - an opportunity for GenRent to change their stance & engage with the PRS in a way that helps tenants, but I don't imagine that will happen.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 January 2023 08:16 AM
We live in a world now with no personal responsibility - everyone needs someone to blame.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 January 2023 08:13 AM
How on earth are yields going to improve for anyone with a mortgage?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 January 2023 07:46 AM
Don't look at the numbers too closely - it won't fit Shelter's narrative if all these people aren't really homeless!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2023 14:39 PM
Mario, I think your repetition reduces the impact of your post!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2023 14:37 PM
Why is a HA selling properties?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2023 14:36 PM
They are right - there is a chronic shortage of social housing and that pushes people into the PRS who should never have been there. But don't blame the private LLs, who have at least increased the number of homes available to rent over the past 2 decades - blame the Govt, central & local, who have sold off 3 million council homes & failed to replace them let alone build more, and whose policies have resulted in a pay / house price ratio that leaves million needing social housing instead of standing on their own 2 feet.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2023 07:36 AM
I got bitten by the Green Homes Grant, jumping through all the hoops for external wall insulation before being left high & dry when they pulled the scheme. Not going through that again - I have sold one of the properties & the others will follow.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2023 07:31 AM
I have yet to hear of a single Council taking any notice of any consultation on SL. They all go ahead because it is any easy way to boost the cash in their coffers, paid for, not by LLs but by tenants.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 January 2023 07:14 AM
There are so many problems with EPC C by 2025: 1. New algorithm has been introduced for new properties but not yet for existing so any current EPC is likely to be outdated very quickly. 2. The current EPC is based on cost not carbon use so measures the wrong thing. 3. The standard of measurement is inconsistent using to many assumptions. 4. The recommendations are often impractical. 5. The cost of many of the measures is prohibitive. 6. 2025 / 28 is too short a time frame for most LLs to cope with. 7. The jump from E to C to simply too big. 8. If EPC D properties become illegal to rent the crisis in the PRS will be catastrophic for most tenants. Because of these factors, most LLs will not attempt any upgrades until there is clarity on what, how & when.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 January 2023 07:13 AM
Good luck with that! Only a fool would give their property to the Council to rent out.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 January 2023 08:13 AM
Beware of statistics! Eastwood has not suddenly become the most popular place in the world, just it started from a lower base so the % is less £!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 January 2023 08:12 AM
And so LLs put up rents as high as they can now just in case they can't later!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 January 2023 08:09 AM
And that fact alone is fuelling rent rises as LLs put up rents 'jus in case'.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 January 2023 09:35 AM
Nobody should draw any conclusions from a December market!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 January 2023 07:38 AM
This is laughable! Tenants often struggle with controlling their energy usage - storage heaters, immersion heaters, changing tariffs, programming timers often seem to be beyond their capability. The idea that they would shun a home because of the EPC rating - a useless indicator - particularly in this market, is absolutely ridiculous!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 January 2023 07:37 AM
I am really concerned about devolving power to local communities. Whilst the Govt is not covered in glory with how it handles anything, many Councils are bankrupt and have lost millions of council payers £ in dodgy investments. At least currently, most legislation is national, the idea of individual councils being able to legislate willy nilly to fill their coffers & promote their agendas is terrifying!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 January 2023 07:32 AM
That will really help - what is LHA is Surrey? Affordable housing is what we need, not high end flats with extras!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 January 2023 08:58 AM
I've got one coming on line this week - not anticipating any problems renting it :)
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 January 2023 08:57 AM
Why does anyone think more legislation is the answer? Surely enforcement of the legislation we already have would be more effective in ensuring decent homes for tenants?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 January 2023 08:56 AM
This typifies what is wrong with the politics in housing - 2 of the worst schemes ever devised - Right to Buy & Shared Ownership - rolled into one!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 January 2023 08:47 AM
Even with S21 in the petition it would not reach 100k. LLs seem to be the least effective people around when it comes to protecting their business. Over 2 million LLs, only 100k in the biggest trade body & only 16k bothering to sign the petition. There is really no hope for us!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 January 2023 08:05 AM
Energy efficiency is at the top of my list - I am identifying the properties that cannot easily reach EPC C and selling them, increasing the pressure in the PRS for tenants :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 January 2023 08:02 AM
Bet tenants will be thrilled to get another rent rise.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 December 2022 07:01 AM
"Protecting tenants from unsafe and poor housing conditions remains a big priority in Fenland" - how about protecting them from themselves? As we all know, most damp & mould is caused by tenants themselves!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 December 2022 07:55 AM
Welcome to the party Landlord Today - this story is several days old already! There are over 2 million private landlords & only 13k have signed this. Shelter & GenRent are SO much better than we are at getting their narrative across. We need to work together to defend our businesses so even this doesn't affect you we can use it to send a message to Govt.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 December 2022 07:52 AM
I topped up all the loft insulation in my properties two years ago. One set of tenants refused to let me do so because it was too disruptive with all their stuff in the loft!! Mind you these were tenants who used the immersion for hot water in the summer rather than their gas boiler until I pointed out it really would save them money to use the gas!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 December 2022 11:24 AM
Find the link on the story on Landlordzone.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 December 2022 09:10 AM
Given that she will presumably now save money as the new boiler will be more efficient she is having a laugh! Who compensates Homeowners when their boiler fails? if anything, her rent should go up as your house is more desirable!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 December 2022 09:09 AM
You can post a link here but if you go to Landlordzone & find the story (3rd one at the moment) the. link is there. Or search the Gov petitions site - the title is 'Reinstate tax relief allowing mortgage interest to be set against rental income'.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 December 2022 09:07 AM
When we were living in Army housing we had a rent rise every year & I believe it happens in Social Housing too so what is the big deal about a rent rise every year? Most things go up annually - why should rent be different?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 December 2022 07:41 AM
Is there ever a good time of year to be made homeless?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 December 2022 07:33 AM
Home owners search out damp & mould, work out why it is happening and change their behaviour. Tenants blame the property & expect the LL to sort it out :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 December 2022 07:32 AM
Its the same with HMOs - people campaign against them citing ASB & loss of family homes, but if people didn't need need them to live in LLs wouldn't rent them!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 December 2022 07:26 AM
I know a LL like this - but I also know he is not complying with all the other legislation currently! If you are unable to deal with the fairly straight forward idea of completing a tax return quarterly maybe its time to outsource it or give it up!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 December 2022 07:36 AM
its not just renters who are struggling this winter - many home owners will be making the same tough decisions, particularly those with mortgages that are going up hundreds of £ each month. Yet no-one is blaming the BofE for their difficulties!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 December 2022 07:52 AM
'Many are in the dark about the details' because they haven't been published yet! One day, EPCs might be required by someone to be something but we don't quite know yet how to measure anything!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 December 2022 13:45 PM
The problem is they started to reduce the PRS but put nothing in place to replace it. Things move slowly in housing & the Govt has created a huge void & tenants are paying the price.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 December 2022 07:53 AM
The housing market has been continually tilted towards FTBs - Help to Buy, shared ownership, SDLT holiday - and all that has been achieved is profits for house builders, a shrinking PRS & a 25% increase in house prices! Govt interference always has unintended consequences - they should just let the market do its own thing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 December 2022 07:50 AM
Absolutely! It seems LLs are not the only ones confused by the Govt's proposals.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 December 2022 07:46 AM
Although only a 'minority of renters' have a bad experience, most are currently suffering rent rises due to Govt policy & lobbying by tenant groups. As ever the few are making life much more difficult for the many :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 December 2022 07:15 AM
They've had the money from 31,000 - that's what they wanted!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 December 2022 07:11 AM
December is not a good month to base predictions on - low volumes & Christmas distort the truth. Let's see where we are in February.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 December 2022 07:10 AM
Even a rabbit hutch is preferable to 'temporary accommodation'. Social Housing shouldn't be luxurious, just sufficient. The PRS is there for those who want - and can afford - more.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 December 2022 07:43 AM
It will only hit a C with some dodgy assumptions in my view. You need external wall or floor insulation on top of a decent boiler & DG to get a C. The assessment has changed hugely since 2006 & you will have lost a load of points.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 December 2022 13:42 PM
Are we their parents?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 December 2022 16:51 PM
There is no point trying to improve the EPC rating until they have issued the new algorithm and decided how to score GCH (soon to be obsolete) and electric (green but low scoring due to cost). At present the system is ridiculous!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 December 2022 14:11 PM
The problem with raising LHA is it indirectly increases all rents. What we need is increased supply.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 December 2022 08:31 AM
Just subsidise loft insulation - or give it out for free! That would be a much better use of OUR money & would probably result in more insulation than any other scheme.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 November 2022 12:43 PM
Visited a tenant recently. Me - wearing two fleeces, plumber in a woolly hat, 30 something tenant in a T shirt. The heating is on at 10am. Me - gosh it's warm in here, tenant - only 21C my partner whacks it up to 23 when she's at home! My heating is set to 15C during the day & 19C in the evening. Draw your own conclusions!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 November 2022 08:00 AM
The few who manage to get a rental will enjoy the benefits, the rest will be shut out of the PRS as availability continues to reduce and rents increase.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 November 2022 07:45 AM
This doesn't fit Shelter's narrative does it? LLs that care - whatever next!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 November 2022 15:20 PM
OMG Jo - Don't plan to die before you're 75! I am selling most now (just hit 60) which is about 10 years early, with the intention of keeping 3 or 4 'easy' properties. I'm taking the CGT hit in order to avoid the IHT hit & will pass the money on earlier than planned, hoping to live at least 7 years more. Overall have done pretty well over the last 20 years & I don't want to be regretting not selling in 10 years time. The Govt have really spoilt my plans but I think it will only get worse from here on in :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 November 2022 15:19 PM
Nick - I think you'll find many of the 'indigenous' population wanting to be housed by the council have paid very little into the system but take plenty out. The Ukrainians who have come here are fleeing war and are mostly women & children. It is sad that the Councils have to try such drastic measures to get them a home in possibly the tightest rental market we have ever seen, but I absolutely support their right to be here & to be supported by our Govt & the general population. Much of Ukraine is currently on intermittent electricity & water supplies and winter temperatures are dropping. A little compassion is required here as families try to rebuild a life whilst their men folk live in a war zone.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 November 2022 10:53 AM
Jo - I don't know whether you hold your properties in a company or as an individual, but as someone who has spent the last 11 years dealing with the property my late mother owned when she died, I would just say don't leave your heirs a property problem. We have been to hell & back with the property left to us, made even more complicated by the fact that everything is owned jointly. No-one wants to pay more tax than they have to but I am sure of one thing, I am not leaving my kids the sort of problems I was left with.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 November 2022 10:46 AM
Until EPCs are updated, are consistent, clear about what they measure & how to improve the score anything based upon them is pointless. The Govt has recommitted to banning all new gas boilers in 2035 yet electric heating is poor on an EPC & gas will help you achieve a C. Where is the upgraded algorithm we were told was coming? How can we plan for the future when the metric simply does not measure what it is supposed to? The whole EPC thing is a farce and will be another nail in the coffin of the PRS.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 November 2022 07:37 AM
Difficult to see trends in a traditionally quiet time of year. What happens in the New Year will be more interesting - mortgage rates off their highs, LLs wanting to sell, more realistic pricing - I think the market is softening but will be better next year than many forecasts.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 November 2022 07:30 AM
I think this is the big concern. The change in the allowance is not that great but if the tax rate matches marginal rates that becomes much more worrying. Things are certainly not going to get better, just a question of how much worse.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 November 2022 07:27 AM
We are promised a timely court process if S21 is removed. Anyone believe that?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 November 2022 12:36 PM
I think LHA rises actually feed rent rises. I do not want to let to people who are not working so I keep my rents above LHA. When there was a big rise in LHA during covid I suddenly found LHA had caught up to my rents so I put them up!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 November 2022 12:40 PM
Could it also be due to more people and more homes as our population increases?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 November 2022 08:56 AM
£14 million that could’ve been invested in actual housing instead of going to punish LLs filling the gap left by chronic mismanagement of our housing sock over decades.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 November 2022 08:50 AM
Even more so if you start your family whilst renting!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 November 2022 12:58 PM
I do think we used to wait until we could afford to leave home whilst it has now become the norm to want our own space as soon as we hit 18, whether we can afford it or not. Young people staying at home a bit longer will perhaps ease the pressure on the PRS a bit, but its not really a solution is it?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 November 2022 07:48 AM
How can Oxford do it for £400 and Nottingham City need about £900? If you accept the need for SL - which I don't - why do the fees vary so much?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 November 2022 07:45 AM
This is legalised theft!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 November 2022 07:13 AM
There are now regularly stories in the news about people unable to afford their homes or being asked to move with nowhere to go, many of them working people. There are also stories of the CBI wanting the Govt to relax immigration because we need more workers. We do not have enough housing and the situation is getting worse. When is the Govt going to address this?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 November 2022 07:57 AM
Anyone who uses their agent to sort their tax affairs should probably have their head examined!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 November 2022 07:52 AM
Prices have held up ok so far - selling just as the market started to slow. Even with 'realistic pricing' I am achieving significantly more than valuations 2 years ago. Will be watching the market closely for the next ones - but it is a question I ask every time a tenant leaves - keep or sell? Sell is winning! Even with the tax rises announced yesterday, I believe taxes are only going to keep going up, so I am selling and taking the tax hit. Its still a decent profit.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 November 2022 14:22 PM
No renter is safe! That is simply scaremongering. Decent LLs do not evict tennts to rent out at a higher rent & most LLs are decent. The single biggest use in costs for most people this year will be their heating yet apparently everything is the fault of LLs. Without a LL voice at his event Khan's meeting has no validity. They were just a self affirming group with no real understanding of why there are problems and the very large part they are playing in it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 November 2022 08:10 AM
3rd property sold yesterday - another going through now. Sorry renters!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 November 2022 08:05 AM
Can you imagine living in flats with 100 dogs? Hope they provide ear plugs too! And what do you do on the 10th floor when your arthritic Labrador can no longer climb the stairs? At least putting them all in one development means other people can avoid them!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 November 2022 08:27 AM
They are not building quickly enough to replace the LLs who are leaving!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 November 2022 09:02 AM
Hope is not a course of action & expecting the Govt to change course may be beyond even hope! I am selling & taking the hit on CGT - its never going to be reduced & after tomorrow may be even worse :( . At least I've got time to invest it elsewhere & make some money without paying CGT.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 November 2022 09:00 AM
Using the proportion of income used on rent as a measure is a false metric - it just means only those with higher wages are renting in the BTR sector. Not surprising when you consider they have to pay for all those extras like office space and gyms!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 November 2022 07:47 AM
Perhaps the financial implication of a rogue tenant are less personal to a company boss than the average private LL.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 November 2022 07:43 AM
Traditional student LLs are being forced out of the market with article 4 directions, HMO licensing etc and students are being driven in to purpose built accommodation. This may often be of a better quality but the rents are eye wateringly high & leave individuals prone to isolation with less communal space.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 November 2022 07:55 AM
Even when issued with a S21 there is no guarantee that tenants will leave quickly. Why then, would a LL issue a S21 without good reason? No fault eviction is generally a myth perpetuated by GenRent, Shelter et al, to promote their pro tenant agenda. Not working too well though, is it?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 November 2022 07:52 AM
I used to support Crisis at Christmas every year but their anti LL stance has caused me to reconsider and I give my money to a different charity now. Homeless charities have become too political. taking the easy option to blame LLs, and as a result there will be 2 less Christmas Dinners this year.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 November 2022 08:07 AM
Not this fantasy story again!!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 November 2022 07:37 AM
I'm sure I remember stories in the pandemic about how the rental market in London was dead and would never recover as renters headed for the countryside! As usual, just clickbait!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 November 2022 07:20 AM
Glad this is being publicised - now I know what to avoid buying.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 November 2022 07:18 AM
Yet most never changed supplier or tariffs; are often on E7 when they shouldn't be; heat hot water in the tank endlessly and walk around in T shirts in January! They may have an interest in the tech - but probably don't actually use it to be more efficient :)
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 November 2022 08:49 AM
Like Frances - I am in the process of selling. Frantically kicking all & sundry to get over the line before Thursday. Slow solicitors could cost me £18k :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 November 2022 08:37 AM
Properties with higher EPCs often are simply either newer or better maintained - you don't do all the insulation and leave old windows, old kitchen, old bathroom etc - so how can you tell its the EPC that is forcing the rent or price up? In the current market you could rent out any house and have a queue for it, demand is so high & availability so low. I don't believe tenants take any notice of the EPC.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 November 2022 07:42 AM
I nearly put a house on the market 2 years ago at £200k. Rented it for a further 20 months then put it on the market for £225k. Hopefully completing next week at £222. Even if CGT is raised to marginal rates I will make more than selling in 2020 - thanks to Rishi & his SDLT holiday!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 November 2022 13:16 PM
2 sold and in the bag; 1 completes next week and another on the market. Yes - its a pain - but I am definitely doing it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 November 2022 13:13 PM
At least we can spell tenant! I guess after 20 years of renting you are an expert whereas those of us who house you are just amateurs!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 November 2022 13:10 PM
This just confirms what we already know - it is lack of availability that is driving the increases in rent. Yet the Govt continues with policies that drive LLs out of the market & reduces availability! London may be settling down but will the rest of the country follow? Not necessarily. It is still a very tough market for renters in most of the country.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 November 2022 07:28 AM
Loft insulation is relatively cheap & easy to install - and yet I have had two sets of tenants decline my offer to do it for them!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 November 2022 07:24 AM
Does this report actually say that people are renting what they can afford instead of what they want? That has got to be good news for everyone.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 November 2022 07:45 AM
A student house in Nottingham that would rent for £850 as a family home is up for £1500 for students. Having let to students before I agree the maintenance & upkeep is higher but I also agree that many are ripped off because it is easy do so. Students & their parents are 'niave renters' with this often their first experience of renting & with the desire to live with their friends in a key location the over-riding factor. As a result they are ripe for exploitation & often get ripped off.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 November 2022 07:42 AM
Right on the money Paul! My whole December will be spent renovating a property after tenants of 10 years leave. I will get paid nothing for my labour and I have no say in the timing - the tenants gave 1 months notice - so I will be juggling renovation with Christmas preparation. I am not complaining - just pointing out that land lording is not just easy money. My golden nugget to future LLs - don't bother, invest in other assets where you can avoid CGT, rogue individuals and a Govt that is set against you.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 November 2022 07:29 AM
Jo - yes most properties from the 1980s or even the 1970s can get to a C fairly easily but the Govt aim is B & then maybe A. Most properties built 5 years ago or more will not hit these targets.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 November 2022 07:05 AM
Most houses have low EPCs because we have only just started insulating new houses properly! Even houses built as little as 5yrs ago will need retrofitting to reach Govt targets, leaving owners to pay up to 5 times as much as it would've cost to do when building. Building Regs - the lowest acceptable standard. I think I need to buy shares in house building companies - all Govt policies seem to be aimed at increasing their bottom line!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 November 2022 11:33 AM
The example above is dreadful - but how does the bill help? The Council declined to intervene even though they have powers to. No-one wants rogue LLs but this bill is driving out the good ones not the rogues.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 November 2022 07:27 AM
If your basic premise is wrong anything derived from it will also be wrong. How can they fail to see that they are achieving the exact opposite of their aims? For me - one sold, one going through, one for sale in the new year - how does that help the rental crisis?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 November 2022 07:00 AM
If EPCs were an accurate measure this might be more believable but we all know that the EPC rating is just a figment of an assessors imagination!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 November 2022 08:00 AM
I don't believe anyone is building above and beyond building regs or that buyers are paying over the odds for this. A gas boiler scores higher on EPC than a heat pump and pure hydrogen as a heating gas has been dismissed. I'm not sure I believe Duncan is who he pretends to be!.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 November 2022 12:33 PM
Its not the delays that are driving us away it is the reforms themselves! The delay is just allowing us to do it in a more orderly fashion!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 November 2022 07:52 AM
Nottingham City Council is retrofitting older housing to bring it up to carbon-neutral standards - at a cost of £70k per house. These targets will make all houses unaffordable.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 November 2022 07:50 AM
I think tenants are being hung out to dry too. At least we have an asset we can sell.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 October 2022 10:51 AM
It's going regardless of what we want and most LLs have planned accordingly. It is going to be a shocking few years to be a tenant, with those already in a property staying put and those who want to move or who are new to the market struggling to find anywhere to rent. Quite what the powers that be will do once they realise the mess they have caused is anyones guess. But looking at the state of the NHS I imagine the answer will be nothing other than a lot of handwringing and bemoaning the fact that the PRS no longer works.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 October 2022 07:48 AM
Don't forget the huge rise in mortgage costs that will start feeding through too.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 October 2022 07:42 AM
And it only 8 years for the Council to get their man!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 October 2022 07:41 AM
Surely for LLs to have confidence the court reforms need to precede the removal of S21. With Raab back in that dept what are the chances of that - virtually nil!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 October 2022 07:39 AM
FTBers will soon have the pick of lots of lovely Victorian Terraces with EPCs of D or below as LLs shift them out other portfolios. Bigger, cheaper, better built and all together nicer than a new build in my book.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 October 2022 07:36 AM
You are spot on John - and because of policies like Help To Buy that were restricted to new builds, there is now a premium attached to the cost so they will be forcing FTBers to pay. over the odds for an often substandard home. I have never bought a new build and never will!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 October 2022 07:34 AM
Don't they just want retirees to move out of their family homes? I'm not moving to a one-bed bungalow where my family can't visit because someone else can't afford a house big enough for the family they chose to have!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 October 2022 08:58 AM
Unlikely - Gove changes position with the wind and like Boris, jumps on any bandwagon that helps brand Gove. I cannot understand how he has gone from weasel to national treasure. he will unleash misery for LLs and thus tenants.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 October 2022 08:55 AM
They haven't been around long enough to try to use the court system!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 October 2022 10:14 AM
Michael you are right of course. But I wonder how long the new boys will stay in the market. Once they've had a few tenants, their flats are not so sparkly (especially the JL furniture), the finance costs have escalated and there is no profit anymore. Will they stay the course or just jump ship? Many in the PRS will tell them it is not just a way to mint money even if that is the general perception.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 October 2022 08:59 AM
Hard to see where all these new LLs are springing up from when the general consensus is more are leaving than joining.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 October 2022 07:58 AM
There should be an exemption for over long payback.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 October 2022 09:59 AM
if they are empty who has the Right to Buy? If they are to be bought why do they need £50k spent on them first? And if they exist why are the LAs not bringing them back into use as council Houses? Unfortunately I can't read the full story as the link is missing!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 October 2022 07:59 AM
Stealth taxes - not increasing the thresholds at which payments start - are robbing us all :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 October 2022 07:56 AM
I review rents every year & usually increase them in line with, but below, market rents. Because of that this year my tenants will get their usual rent rise or thereabouts so there is no huge shock for them & I can absorb the extra mortgage costs until the good times return! There is no advantage to LLs of being kind to tenants in the form of very low rents unless you are a charity. Tenants don't realise you are doing them a favour & when you put them up they will complain. We are a business & we should behave like business people. An extra round of SL next year is a different matter - rents will go up more than usual. Thanks Nottingham City Council!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 October 2022 10:48 AM
Nick, I think you they assume that because BTR are big companies they will be more 'professional' than small LLs. You only have to look at Councils & Social Housing to see that isn't necessarily true! Plus as a business it will all be about the bottom line. I can't really see them providing 3 bed family homes with a garden at reasonable costs across the country - can you? Penthouse apartments with extra facilities is more their bag, where they can charge 'young professionals' top dollar before thy see sense!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 October 2022 10:41 AM
Scottish Govt reaping what it sows at the expense of the people it purports to serve.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 October 2022 07:32 AM
You've got to admire Shelter - they have hoodwinked numerous big businesses (Nationwide, FD, B&Q), the Govt and most of the population into believing they are a charity for the homeless when in fact one of the major cause of homelessness today is - Shelter!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 October 2022 09:25 AM
So more poor tenants will be receiving substantial rent rises just as the cost of living crisis hits hard. How do Councils justify a scheme that they know will result in rent rises for the very people they are claiming to hep?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 October 2022 07:38 AM
Nottingham became the city with the fastest growing rent after the first round of SL as LLs put up their rents. Very little has been achieved by the first scheme but NCC is completely broke and one step away from having a Govt Commissioner foisted on them. The only way they can keep their head above water (and their jobs secure) is to find alternative funding sources, hence another round of SL. Despite being told by LLs that SL will force rents up, NCC continues to state that LLs will absorb the rent - the equivalent of putting their fingers in their ears whilst singing loudly! My tenants gained absolutely nothing from the first round of SL other than a rent rise, yet NCC will throw them under a bus again to prop up their financially unsupportable position. This hits the lower end of the market particularly hard as the licence costs the same for a 1 bed flat or a 10 bed mansion. The additional £25 or so LLs will put on the rent will be extremely difficult for people struggling with the cost of l living.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 October 2022 07:33 AM
And using LHA to pay for anything other than rent should be a crime too.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 October 2022 07:25 AM
Perhaps Shelter and FD would like to build some extra social housing - plenty of money between them and the only way to reduce homelessness. Businesses who step outside of their known area usually fail quickly - I really don't see how FD can become a player in the PRS. They should stick to what they know - banking.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 October 2022 07:23 AM
Do you think we would save more carbon by a) bringing the PRS up to EPC C b) cancelling the World Cup in Qatar c) making flying illegal d) cancelling Bonfire Night? On the one hand LLs are being forced to make eyewateringly expensive upgrades to save virtually nothing on the other hand we encourage the whole of Europe to fly to Liverpool for a song contest! Where is the consistency in all of this?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 October 2022 13:09 PM
Its hard to imagine what exemptions can be used. Pretty easy to get a property to an E with some loft insulation & some LED light bulbs, its a C that causes the problems.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 October 2022 13:04 PM
The fear of a rent freeze is causing some LLs to put rents up while they can. Its becoming a self fulfilling prophecy.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 October 2022 07:48 AM
Given that there is a new EPC algorithm around the corner what does EPC B or C even mean?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 October 2022 08:44 AM
The How to Rent Booklet is a laugh - if you haven't seen it before you rent a property it's too late! Should be part of the school curriculum instead!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 October 2022 10:48 AM
When property is as scarce as it currently is, the thought that a potential renter would be concerned about the EPC is laughable. They are simply concerned with getting a roof over their heads and will rent anything that is available!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 October 2022 07:07 AM
We could call S21 - Non-Specified Fault Eviction, that would be more accurate.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 October 2022 11:03 AM
Another reason to get out of the PRS thereby reducing the supply and forcing rents up. Do they not see what they are doing?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 October 2022 07:28 AM
Housemartin you miss my point - Shelter use misleading headlines which promote the idea of tenants & LLs being at war. I want all tenants & LLs to be happy and the tenant groups working with LLs not against them would be more effective than demonising all LLs unfairly.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 October 2022 09:01 AM
'Millions of private renters are fed up of paying through the nose to live in insecure and dangerous homes.' - If this is true how can over 80% of tenants be happy with their LL? The adversarial nature of the LL tenant relationship is a figment of Shelter's imagination & is extremely damaging. The tenant bodies should be working with LLs to produce a PRS that works for everyone. We need each other & the constant attacks are damaging for everyone.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 October 2022 06:20 AM
This shows the answer to rogue LLs is not more regulation, which they ignore, but more enforcement. Stop penalising good LLs and use the existing laws to deal more effectively with the rogue ones.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 October 2022 07:57 AM
The crisis in Scotland is being caused by SNP policies, why does anyone think further intervention is going to improve anything for anyone? RIP PRS Scotland :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 October 2022 07:56 AM
If a home owner can't afford the mortgage payments as they shoot up (and that will be the case for many shortly) the bank repossesses the house and sells it to someone who can afford it. Why is it so difficult for LLs to do the same?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 October 2022 11:19 AM
I love Wombles - they were recycling long before it was fashionable to do so!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 October 2022 08:35 AM
LLs are berated for increasing rents but then Councils heap further costs on them which are simply going to be passed on to tenants in higher rents. It is unbelievable!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 October 2022 07:59 AM
Completely predictable and yet still they pursue policies that exacerbate the crisis :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 October 2022 07:57 AM
Paying rent is the biggest barrier to young people saving for a deposit. Moving out because you are now an adult and want your own space is likely to put a huge dent in your future finances. Staying at home and saving hard is the best way to get on the housing ladder and many families seem to have recognised this.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 October 2022 07:58 AM
"We know that the majority of our landlords are trustworthy and compliant" but we're going to force them to pay & therefore raise the rents for their tenants anyway!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 October 2022 07:53 AM
Because LLs expect a decent return from their investment - its called business.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 October 2022 10:46 AM
Not putting up rent except between tenancies used to work for many landlords but now tenants don't move very often, the 'little and often approach' seems even more attractive. I put mine up each year but keep them below market rates. That means I'm not too far behind now & will give the same rise this year. So the rent rise is not unexpected & I never fall too far behind. Rents have to stabilise at some point & hopefully I will be able to make up lost ground. In the meantime I will just have to absorb the mortgage rises and look forward to better times ahead.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 October 2022 10:44 AM
With mortgages going up every month there is no way to avoid these rent rises if LLs are to remain solvent :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 October 2022 07:24 AM
Now is not the time to do anything - making big decisions during periods of turmoil is likely to result in a bad decision. I am sitting tight and waiting for the hurricane to pass - it will, it always does. Good luck everyone.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 September 2022 09:23 AM
No slot for the new minister for housing because he doesn't know anything about housing! He will however get the ministerial pay packet!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 September 2022 09:22 AM
The problem with heaping extra rules and regulations on a system (the PRS) is that is usually has unintended consequences (LLs leaving so rents go up). The problem with then handing people ££ to help them is that rent & other costs just go up and absorb the extra. The answer must be deregulating - stop trying to fix the system with little tweaks to help certain groups instead remove all the tweaks and simplify everything. In the end it will probably cost less than robbing Peter to give to Paul! Same needs to be done to the tax system!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 September 2022 09:18 AM
Some of us actually care about the people we house.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 September 2022 09:13 AM
If mortgage rates hit 6% many landlords who bought with a mortgage are going to struggle to make any money at all. This will be another nail in the coffin of the PRS leaving would be tenants with nowhere to live. :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 September 2022 07:56 AM
Given that they have risen by 25% in the last 2 years in many places this is not really a problem except for those who over stretched when they bought or now have to or choose to sell.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 September 2022 07:50 AM
Where are all the single people going to live?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 September 2022 09:09 AM
I have no intention of collaborating with the Council! Most of us are running perfectly happy rentals & do not need the interference of a bunch of council do-gooders.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 September 2022 09:08 AM
I live in Gedling & I do not recognise it as an area that would require SL. Simply a money making exercise for the Council. At a time of extreme rises in the cost for everyone you can guarantee this cost will go straight onto rents, making life even harder for financially stretched tenants :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 September 2022 09:06 AM
I don't know whether the mini budget was right or wrong but I do know that doing what we have been doing for the last decade didn't really work. A U turn now presumably means the end of this Govt, another leadership contest & a general election. All effectively meaning we will have had no serious Govt for the best part of a year. The panic is caused by projections of what this MAY mean, not certainty, so I just hope everything calms down soon and we can see clearly where to go next.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 September 2022 08:58 AM
We could be heading for a perfect storm - falling house prices; rising mortgages rates; no buyers in the market & a system which allows tenants to do what they like including not pay the rent. Not to mention EPC C on the horizon. I can see houses standing empty or being repossessed while tenants go homeless. :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 September 2022 08:43 AM
I thought EPC C would force me to sell up but it appears now that a Labour Govt will force me out before 2025 🙁 Why would I spend money on a property where the rent is capped, eviction banned even for rent arrears and the tenant can do what they want with MY property? They are living in cloud cuckoo land!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 September 2022 13:10 PM
RIP PRS 🙁
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 September 2022 13:04 PM
Why should renters get help when all the owner-occupiers are suffering increasing mortgage rate rises month on month?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 September 2022 07:36 AM
Those who pay the bill should get the £400. If LLs of 'inclusive' properties have to pass it on surely rents will just go up to compensate - this is just political posturing? £400 per household is such a blunt tool - someone in a 1 bed flat gets £400 & the LL of an 8 bed HMO gets £400 (or each tenant £50) - how is that fair?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 September 2022 07:54 AM
Is the PRS the only industry where the authorities believe they can get a different result from repeating the same actions as elsewhere? Rent controls have repeatedly failed, Scotlands no-fault eviction ban & periodic tenancies are blighting the rental sector & SL results in higher rents for no improvement across the country - yet we keep having them proposed again & again as the solution to the housing crisis.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 September 2022 10:12 AM
And people who have owned homes themselves tend to look after the property better I find.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 September 2022 10:08 AM
The move away from fixed term tenancies proposed in the white paper may change this as letting to students becomes extremely problematic!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 September 2022 07:23 AM
Welcome to your rent rise for nothing tenants of Birmingham :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 September 2022 07:21 AM
It doesn't matter what we do - energy prices have gone up SO much that everyone will be seeing enormous rises in their bills this year, even with the Govt's help. And all because of failed energy policy for the last 30 years. Politicians have given up food & energy security in the name of globalisation & given Russia the power to inflict huge damage. on the West. They have all failed us :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 September 2022 08:46 AM
I think the only house buyers who care about EPCs are LLs and that is only because of proposed legislation!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 September 2022 07:36 AM
Installing a heat pump reduces the EPC because it is powered by electricity!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 September 2022 10:59 AM
So Govt will actual do no Governing for another fortnight! Our Govt has been absent all summer & now all Autumn - how ridiculous is this!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 September 2022 07:29 AM
Having seen this post before it looks more like a piece of promotional material rather than an actual account. If you really did all this with 10 phone calls & 2 visits I would be amazed. I also reckon you spent well in excess of £10k & I simply don't believe it is now an EPC B.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 September 2022 07:27 AM
They can't say they weren't warned!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 September 2022 07:22 AM
What will be the criteria for being a rogue LL and who is the arbitor?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 September 2022 07:49 AM
Find it under Prafula Copp or "National Tenants Database to tackle rogue tenants costing landlords thousands of pounds"
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 September 2022 10:46 AM
Who is protecting LLs from the unbearable cost of rising mortgage rates which they will be unable to pass on? Whilst admitting there are some good LLs on one hand they nevertheless hit all LLs regardless whilst failing to address the central issues. What a mess!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 September 2022 07:35 AM
The energy price cap is set to reduce inflation by 4-5% Is this not proof that the factors causing the inflation are not the usual ones? Penalising mortgage holders and business with punitive interest rates will not bring down inflation caused by Putin's war & the rising price of gas & oil. I just don't get it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 September 2022 07:25 AM
Any LL with any common sense will be increasing rents asap just in case the rent freeze comes in in England. I don't think it will happen in England, but just the thought of it will continue the upward pressure on rents. The renters' 'Friends' seem to have absolutely no understanding of the PRS or basic economics!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 September 2022 08:40 AM
The change in the Head of State will not make a difference to Govt policy. Your post is hugely disrespectful at a time when most of the country will be mourning the death of The Queen.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 September 2022 07:29 AM
Surely the new Housing Minister cannot ignore the crisis on his doorstep.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 September 2022 08:48 AM
I can remember when buying 'off plan' meant a profit for the buyer before they even completed their purchase. Now new build house prices have been hugely inflated by schemes like Help To Buy where FTB-ers had to buy new, resulting in prise rises & huge profits for Property Developers. Most are built to the lowest standard possible - building regs - and drop in value over the next year or two. Another Govt policy with unintended consequences.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 September 2022 07:29 AM
Temporary like evictions in covid - which just got extended! Easy to make it permanent once it's in.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 September 2022 11:57 AM
It seems to me there are more important issues for our new PM to deal with at present and inflicting more pain on the PRS when it is already in crisis does not feel like a vote winning action to me! If the deadlines of 2025 & 2028 are still going to be implemented the law needs to be passed sooner rather than later - I just can't see it becoming law in the proposed timescale.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 September 2022 07:03 AM
How does a LL distinguish between decent pet owners and the rest who will allow their pet to chew kitchen cupboards, pee on the laminate, scratch the glass on the new patio windows and leave 2 years worth of poo in the garden? As ever they few ruin it for the majority.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 September 2022 08:43 AM
How can Oxford do it for half the price of Nottingham? Is it that Nottingham City Council has a bigger budget deficit?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 September 2022 07:32 AM
What happened to choice? By all means give people the information about energy efficiency (but please make it accurate) and then let them choose. Some people waste there money on fast cars or foreign holidays - both of which pollute the atmosphere - I choose to heat my period home! My money - my choice!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 September 2022 07:30 AM
Who is representing the 85% or so of tenants who are happy with their LLs & would rather not have rising rents forced on them by anti LL policies?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 September 2022 07:27 AM
I've sold 2 this year with more to follow :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 September 2022 09:58 AM
Why should LLs listen to anyone when no-one is listening to us!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 September 2022 13:36 PM
Is that why they think all LLs are coining it in? HUH only show success stories!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 August 2022 08:49 AM
Dorsest Council may recognise responsible LLs but unfortunately for them LLs do not generally see their LA as a responsible partner. Its a no from me I'm afraid.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 August 2022 07:38 AM
The BoE base rate is sending my mortgages up at an alarming rate & utilities are even worse - are we just seen as an easy target again?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 August 2022 07:50 AM
Not to mention those who bought with a 2 year fixed rate mortgage in 2020 who are going to be stuffed by the new mortgage rates!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 August 2022 20:57 PM
It puts extra money in the pockets of people at the bottom of the pile and so they can afford to pay more which increases demand & pushes all rents up. Did you not notice the jump when they reversed the freeze in LHA during covid? Rents in my areas jumped with the LHA.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 August 2022 20:54 PM
Can you be the next Housing Minister please?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 August 2022 12:32 PM
The downside of increasing LHA is that IMO it pushes all rents up. The answer is to build more social housing - but that has been the problem for years with no-one addressing it.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 August 2022 07:34 AM
Don't worry - all the LLs selling up will make more housing available for FTBs.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 August 2022 07:33 AM
Non paying tenants & another pause in evictions will only drive more LLs out. The tenant groups & this Govt are destroying the PRS. Where are people going to live?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 August 2022 07:31 AM
We are in the worst housing crisis in living memory and this Govt is walking, actually running, straight towards the oncoming disaster. The policy makers need to stop listening to the tenant organisations who are destroying the PRS and actually look at what is happening!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 August 2022 09:49 AM
It won't cost LLs - it will get passed on in increased rent. Yet again tenants shot in the foot by people supposedly on their side!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 August 2022 09:47 AM
So the abolition of S21 is going to lead to a swathe of evictions. You have been warned!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 August 2022 06:35 AM
This is certainly my experience & conveyancers working from home seems to be a major contributing factor. It is time everyone got back to the office!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 August 2022 07:13 AM
PROPOSED target! Nothing has been passed in law yet, in fact the whole EPC C thing has gone pretty quiet recently. A new PM may have different priorities to Bozo. It would be madness to force LLs to spend vast sums on their properties, which would result in further increases in rent, just at the time when tenants are struggling to afford existing rents. But then when did common sense for the backbone of policy?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 August 2022 07:12 AM
I assume Jason is in fact Jacob? Sloppy reporting. Also known as the Minister for Victorian Affairs, I'm not quite sure how that translates into housing? Perhaps he will bring back tenement buildings to house the hotels & reinstate the outside toilet?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 August 2022 07:05 AM
The problem is no one in Govt is listening! Whilst higher rents seems good for LLs in the short term, I am worrying about tenants defaulting because of energy costs & evictions being stalled, breathing space orders, tenants unable to move somewhere cheaper etc. The PRS is not working properly when demand exceeds supply by so much and we are only at the beginning of this crisis. The PRS is going to go into freefall and it will be a difficult place for tenants and LLs :( WHY IS NO ONE LISTENING TO LANDLORDS!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 August 2022 09:01 AM
The state would need to provide housing for everyone who wants it - nice idea but where would the £££ come from. Sounds a lot like communism to me. Given how hard it is to beak in to our two party system, there is no chance of this party gaining any traction - ask the Greens & the LibDems!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 August 2022 09:04 AM
Another reason to not rent to anyone without perfect credentials. The lower end of the PRS will cease to exist under all this pressure & where will the tenants who need social housing but can't get it go when the PRS will no longer accept them?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 August 2022 07:19 AM
The only reason LLs can put up rents hugely is because of the lack of properties caused by the anti LL policies & extra regulation foisted on us. If you drive decent LLs out of the market expect the ones left behind to increase rents significantly. Once again the PRS is being confused with Social Housing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 August 2022 07:17 AM
Tenants should prioritise their spending - if they fail to pay their rent & get evicted they may never get another property. The only unpaid bill you can go to jail for is Council Tax. Water & utilities are prohibited from cutting you off. Difficult decisions but keeping a roof over your head is a must.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 August 2022 07:44 AM
This Govt does not listen to anyone who has a view different to their own. LLs have been warning about the impending crisis in housing for a while now but they take no notice in the same way that they are taking no notice of the impending crisis with energy bills :( To quote Frazer from Dad's Army - "we're all doomed"!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 August 2022 06:54 AM
You must remember, according to GenRent all LLs are money grabbing millionaires!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 August 2022 09:43 AM
This is why charities moved to equipping people to help themselves - a hand up not a hand out.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 August 2022 09:41 AM
Why it is assumed that the cost of living crisis does not affect LLs? All our costs have gone up in the last year & now mortgages are going up every month. By all means put a rent freeze on social housing where there is mandate to provide affordable housing, but a rent freeze on the PRS will just see small LLs rushing for the door even faster than they already are. I've sold 2 this year already :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 August 2022 07:58 AM
The trouble with Govt is that its all about 'jam today' with no thought for the future :( They are certainly killing the goose that lays the golden egg - in terms of tax & housing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 August 2022 10:45 AM
The theory is not difficult - it is the practice that is. I can't wait to be told how to improve my EPC by replacing lightbulbs & adding loft insulation!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 August 2022 07:31 AM
I'm sure this will eventually become law without too many changes but the one I want to know about it the EPC C. Often reported as fact, the white paper with the details about EPC C has not actually been published yet. Given that 2025 is only 3 years away &the EPC algorithm upgrade has yet to take effect this deadline looks less & less possible. We really need some clarity if we are expected to make significant changes to our properties in this timescale.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 August 2022 07:29 AM
With interest rates rising so fast there is only one thing to consider when taking out a mortgage - the rate!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 August 2022 08:14 AM
Pressure - what pressure? All the time it is a LLs market there is no pressure to take a tenant with pets. I let longstanding tenants with a good track record have a pet but I don't ever take one up front - the risks are too great.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 August 2022 08:13 AM
If it were not just stupid it would be unenforceable! How much would LLs pay - how long is a piece of string! If you wanted to do this then tying it to a weeks rent, a months rent etc would be better, but why is he even worried S21 - his idea!- is being removed. Why waste time on legislation that will be defunct in 1 years time?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 August 2022 08:11 AM
Funny how Shelter conveniently ignore the facts! Never let the truth get in the at of your narrative!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 August 2022 10:36 AM
Lord Harrington is today asking Councils for homes for 10,500 Afghans still living in hotels; 100,000 Ukrainians are going to be trying to find homes in the next 6 months or so; over 1 million Brits waiting for social housing and yet this Govt continues to drive decent LLs out of the PRS! Housing market unsustainable? You any seen nothing yet!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 August 2022 07:53 AM
How can Oxford do it for £280 whereas Nottingham want to charge about £700 for accredited LLs. Could it be that Nottingham have a bigger black hole to fill in their finances?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 August 2022 07:49 AM
SL is simply a way for Councils to fund their Housing Depts at the expense of LLs & tenants :( They may not be allowed to make a profit but it releases the funds they would've had find to run it for another dept. Also available for misappropriation - the £10,500 per person a Council receives for each person on the Home for Ukraine Scheme is not ring fenced - so that can be used for whatever they like!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 August 2022 07:46 AM
The problem as I see it is that increasing LHA pushes all rents up. After the freeze on LHA the sudden 'catch up' increase due to covid saw all rents shoot up and I believe this was mainly due to the LHA increase. Its a vicious circle. What we really need is more social & affordable housing not a bigger LHA bill.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 August 2022 09:26 AM
So much easier to build energy efficiency in than to retrofit. Particularly when you are building rabbit hutches!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 August 2022 09:21 AM
So true - and yet where is the plan to replace the PRS? Social housing has no spare capacity & BTR is too small & too niche to fill the gap. No one in Govt seems to have realised that by taxing & regulating small LLs out of existence they are creating mass homelessness. The very people they are claiming to help are the ones that are going to suffer. First house sold this year, 2nd on the market. More to follow :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 August 2022 09:20 AM
Absolutely ironic!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 August 2022 09:16 AM
Shelter's lobbying is behind much of the policy that has forced LLs out of the PRS and pushed rents higher, so actually Shelter is a major cause of homelessness!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 August 2022 07:50 AM
These rules have been in for over 2 years - good to see the Council is on top of its duties to enforce!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 August 2022 07:47 AM
Its theft from the taxpayer! So some people do really well & others just pay for it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 July 2022 10:31 AM
I also have long term tenants in EPC D properties that will be evicted if EPC C comes in. What we actually need is some clarity - get the new algorithm working & get the law on the statute books so we can see what we are being asked to do & by when. Until we have clarity most LLs will do nothing. If EPC C comes in, many will sell.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 July 2022 08:00 AM
Do you think that a property that has been upgraded from an F to C has not had other improvements that might account for the price increase? A property with an EPC F probably has had nothing done for years so as well an energy improvements it has had a new kitchen, new bathroom, new carpets, redecoration etc. Just statistics!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 July 2022 07:53 AM
HMOs don't exhibit anti-social behaviour - people do!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 July 2022 07:54 AM
Presumably all the tenants will be evicted to allow the upgrades to be done & then re-rented at a higher price.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 July 2022 07:52 AM
Another report over the weekend from the ONS put average rent increases at 3%. Rightmove data is for new instructions only - when many LLs put their rent up significantly - but for those already renting the increase is much less. Just another way to lie with statistics!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 July 2022 07:10 AM
I can write the proposal in about 100 words - as long as there is no restriction on the word 'No'!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 July 2022 07:40 AM
A second property attracts a higher rate of SDLT when you buy it & the highest rate of CGT when you sell it - so all that growth is not actually profit in your pocket :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 July 2022 07:31 AM
Unfortunately although a nation of animal lovers there are also a substantial number of irresponsible pet owners. How do you tell if your tenant is one of those? For me, anyone who is out at work all day - most tenants - should not have a dog and no passport or insurance product will change that view.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 July 2022 07:28 AM
British Gas can't do monthly billing & regular payments! How mad is that! 6 monthly updates are no good when you are running up huge fuel bills! My elderly neighbours have no idea whether they are paying enough or not!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 July 2022 11:45 AM
Since when did this Govt allow the truth to get in the way of their narrative? Soaring rents, shrinking PRS - let'd hit LLs again. Then we can be sure all 3 the tenants in the PRS will have a safe and decent home! First BTL sold - on to the next one :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 July 2022 07:54 AM
S21 is big, S24 is big, EPC C is huge!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 July 2022 08:06 AM
Such common sense Jo - can you stand for PM please?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 July 2022 08:05 AM
Forcing LLs out of the PRS does not put deposits in to FTBs banks, it just puts rents up making it harder to save. Combine that with the SDLT holiday, which fuelled a huge increase in house prices, and the result is an unaffordable housing market for tenants & buyers.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 July 2022 06:27 AM
Rents are tied more closely to market averages than actual costs. Lack of supply allows LLs to ask for higher rents and many are doing so to cover not only the interest rate rises already announced but also the ones predicted over the next year, in addition to a rise in costs of everything else due to inflation. With a rent rises generally only occurring once a year, LLs need to look ahead as well as behind. Oh - and don't forget to add in the eye-watering cost of selective licensing that so many of us are being forced to pay!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 July 2022 07:41 AM
In LL forums we are seeing stories of tenants unable to find a new property or afford the rent rises imposed on them. Rather than making the PRS a fairer place for tenants the Govt is making it a smaller & more expensive place with no alternative for those who are relying on LHA to cover the rent. LLs have been warning that tenants are being squeezed out of homes but this Govt relentless pushes on with policies that force LLs to put up rents to cover the costs or sell up because it is no longer worth being a LL. The SDLT holiday pushed prices up so that FTBs saw the market running away from them and their deposits diminish in real terms & now rising interest rates mean those who can buy are paying thousands more to do so. Unless there is a change of direction this will continue to get worse. If mandatory EPC C comes in expect to see a housing crisis in the PRS with 1000s of families unable to rent a home. For all our sakes I hope a new PM will listen to LLs for once and reverse this trend of demonising LLs.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 July 2022 07:27 AM
The Welsh Govt doesn't seem to want accommodation for tourists to be available. When they have driven out all the owners of holiday lets & air bnb properties they will no doubt complain about how low visitor numbers are responsible for the lack of jobs & communities dying!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 July 2022 07:18 AM
I simply don't believe the headline! It must be under a very particular set of circumstances and after all the installation & insulation has been done.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 July 2022 07:35 AM
The unhappy minority are always the loudest and make everything worse for the majority.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 July 2022 10:47 AM
If your EPC is 10 years old it will be irrelevant anyway - the assessment & recommendations have changed so much in 10 years. Really they are like an MOT - only accurate at the moment they are done. It is laughable that we are being asked to use them as a tool for improvement when they are so inaccurate & variable.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 July 2022 10:45 AM
It is those houses that are EPC F & G that are worst - no wonder, these will be houses that have had nothing done at all for 40 years, so not really surprising they don't meet the decent homes criteria. Only 23% in the PRS didn't meet the criteria - Mostar EPC C or D. Bit of a non story in my book - houses which have had no work done for years are not decent & have low EPC scores! Really?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 July 2022 10:42 AM
Just wait until EPC C - or is that at risk now Boris has gone?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 July 2022 07:07 AM
Whilst I agree that a separate pet deposit would be a good thing, LLs can still claim damages caused by tenants & their pets through MCOL if the deposit is not high enough.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 July 2022 07:06 AM
Plan for the worst, hope for the best.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 July 2022 07:01 AM
The buying process through conventional means takes so long now I can see the appeal of buying at auction in spite of the obvious risks. The whole conveyancing process needs be overhauled so that it goes through much more quickly.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 July 2022 07:12 AM
OMG what an absolute farce this Govt is!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 July 2022 21:27 PM
Until the new EPC algorithm is applied to existing housing we are all just shooting in the dark.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 July 2022 07:19 AM
"If the govt can get the detail right..." - don't hold your breath! This legislation has the potential to destroy the PRS which will not improve the lives of millions but prevent tenants from finding homes & ruin the pension planning of thousands of LLs :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 July 2022 07:18 AM
And that is where the policy backfires on the people it is supposed to help!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 July 2022 15:25 PM
Presumably there will be a new pet insurance product just for damage to rented property. Can you imagine how expensive it will be & how difficult to claim! Remember, insurance companies are there to make a profit not to help anyone!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 July 2022 11:24 AM
Just because the deposit doesn't cover it doesn't mean we can't claim the cost from the tenants - I hope you did & used MCOL for the cost if they didn't pay.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 July 2022 11:22 AM
Pet insurance will just make a fat profit for the insurance company. The simple solution is to reintroduce the pet deposit. It was removing this that substantially reduced the number of LLs willing to accept pets.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 July 2022 07:15 AM
Well done - only 6 years to sort out an unsafe property and deal with the LL!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 July 2022 09:07 AM
No-one chooses to live in an HMO sharing facilities with strangers - it is a financial necessity for most and like any other part of the rental sector has its good & bad tenants & LLs. Northampton Council on the other hand - I believe has completely mismanaged its finances & is broke.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 June 2022 08:37 AM
Dear Grandma - this is how you suck eggs.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 June 2022 07:24 AM
Because we now have a group of 'Professional tenants' who have worked out how to play the system. Look at the ones who lived rent free during covid when evictions were banned!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 June 2022 09:44 AM
With rights come responsibilities - but we never hear about that do we? Most tenancy deposit disputes are about arrears, cleanliness & damage - all the responsibility of tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 June 2022 09:40 AM
Boris has publicly stated he wants a smaller PRS - he also stated he wants a third term as PM so its all just pie in the sky!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 June 2022 09:38 AM
The Govt responds to populist pressure & the anti LL brigade have been shouting the loudest. Most people in the PRS are happy with their LL or tenant but that won't stop new legislation being brought in which will reduce the PRS & make renting harder & more expensive for all tenants. If EPC C comes in too it will be RIP PRS.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 June 2022 07:17 AM
I agree that - student rentals in Nottingham are around £200 per week in these new blocks! Students will end up in even more debt (that they will never pay & the tax payer funds) and then move in to world of work with unrealistic expectations of rental housing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 June 2022 07:31 AM
Govt interference in both sales & rental markets has resulted in a housing crisis. Both are becoming unaffordable for a large section of society as Govt has interfered with the markets (S24, SDLT, etc) whilst failing to actually build enough houses for our growing population. They then lay the blame at the door of small LLs whilst encouraging the big BTR boys which push people into ever more expensive territory. The complete lack of understanding of both markets in Govt is astounding.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 June 2022 07:26 AM
Not quite true - the right to blanket ban pets is what's going. There will always be ways around that.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 June 2022 13:17 PM
The chair of the Heat Pump Association says heat pumps are the future. Clive Sinclair believed we would all drive C5s! Just because they say it doesn't make it so!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 June 2022 06:41 AM
20% of mine.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 June 2022 12:42 PM
I have never seen a report saying rent controls work but I have seen several saying they don’t. Yet all the tenant organisations keep banging this drum as if this time will be different! The PRS is being destroyed by the efforts to make it better for tenants.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 June 2022 10:56 AM
£25 extra per pet per month. Can’t see many tenants wanting the cost of a pet in the current cost of living crisis.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 June 2022 10:52 AM
The few tenants left with a home will enjoy their extra rights - but what about the 1000s with nowhere to rent because all the good LLs have left? Last LL to leave please turn out the lights :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 June 2022 06:52 AM
I wonder how many S21s will be issued from now until this becomes law? They will absolutely not be "No Fault Evictions' - the fault lies squarely with the Govt!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 June 2022 07:40 AM
IMO a dog should not be left at home alone all day and as I only let to working tenants that is an impossible ask. Similarly cats should have access to the outdoors - I have no cat flaps in my properties. Any tenant who has a pet will get a significant rent increase. Job done 😀
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 June 2022 15:11 PM
Less than 23% turnout - most people don't care!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 June 2022 07:27 AM
Apart from the blatant misrepresentation of the actual rules - I'm sure your tenant will be very happy to have their floors pulled up while you lay insulation to save them £30 a year, or all their rooms uninhabitable while you install internal wall insulation before plastering & redecorating to save another £50 a year. Until the EPC assessment has been updated (perhaps by the end of the year for older properties) and until the law has been passed LLs would be fools to do anything other than the obvious - loft insulation, LED light bulbs. We need clarity not speculation & the Energy Saving Trust is out of order promoting proposals as fact.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 June 2022 07:47 AM
Its called making money while the sun shines - or in the case of Glastonbury more likely when it rains! No different from holidays & flights costing more in the school holidays. If mugs weren't prepared to pay it then they couldn't charge it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 June 2022 07:39 AM
Boris has clearly stated he wants to make the PRS smaller - the problem is no one hs worked out where all these tenants are going to live! Us leaving the sector doesn't put deposits & mortgages into their hands and not everyone wants to to can afford to buy.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 June 2022 10:28 AM
New build prices have been inflated for years by Help to Buy, perhaps the rest of the market has just been catching up a little in the last year.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 June 2022 07:23 AM
Unfortunately mandating that individuals need more space doesn't move walls or make rooms bigger! Care needs to be taken that 'improving' conditions doesn't result in lost bed spaces & increased rent.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 June 2022 07:21 AM
A voice of common sense amongst the baying for LLs blood - but will anyone listen? Probably not!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 June 2022 07:18 AM
Shelter is a non-discriminatory body - it hates all LLs equally!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 June 2022 07:25 AM
Will the pro-tenant organisations take heed? No - why let the truth get in the way of your narrative?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 June 2022 07:22 AM
How do we relieve the Housing Crisis - reduce the number of social houses available by selling them at a huge discount to people who have been benefitting from low rent! Madness!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 June 2022 07:22 AM
Dave - 7 times in 20 years - could it be you? I have issued 1 S21 in 20 years & then because I needed to sell the property.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 June 2022 12:32 PM
Unfortunately the Council Tax will break the bank!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 June 2022 11:49 AM
The Govt never lets an inconvenient truth get in the way of policy!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 June 2022 11:48 AM
Build to Rent is the perfect example of this - too pricey for your average family with facities that 'young professionals' want (& perhaps are prepared to pay for) but not want most renters require.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 June 2022 11:48 AM
And Boris' stated aim is to reduced the PRS further! Driving LLs out of the market does not put deposits and mortgages into renters hands - they are just left with higher rents and less choice leading to more unable to secure a home. All the talk of protecting renters is great for those who can get a home but for those left with nowhere to go there are no other options. Reducing the PRS without providing an alternative will create misery for families up and down the country and just shows how little the 'Powers that Be' understand the housing market. Pandering to Shelter / Gen Rent etc is hurting the very people they are supposed to be helping.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 June 2022 07:16 AM
Venerable Council Tenants - now that is an oxymoron !
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 June 2022 12:50 PM
Nottingham regularly topped the charts of rent increases after the first SL was introduced as LLs put up the rent to pay for the licence. This new scheme, costing £820 per property, will see rents rising again. This is particularly hard on smaller properties that pay the same as larger family homes. It will raise £25 million & employ over 90 people - could it be that LLs are simply funding Nottingham City Council's housing dept?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 May 2022 07:35 AM
I agree with Jo but would also add that if the PRS shrinks considerably in the next decade, which is looking likely, there won't be anywhere for these older people or families or singles to rent!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 May 2022 07:29 AM
Does she really believe that £400 is going result in a surplus for LLs who include utilities in the rent? I imagine most will be taking a hit this year even if they have put rents up.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 May 2022 07:29 AM
What will Shelter complain about when S21 has gone and tenants are still being evicted, only now it will be clear why - rent arrears, ASB etc?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 May 2022 09:22 AM
Sounds like they want fully serviced accommodation! Not even BTR are going to supply kitchenware! Biggest problem with all this is whilst it may all be perfect for the first tenant, by tenant number 3 things are missing, broken or trashed! If you want nice, new, matching items - buy them yourself!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 May 2022 09:19 AM
Just because the Govt wants us to install heat pumps does not make this a good idea. Not only do you need to buy the pump, you will need to ensure insulation is up to standard & probably refit your entire heating system with bigger radiators & pipework, reinstall a hot water tank and then make good where all the work has been done. Then the cost - when gas when up from 4p to 7p per kWh electricity went up from 20p to 30p. Even if the % is the same the actual £ is much bigger with electricity, so the running costs will be higher than your gas in most cases. Then there is the fact that they won't do the job in most cases & you will need a heat boost of some kind to get your lounge warm enough. In short, if heat pumps are the answer its a stupid question!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 May 2022 09:28 AM
I agree - different rules for different players is unnecessarily complicated and always has unintended consequences. Why should FTBs get all the help? What about 2nd steppers who need a family home? CGT should be indexed linked to allow for inflation or at least have taper relief re-instated so that long term ownership is not penalised. That would make it more attractive to sell properties instead of holding them until you die to avoid paying CGT & IHT.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 May 2022 09:22 AM
Those of us who don't need to do it - new, sealed boilers - have to do it to cover those with old boilers, who probably won't do it anyway!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 May 2022 11:04 AM
Monthly billing! My elderly neighbours have a smart meter but British Gas bill them 6 monthly! They have no idea what the state of their account is - its a farce. I spent 2 hours getting them put on to monthly billing - not holding my breath to see if it has actually happened! And the functionality of their website is cr*p. Still the CEO takes home a nice fat pay packet & it has got British in the title so it must be ok.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 May 2022 12:00 PM
If they are still working to get everyone up to an E 2yrs after it became law, what hope of them enforcing C if it comes in? The number of properties failing now will be minute compared to the ones failing to hit C!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 May 2022 08:58 AM
The fact that these proposals are just that makes it pointless for most LLs to do anything at this point. We are also waiting for an algorithm update on the EPC assessment so anything we do is based on guesswork. If the Govt is serious about improving the EPCs in the PRS it needs to give us clear information, a transparent & accurate assessment process & a confirmed timescale. Until we have these it is impossible for LLs to know what they need to do.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 May 2022 07:46 AM
its a bit like licensing - tenants think that is a good idea ...until their rent goes up!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 May 2022 08:34 AM
Councils don't need licensing to engage with LLs, but licensing does allow them to fund their housing dept out of tenants & LLs pockets.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 May 2022 09:01 AM
BTR is not a threat - we need more housing of all types. Unfortunately the area where we most need extra housing is in the affordable / social sector & BTR are not interested in this.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 May 2022 09:00 AM
The reducing number of rentals available and the increase in mortgage rates will keep the upward pressure on rents. There will be no let up for tenants this year and another huge rise in energy costs coming before the winter! Against this backdrop the Govt plans to scrap S21 & introduce mandatory EPC C. LLs are expected to fork out a fortune on their properties with no effective way to remove a tenant who is in arrears - no wonder we are all heading for the exit :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 May 2022 07:42 AM
SDLT is not preventing me from buying more properties - the cost can be absorbed over the lifetime of owning it - but the proposed requirements of EPC C and the loss of S21 are not only stopping me from buying, they are causing me to exit the market. 2nd reading of the bill that will introduce EPC C today, Tenants bill in the Autumn - this Govt is set on an anti LL agenda that will make renting unaffordable for swathes of the population.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 May 2022 07:39 AM
When LLs are squeezed financially rents go up. More suffering ahead for tenants as some LLs leave the PRS and other raise rents to cover increased costs. Soon renting will only be for the rich!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 May 2022 07:32 AM
Its good that they are providing more housing - we need it - but it doesn't look to be 'affordable' which is what we desperately need.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 May 2022 07:29 AM
Not when LHA is £673 and rent starts at £1050pcm!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 May 2022 07:27 AM
Unfortunately our policy makers are only interested in vote winning headlines and are unable to joint the dots that show they are destroying the PRS. If you think its bad now with the removal of S21, just what until EPC C hits - 2nd reading of the bill going ahead on Friday.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 May 2022 07:50 AM
When we are suffering from a shortage of rental properties what sane person would suggest selling more of them off?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 May 2022 15:27 PM
What do Shelter have to say about this? Nothing! Rather puts a lie to their 'All LLs are scum, all tenants are holy' mantra doesn't it?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 April 2022 07:28 AM
How about a freeze on gas & electricity? Or food? Or petrol? Why is it only in housing that people shouldn't make a profit?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 April 2022 07:35 AM
I prefer not to take tenants with mental health conditions I am not equipped to deal with - this lady would fall into this category!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 April 2022 07:53 AM
The people installing heat pumps now are well off people, in expensive houses who can afford to go green and choose to do so. The vast majority of home owners will be struggling to pay their bills this winter, never mind having spare money to invest in upgrading their home! It is an absolute non-starter in a Victorian Terrace in the north of England!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 April 2022 07:28 AM
Another very simplistic survey that will not reveal anything a 5 min chat with a LL would give them :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 April 2022 09:25 AM
I use agents as I like to keep a step away from my tenants. It has worked well for me so I would say pick your agent carefully - as with LLs or tenants, there are good ones & bad ones. Using an agent does not mean ignore your property but it does mean I don't have to be involved on a say to day basis, which I like.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 April 2022 09:24 AM
That is £14.5 from LLs pockets that will be passed directly on to Tenants at a time when most can barely pay their bills :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 April 2022 07:31 AM
I have started selling and - oh what a tortuous process it is! Valuations decided by mortgage company surveyors worried that the market might fall, solicitors still working from home, searches taking forever, buyers rushing into a decision & then backing out! A great 3 bed Victorian Terrace on the market in January, 'sold' quickly, buyer backed out, 'sold' again immediately - I'll be lucky to see the £ by July!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2022 10:00 AM
Just because a tenant doesn't remember being given an EICR doesn't mean it didn't happen!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2022 07:49 AM
Spot on! Title should be 'Tories Blast Lack of Social Housing'. The PRS is supposed to run alongside Social Housing not replace it. For some reason we are now expected to cover the shortfall but then do it for nothing! We are just plugging the gap & making a living out of it, which for some reason makes us evil.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2022 07:47 AM
So once again, the people who have done nothing get a handout, whilst those who spend their own money on improvements for their tenants are just expected to keep shelling out more money as the target is raised! And if the EPC is below an E it has been illegal to rent out for over 2 years - so where is the enforcement?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 April 2022 07:34 AM
"We know the landlord lobby is well funded' - what LL lobby is this? I'm not aware of anyone lobbying on my behalf let alone achieving any of my aims! I have just watched a story about young people being forced to move back in with their parents because they can't afford to rent. When will the Govt & Activists realise what they are doing between them? When they have destroyed the PRS where will all the renters live?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 April 2022 07:30 AM
I will be selling as well. First one going through now and even in a 'hot' market this is a torturous process! So slow and valuations at the whim of a surveyor or a lender worried about what the market might do next! Result - selling early to get rid before I can no longer rent - so pressure on PRS increasing even before the legislation is announced.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 April 2022 09:35 AM
"Some LLs have left the sector due to tax and regulatory changes' - just wait until EPC C hits!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 April 2022 07:22 AM
And for some LLs it is an uphill struggle to get tenants to pay their rent - but that goes unreported!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 April 2022 07:20 AM
Don't all social housing providers use a bidding system? Maybe using different criteria to the PRS but nonetheless choosing the tenant they wish to home based on their own criteria?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 April 2022 07:19 AM
I think in your situation you may be able to refuse permission for your LL to do the work and he can get an exemption. Not an ideal situation though :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 April 2022 19:28 PM
Good on you, YBS - the first lender to put people ahead o f profits!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 April 2022 09:06 AM
Until the Govt publish the bill we don't know what to do or by when. Until the EPC algorithm is updated we don't know how. We need clarity before spending money or selling properties but this Govt is hoping we will just go ahead and sort it all out on our own. Perhaps the policy was devised during a Downing Street party?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 April 2022 09:04 AM
Large falls are often followed by large gains. Need to compare with pre-covid levels.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 April 2022 09:17 AM
Does Tescos charge you on what you can afford to pay? Or British Gas? They are confusing PRS LLs with social LLs again!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 April 2022 08:37 AM
Nice idea in theory but when you are bidding against 20 other people for a property they only pertinent question really is 'Can I have it?'.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 April 2022 08:35 AM
EPC C in 2028 was a proposal the Govt put out for consultation - IT IS NOT LAW. Sloppy reporting again.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 April 2022 07:41 AM
As someone trying to get a Ukrainian family here on the Homes for Ukraine Scheme I can assure you that there is no open door immigration policy. Getting into this country is almost impossible even when fleeing a war & the Govt announces you will be greeted with open arms!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 April 2022 14:15 PM
The only person who wins with insurance is the insurance company! Imagine trying to make a claim on someone else's policy - impossible - and what happens if the policy lapses? The only answer is a pet deposit.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 April 2022 10:00 AM
And no mention of the white paper with changes to EPC regulations. Shocking - how are we supposed to plan when we don't know what we are planning for?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 March 2022 11:50 AM
If tenants can't afford an unexpected shock to their finances or need LHA to pay their rent, how do we think they are going to afford an EV?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 March 2022 07:35 AM
A rise in LHA just causes a rise in rents - look what happened in the pandemic when they took the fetters off the LHA rates - rents rose at the faster rate for years. LHA reflects the level of rent for social housing & the PRS is more expensive. What we need is more social or affordable housing not higher LHA. The Housing Benefit bill is huge and we are all paying for it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 March 2022 07:33 AM
But there are ways to find out if its a rental - look at the Council Tax history & LR history for one. But that would take time & money, resources only those Councils with SL in place have!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 March 2022 13:56 PM
I agree - 25% is way too low to be true.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 March 2022 08:27 AM
Selective Licensing = Higher rents.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 March 2022 07:17 AM
I was just thinking it was nice that she was targeting someone other than LLs for once - then she had a pop at LLs for not paying NI!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 March 2022 07:15 AM
Do the supermarkets show compassion? Or the utility companies? With the dwindling size of the PRS (about to shrink abruptly if EPC C comes in) only those who can afford high rents will be able to secure a home, compassionate LLs or not!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 March 2022 07:14 AM
Simple answer - No.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 March 2022 07:04 AM
Isn't the whole point of a Holiday home that it is somewhere you don't usually live? The giveaway is in the name!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 March 2022 07:03 AM
When I installed solar panels 7 years ago the VAT was @ 5% and was £275 - not the £1000 quoted. If Rishi has raised VAT in the last 7 years and cut it again, is it really a cut? The extra VAT Rishi is raking in on higher prices on gas / electricity equates to approx £35 of the £700 increase under the cap. This is all smoke and mirrors and helps no-one. The rise in level at which you pay NI is the only measure that really helps anyone. I used to like Rishi, but I think he has shown just how little he understands the lives of real people.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 March 2022 07:02 AM
I think they are confusing the PRS for Social Housing!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 March 2022 06:54 AM
Given how long it is taking to get Visas through, they have plenty of time to build some houses! These people are fleeing a war zone, Poland is full, people are sleeping on floors and our Govt is insisting on a box ticking exercise!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 March 2022 08:27 AM
You are assuming there is some coherent thought going into this!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 March 2022 08:25 AM
New builds are only more energy efficient because Building Regs demand that they must be. Unfortunately, builders have been building to minimum standards & Building Regs have been so far behind the curve, that only very recent new builds are actually energy efficient. In fact, builders are still putting gas boilers in their properties now even though they will be banned in 2025 - because its all they have to do and cheaper for them. Absolutely no thought for the future energy needs of the owners. They cannot take any credit in my view.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 March 2022 07:12 AM
We would all have a better chance of recycling properly if all areas recycled the same items and were clear about what is recycled and what is not. It is almost impossible to get it right even if you want to.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 March 2022 07:38 AM
EPC E has been mandatory for nearly 2 years. If LAs are still chasing LLs with properties below this (probably not that many) how long will it take them to find those below a C (a huge number) when that comes in? Talk about a poorly thought through policy - unachievable for many LLs, unenforceable for most LAs. The decent LLs will leave the PRS & the grotty LLs will bank on not getting caught. How does this help tenants?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 March 2022 07:50 AM
Your remark about Putin is in very poor taste. Our Govt is not shelling civilians.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 March 2022 16:36 PM
Nottingham City charge £890 for 5 years, they took over a year to issue my licence and I have never been inspected or received any communication. My tenants got a rent rise.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 March 2022 10:17 AM
Selective Licensing only guarantees one change - higher rents for decent tenants.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 March 2022 07:40 AM
Once EPC C hits tenants will be lucky to find any home at all. LLs are leaving the sector & yet all the talk is of what tenants want. Supply & demand will see those LLs who remain in the PRS laying down the rules not tenants.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 March 2022 07:38 AM
Instead of trying to control the market - never works out well - BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 March 2022 10:20 AM
LLs can only put up rents when the market will sustain that increase. The anti LL policies of recent times, leading to an exodus of private LLs, have created a perfect storm of supply & demand that is pushing rents ever higher. Cutting LLs profits further by introducing rent caps & freezes at a time when their costs are also rising will force more LLs out and so put further pressure on the PRS leading to further rent rises. Do they not understand even basic economics?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 March 2022 07:23 AM
Licensing may improve conditions for some tenants - although there is already existing legislation that could do they same - what it does do for EVERYONE is push rents up.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 March 2022 09:07 AM
And how much has rent gone up in these areas?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 March 2022 07:07 AM
Many LLs do a whole host of upgrading when they first buy a property - improving the EPC at this stage is common sense and is also cheaper to do. The problem is the 1000s of properties with tenants in or which have already had improvements done which would need ripping out to improve the EPC. These are the properties that LLs will be dumping on to the market for the FTBs to pick up. Until the EPC assessment is a fair and predictable measure I will not be throwing my money at this woeful moving target and as for Green Mortgages - they are not even competitive!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 March 2022 07:04 AM
Many lenders insist on a clause in the tenancy to protect them in this situation, so yes they can repossess.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2022 12:56 PM
The main reason for a truly no-fault eviction is the LL wanting to sell due to the anti LL policies & rhetoric. The current situation is being exacerbated by the very people claiming to be looking out for tenants. Rather than helping tenants they are creating homelessness & unaffordable rents. Well Done!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2022 07:55 AM
The only thing tenants of most LLs get from SL is a rent rise!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2022 07:48 AM
Just wait until EPC C is announced.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2022 07:34 AM
All my Nottingham tenants got from SL was a rent rise and if it is renewed in 2023 they will get another.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 February 2022 07:56 AM
Unfortunately there are zero points on an EPC for decent underlay & a fluffy carpet so this whole article is completely pointless.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 February 2022 16:26 PM
Westminster won't achieve an EPC C!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 February 2022 14:11 PM
A voice of reason amongst the insanity!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 February 2022 07:54 AM
LLs gets punitive RROs while rogue tenants skip away free leaving huge debts and trashed properties - where is the level playing field?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 February 2022 08:58 AM
When will they realise we are not the enemy?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 February 2022 07:57 AM
What leverage does the Govt have to 'step up pressure' - none!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 February 2022 12:18 PM
Not this again - I'm fed up with reading the EXACT SAME post. Nobody believes you are real!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 February 2022 08:52 AM
If you can't save to buy a house when you are renting how on earth can you save for a pension? Retirement may become an unachievable goal for the masses.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 February 2022 09:20 AM
Why let an inconvenient set of facts get in the way of Govt policy?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 February 2022 09:18 AM
My victorian properties are generally much cheaper to rent than the equivalent modern house, with bigger rooms too. They will all be sold because of EPC removing choice for renters who will be forced into expensive little boxes whether they like it or not.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 February 2022 09:17 AM
I believe Housing Associations rent at about 80% of market rent & this is considered affordable.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 February 2022 16:03 PM
£92million for 198 homes of which 69 will be affordable. That should solve the housing issues in that area - not!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 February 2022 10:39 AM
Shelter is a charity - need I say more!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 February 2022 17:22 PM
Theodor - we are lucky enough to have a decent pension income to live on. If all else fails I shall go and be a burden on my children!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 February 2022 15:34 PM
I agree - but I am planning to live another 7 years & give enough money away to avoid as much IHT as possible!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 February 2022 10:08 AM
CGT on property is 18% & 28% - selling a house is likely to push many people into the 28% band unless you have no income & a cheap house! It is the worst case scenario for LLs & for many of us we also have 1 or 2 CGT allowances to set against it.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 February 2022 10:06 AM
It does also tend to depend on how the question was asked - 'Do you think you should pay more tax or do you think someone else should?" tends to elicit a 'someone else' response! Likewise 'Do you think tenants should be kicked out for no reason or given long tenancies?' is likely to give a pro tenant answer. Given it is a Guardian Poll the results are not that surprising!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 February 2022 09:17 AM
At least when you pay CGT at 28% you can now plan how to avoid IHT at 40%!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 February 2022 09:12 AM
Why let an inconvenient truth get in the way of anti LL policy?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 February 2022 07:42 AM
It takes time to sell a portfolio of properties without evicting your tenants so it is unlikely that there will be a sudden landslide - but with EPC C due in 2028 we have a sell by date & I for one am working towards that. The fact that BTL stalled and then fell slightly after a decade of growth is, I believe, the proof that we are over the peak & now on the downwards slope. The number of LLs leaving will start to increase as we head towards 2025/8 unless the proposals are changed and I believe it will be a significant number. There will continue to be a PRS, but it is going to be smaller, with less choice for those with poor credit or low incomes, and for these people there appears to be no other option than under-the-radar rogue LLs who will no doubt exploit the situation.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 February 2022 07:39 AM
Social housing tenants with communal heating and hot water are already paying higher costs as the price cap doesn’t apply in these circumstances.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 February 2022 14:03 PM
Given that EPCs are cost based will the 54% increase in utilities result in every property losing points? And will my tenants gain extra points for not using their heating at all?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 February 2022 14:00 PM
I hope his property is a Victorian terrace with an EPC E!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 February 2022 09:00 AM
The hardest hit will be those with any form of electric heating, often 1 or 2 bed properties, with young or low wage occupiers. The green & social levies, loaded disproportionately onto electricity bills, have pushed prices up to sky-high levels and electric only customers are already paying much more in cash terms than gas customers for their heating. The 54% increase will result in much bigger £ rises for them, despite the fact that they use the greener fuel. This is a scandal & should be resolved by removing the green levies on household bills immediately. We are trying to get to NetZero too quickly & the cost is too high.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 February 2022 03:16 AM
Is is completely unreasonable to expect anyone to invest in expensive and disruptive measures to achieve a standard which is acknowledged as inaccurate and due for change. Until the target is confirmed it would be foolish to undertake anything except standard maintenance. I have no doubt that EPC C is coming - maybe not exactly as the proposals are currently set out or as quickly. So because of the difficulty of doing anything quickly with housing, I am already selling up as properties become empty.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 February 2022 07:55 AM
Funny how this comment pops up word for word every time there is an EPC story. Perhaps Martin is not a real person? He certainly appears to be the only LL clever enough to have headed off the EPC crisis.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 February 2022 07:46 AM
Most LLs would make improvements between tenants so this is a meaningless statistic. LLs already have to ensure properties meet minimum environment sustainability standards - this is the EPC. Unfortunately this is currently based on cost not CO2 emissions.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 February 2022 15:02 PM
Tenants rent from rogue LLs because they don't know their rights or they can't afford anything better - until this stops rogue LLs will continue to operate. Councils can't catch them now & they certainly won't be registering on a database so I don't see how this will solve the problem. To get rid of the real rogue LLs we need tenants to report them and to stop lining their pockets but with the lack of social housing and the PRS becoming more and more expensive this just isn't going to happen.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 February 2022 08:56 AM
Do we not already have "legislation requiring landlords to improve energy efficiency in some 800,000 properties"? It's called EPC E. is this going to somehow bring in higher EPC requirements though the back door?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 January 2022 12:45 PM
EPC C will see the flood become a deluge as LLs remove their properties from the PRS and the only type of housing being added is expensive build-to-rent. Perhaps Shelter should be campaigning against EPC C!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 January 2022 08:16 AM
The Council clearly state they do not want to take houses from uk families, that is why they are appealing direct to LLs. More racist clap trap.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 January 2022 12:25 PM
This anti refugee rhetoric is racist claptrap and needs to be called out as such. How on earth do you expect us to create a safe zone in Afghanistan? That’s what we were trying to do for the last 20 years and failed. These people saved British lives and we owe them a helping hand.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 January 2022 12:23 PM
What are you talking about? These people expected to bring their children up in their own country but are unable to do so because they had to flee for their lives because they helped our armed forces. They are likely to become productive members of our society but just need a helping hand to start and we owe them that.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 January 2022 12:20 PM
The whole thing is a joke. I have just spent the night in my daughter’s Victorian terrace - EPC D. It is a lovely home with an efficient boiler and new radiators. Admittedly the room at the back of the house upstairs and down with 3 outside walls are a little colder than the rest of the house - but there are the utility and study the heating is turned down and the doors closed. The rest of the house was warm and toasty and stayed warm when the heating went off - no doubt due to the minimal amount of outside wall. Her bills are pretty low and her house is a lovely home and yet under the EPC proposals houses like hers will be illegal to let! We have more tenants and a reducing rental supply and the Govt is about to remove huge numbers of property from the PRS in the name of green-ness. Absolute madness!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 January 2022 12:00 PM
Will you please stop reporting as fact that EPC C is required on rentals by 2025/8. This is a proposal and the bill has not yet been published let alone become law. SLOPPY REPORTING AGAIN!!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 January 2022 07:49 AM
Unfortunately the Council only has money from tax payers so we all would end up paying - but at least it spreads the cost!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 January 2022 13:31 PM
Once again proposals have been reported as fact! The bill has not been published, yet alone passed so we do not know what it is going to say. Sloppy Reporting!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 January 2022 08:01 AM
How did you know in 2008, when EPCs were introduced that EPC C was going to be sprung on LLs from 2025 onwards? You must have had a crystal ball that the rest of us didn't. Certainly in Nottingham developers have recently converted buildings into flats with a max EPC D - so they clearly didn't have your foresight. I think you will find that EPC & MEES is actually exactly what a lot of smaller LLs worry about!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 January 2022 08:00 AM
Unfortunately it is the algorithm that spits out the recommendation - no room for common sense.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 January 2022 07:54 AM
I can't imagine why anyone would need 9 months to organise their tax return - doesn't really sound much of a business model does it? With MTD coming anyone this disorganised will get a real shock!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 January 2022 07:50 AM
Unfortunately for students the 7% yield on these blocks will equate to more than their entire maintenance loan! We are producing a whole generation of students who will live the next 25 years under the shadow of debt whilst the building companies line their pockets at the expense of them and the tax payer.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 January 2022 07:46 AM
LLs like this will continue to operate all the time tenants are forced to rent from them. The lack of properties and the rising cost - due in no small part to Govt policies - will push people into these properties because there is no alternative. If mandatory EPC C comes in expect to see even more stories like this of LLs operating poor quality housing under the radar.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 January 2022 07:42 AM
Really interesting point about being less likely to not pay tax as we are not cash based. When you think about all the cash in hand work that goes on and the handouts that were given during Covid, LLs have really been given no help from the Govt in spite of our huge contribution to HMRC.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 January 2022 12:32 PM
And the bill containing the EPC reforms was due by the end of the year - I guess no-one said which year!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 January 2022 11:11 AM
Unfortunately this will be a self selecting group of LLs i.e. decent compliant LLs will join but rogue LLs will just ignore it. Then, because of the lack of rentals available, there will be very little chance of a tenant choosing to rent from a DASH LL (assuming renters have any knowledge of the scheme and what it means) because they have to choose from available properties! . A good idea on paper but unlikely to make any difference on the ground I'm afraid!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 January 2022 07:51 AM
Unfortunately the £1250 saving on your Green Mortgage will be swamped by the over pricing of the new build home! Older, established homes are much better value than the new builds, released at a rate which inflate their price to make the builders more profit and supported by Govt policy (eg Help to Buy) which inflate their prices. I don't think Barclays will see a stampede for this product!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 January 2022 07:44 AM
Private LLs are a business with every right to expect a return on their investment not to be confused with social LLs who have a duty to provide housing at low cost. If the Govt didn't keep increasing the costs and taxation on LLs, LLs wouldn't keep passing these costs on to tenants! Oh & by they way, Dave, don't expect it to get any better anytime soon - LLs are leaving the sector & no-one is replacing those units so rents will keep increasing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 January 2022 11:58 AM
'If circumstances were to allow' probably refers to their financial situation as much as if the LL would sell. Given that renters have chosen their home & in many cases personalised it it is pretty obvious they would want to own it 'if circumstances allowed'! Daft survey!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 January 2022 08:30 AM
Increasing regulation + costs = fewer LLs Fewer LLs + more renters = rent rises Multiply by EPC C and the result will be devastating for anyone trying to rent a home
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 January 2022 08:26 AM
It shows how entrenched the idea that all LLs are wealthy goes. I am sure there are many LLs as badly affected by cladding as home owners - unable to rent or sell their property but still with a mortgage to pay.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 January 2022 07:32 AM
Don’t forget to redo the plugs, sort out any decorative coving, pull off tiles in bathrooms and kitchens, pull units & baths away from walls, all to score points on a system that measures cost not carbon and is assessed by assessors with minimal training making multiple (and often false) assumptions!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 January 2022 11:14 AM
Landlords put large sums of money into their properties, either earned & taxed or borrowed and paid for with risk accepted. Renters pay 5 weeks deposit and a month upfront. Does this sound like an equal partnership? LLs have more to lose than tenants so why is it that tenants need protecting? Tenants can vote with their feet - if you don't like your LL, leave; but LLs are now being told if you don't like your tenant, tough! Decent tenants who pay their rent & look after their home generally have little to fear from S21. I agree that 2 months notice when you have lived in your home for many years is tough, so perhaps the length of notice could be looked at, but tipping the whole PRS in favour of tenants is going to result in more LLs leaving and the people who will suffer most is.......tenants! Until Govts do something about the lack of social & affordable housing the PRS is a necessary part of the landscape and the constant LL bashing is making things worse for tenants not better. I am leaving the sector 10 years earlier than planned due to pressures on LLs and I don't believe I am alone. My properties will probably go mostly to FTBs - great for them but less so for other people coming into the rental market. The PRS is being squeezed and soon tenants will have a shed load of protection but nowhere to rent!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 January 2022 07:48 AM
What I am saying it is is dangerous and xenophobic not to mention false to blame all our woes on immigration.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 January 2022 07:36 AM
I've got to disagree. We need immigrant workers to fill all the roles our workshy benefits claimants won't do. We need fruit & veg pickers on our farms, butchers in our abattoirs, care workers in our care system & many of the lower paid roles in the NHS etc. Many of these areas are really struggling since Brexit when the EU workers went home. I have had many hardworking Eastern European tenants - they are not the problem. The problem is the entitled, non-working British benefit claimants.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 January 2022 16:57 PM
How can you not trust politicians? There were no parties at No. 10 & if there were Boris didn't go and if he did he thought it was work! I can tell the difference between work & a party so I must be cleverer than Boris!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 January 2022 12:52 PM
I believe the Govt has also made the rules regarding taking dividends instead of income less favourable than they were. This may not be the slam dunk solution for everyone.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 January 2022 12:51 PM
My concern is that we end up paying for them through benefits. Renters are unlikely to have built up decent savings for their retirement & when they can't pay their rent (or utility bills) the state steps in - that's you & me! Most people can manage on less when they retire because they no longer have a direct housing cost once they have paid off their mortgage. If your costs don't drop & your income does how are you going to cope - with benefits!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 January 2022 08:36 AM
Unintended consequences of bad law. Wait until EPC C comes in - the Govt can't complain it hasn't been told what's gong to happen but it will still be surprised when there is a housing crisis!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 January 2022 08:24 AM
After a lifetime of renting how are these people supposed to pay their rent in retirement?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 January 2022 16:12 PM
Leaders should lead by example. Boris should resign.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 January 2022 08:02 AM
Normal!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 January 2022 13:23 PM
I think it would be a linked tenancy unless there was something very different in the lease and as such would not solve the problem. Even if it did I think HMRC would see it as a ruse to evade paying tax & ignore it.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 January 2022 13:23 PM
Not. ideal if the house has been your home for 25 years! ! would pay the annual 1% tax on the NPV or ignore it altogether as I can't really see any way HMRC would no. Bit of a non story except maybe in the build to rent apartments at £1000 per week!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 January 2022 07:52 AM
The NPV is calculated by dividing rent in year 1 by 1+0.035; In year 2 by (1+0.035)x(1+0.035); year 3 by (1+0.035)x(1+0.035)x(1+0.035) etc This formula means the NPV for each year becomes smaller relative to the rent so it takes longer to get to the £125k. My long term tenant will get there in 25years, but by then the 1% of the NPV will be pretty small. Oh & guess what - social tenants are exempt!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 January 2022 07:49 AM
There are some Govt schemes for FTBs and these may only be for new houses (which are priced at a premium because of this) but there are plenty of FTBs who buy without the Govt's help. The SDLT exemption is for any purchase by a FTB so plenty out there who will be wanting an older, established house and other buyers who are not FTBs will only pay 2% over £125k upto £250k :)
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 January 2022 16:25 PM
Interesting that the only person who appears to agree with you is.....you!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 January 2022 16:20 PM
What schemes? They will be available for anyone who has a deposit and can get a mortgage and at £150-200k should be easily accessible to many FTBs. I have rented them out to happy tenants for over a decade so I am sure they will make perfectly acceptable homes for young people.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 January 2022 14:42 PM
Michael I am 'dumping' my properties and I would argue it is good business sense. The PRS hitting EPC C (the wrong measure in the first place) will not save the planet and unless all housing is mandated to the same level the savings in CO2 will be minor compared to the cost. I am happy to do my bit for the planet - but I can't do it all on my own - so my lovely Victorian Houses and 1/2 bed electrically heated starter homes will be available to all FTBs. The Govt should be delighted!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 January 2022 12:38 PM
Having done a bit of research there is a calculation to produce the NPV which is the figure used not the actual rent paid. The NPV is lower than the actual rent and so it will take longer to get to £125k that suggested in this article. Still potentially a problem in high rent or long term tenancies
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 January 2022 11:04 AM
The PRS is the direct result of Govt housing policy (or lack of it) so its a bit rich to slag us off! Even if it were true that the PRS is 'the tenure of last resort' there are many renters who need us due to the failure of Govt to supply any alternative. Oh and by the way, not everyone wants to live in a Council House chosen for them by the LA with no flooring and anti-social neighbours in a grotty part of town!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 January 2022 09:21 AM
What about all the Council tenants with tenancies for life? It only takes 17 yrs at £600 pcm to hit this figure?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 January 2022 07:25 AM
There have been no changes to the EPC requirements since EPC E became mandatory everything else is a proposal! The bill has not yet been published and although it is likely that EPC C will be a requirement by 2026 & 2028 it is not law yet. The claim from Shawbrook Bank as stated here is misleading and factually incorrect.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2022 07:32 AM
For cities and young professionals. Where should everyone else live?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 January 2022 15:29 PM
If the majority of us had not been vaccinated the NHS would have been completely swamped and there would have been innumerable excess deaths from causes other than Covid as treatment for everything else would have stalled. As it is, many people have died unnecessarily and millions are living with pain due to cancelled operations. Some cancer patients cannot have chemo because of the lack of staff - the list of knock on effects of the pandemic is endless. Vaccination is not about the individual it is about our society so stop being so selfish and get vaccinated. That is the only way our hospitals can get back to treating everyone and all health conditions.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 January 2022 15:27 PM
LLs are able to take advantage of business opportunities and when Covid struck the combined effect of the eviction ban & the popularity of staycations made the transition from long term let to holiday let a good solution for those with properties in the right places. The Govt should not be surprised. Time and time again, the Govt fails to see the unintended consequences of its policies and is surprised when the obvious happens.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 January 2022 07:27 AM
Really interesting to see what I think is happening in the PRS being backed up in this story. The Govt may well be achieving its goal of reducing the number of BTL properties and this will no doubt help some FTBs. However the people who cannot afford to buy and who don't qualify for Social Housing (or who qualify but can't get Social Housing) are being squeezed out of all forms of housing. I am one of those LLs approaching retirement and I will be off loading all of the properties in my portfolio that are below an EPC C (about 60%). I believe many other LLs will do the same and this will add to the squeeze. Some may go to LLs but most will probably go to FTBs. The reduction in the number of houses available and increasing rents make this an untenable situation for many renters whilst the Govt SDLT holiday, which pushed house prices to an all time high, has exacerbated the situation. We are in danger of creating a cohort of people who could never afford to buy and now can't afford to rent.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 January 2022 11:36 AM
Anybody still renting out a property with an EPC of E or below should be being punished not given money! And unless the only requirement is a few LED light bulbs I can't see £49k going far.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 January 2022 09:03 AM
As more LLs leave the sector rents will continue to rise - basic economics of supply and demand. Eventually all the LL-haters will realised that we are a necessary part of the housing landscape but by then the damage will be done.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 January 2022 07:02 AM
Do they believe that if you ask the question enough times eventually you'll get the answer you want? By the way, the link doesn't work!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 January 2022 06:55 AM
No matter what you call us they will still hate us!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 January 2022 06:54 AM
We are definitely singing the same songs! Haha!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 January 2022 09:15 AM
Successive Govt's have failed to build enough social & affordable housing and now they this MP blames LLs for taking advantage of the opportunity that lack of building has presented. Housing building companies land bank & keep supply of new houses to a minimum to increase their profits yet it is LLs who take the blame for simply providing houses to those people who can't afford to buy. We have become the most hated people in the country and blame for everything is being heaped on our shoulders. I will not miss the PRS once I leave (first house being sold this month) but I fear the PRS may miss me and the others like me once we leave!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 January 2022 07:12 AM
Super rich people make clever use of money - hardly a news story.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 January 2022 07:07 AM
Why let the facts spoil a good strap line?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 January 2022 07:39 AM
When you are evicted for not paying your rent no private LL will touch you & the Council don't need to (intentionally homeless) hence you are homeless!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 December 2021 11:31 AM
M&S (£13million); Nationwide; B&Q for starters.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 December 2021 09:31 AM
When you can put £20k a year into the stock market without fear of having to pay ANY tax on it (except IHT if you die) why would anyone want to invest in property where you not only have to pay higher tax than any other business but you also run the risk of non-paying tenants and Govt interference costing you thousands? I don't know whether the Govt is trying to destroy the PRS or just thinks it is an easy target, but the PRS is shrinking fast and soon there will be a major shortage of decent housing at affordable rents, with no alternative in sight.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 December 2021 07:30 AM
M&S are a corporate partner of Shelter and have given them £13million over the last decade or so.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 December 2021 08:59 AM
So 66% are not planning to buy. This LL is planning to sell several properties - all because of EPC C - will the 34% make up the difference? I think not. IMO the PRS is about to become a tight squeeze.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 December 2021 08:01 AM
And they wonder why LLs are leaving the PRS for holiday Lets & Air bnb!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 December 2021 07:57 AM
My first casualty of EPC C is going on the market in January. Tenants gave notice on a lovely big 3 bed Victorian property - new DG, boiler, rads, fully refurbished over the last few years, but an EPC D. I'm not prepared to waste my money doing 'improvements' to meet the target set by the vagaries of an EPC assessment that are not only inconsistent, unfair & opaque but are also ever changing and incompatible with future heating ideals. This house could've been a fantastic rental home for a family for many years but now will be sold and probably removed from the PRS. Others will follow soon. EPC C is going to make finding a rental home so much more difficult for many, many families - well done Boris.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 December 2021 07:56 AM
If only the Govt hadn't practically removed foreign languages from the national curriculum! Most won't go because most can't speak any other language!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 December 2021 10:26 AM
Its interesting isn't it that installing solar panels gets you the EPC C whilst not reducing your carbon emissions from your GCH? Another example of how farcical the assessment is. I am not prepared to invest my money chasing these nonsensical & ever moving targets - show me the door!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 December 2021 10:25 AM
With interest rate rises adding to the financial pressures on LLs the Govt needs to take the following action if it is to avoid a tsunami of LLs leaving the sector and precipitating a housing crisis: 1. Sort out the EPC assessment so it is an accurate and fair measure of energy efficiency instead of a cost based measure 2. Set the next target to EPC D to allow / encourage LLs to improve as many properties as possible 3. Introduce a financial aid package to allow LLs to complete more expensive upgrades 4. Set the timescales for further upgrades at a manageable rate to allow LLs to plan for the work Bringing in EPC C for 2026 /8 when we are already in 2022 and with an algorithm that is opaque, flawed & unreliable will result in many LLs heading for the door rather than undertaking expensive measures with no guarantee of achieving an EPC C. As ever, it will be tenants who suffer as rents go sky high and properties disappear from the PRS.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 December 2021 08:31 AM
Got that one wrong too didn't they!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 December 2021 17:19 PM
Computer says 'No!' Many people have no idea that defaulting on a loan payment or missing a payment on your phone bill can affect your credit rating or any idea how to improve it. My kids got credit cards as soon as they were 18, went on the electoral roll & paid all their bills to ensure a good credit rating when needed.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 December 2021 11:55 AM
What LLs need most is clarity! Until the bill is published it is just guesswork and until we are told what we have to achieve and by when, most LLs are not going to start taking any action. We are also told that the EPC assessment is due to be revised in 2022 to recognise the 'greenness' of electricity - so as well as as undefined target it appears the target is about to move! Who in their right mind is going to spend thousands on a property in this situation?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 December 2021 07:41 AM
How about a winter truce on withholding rent?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 December 2021 09:03 AM
Just wait until EPC C hits! This Govt is walking into a housing crisis of unseen proportions as LLs vote with their feet and move their money away from the PRS into other areas. Councils & Govt seem unable to grasp the concept that LLs do not have a responsibility to provide housing and the constant pressures being exerting on LLs is forcing many to reconsider their position. LLs are in the PRS to make money and no-one should be surprised that when there are easier avenues to take LLs change direction!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 December 2021 07:35 AM
SELECTIVE LICENING; EPC C; ABOLITION OF S21; COURT DELAYS - my favourites!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 December 2021 16:40 PM
A 2% drop will seem nothing compared to the drop in numbers that will occur if the Govt confirm EPC C.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 December 2021 07:30 AM
Sounds more like a hotel than student accommodation! And at what cost? Maintenance grants will not cover 'luxurious studios and en-suite serviced apartment rooms'.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 December 2021 07:17 AM
Yes - it will save tenants £20 a month - why won't the LL put solar panels on the north facing roof? :)
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 December 2021 08:40 AM
The PRS is not unregulated - Councils just don't bother to use the powers they have to enforce them. Instead they introduce further layers of regulation in the form of licensing, checking up on the compliant LLs and leaving non-compliant LLs hiding away in the shadows.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 December 2021 07:28 AM
It's not just tenant's who are worried about paying fuel bills this winter - many home owners are too! And with mortgage rates likely to rise soon home owners also will be facing a rise in the cost of their home! Welcome to the real world.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 December 2021 07:25 AM
I pick my agents with care and over the last 20years they have found me some great tenants. Don't tar them all with the same brush.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 December 2021 15:31 PM
The only thing Selective Licensing is guaranteed to raise is the rent!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 December 2021 07:05 AM
Agreed ...and it is tenants who bear the costs in increased rent.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 December 2021 08:09 AM
This is the thin edge of the wedge - a few LLs leaving the market, some new tenants entering it and the squeeze meaning less accommodation and higher prices. If the Govt announces EPC C that 'few' LLs leaving will become 'more' and perhaps 'many' and the result will be a desperate shortage of rooms & houses.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 December 2021 07:01 AM
The Govt will not shut down houses but they may fine LLs and force them to spend the money. I won't be waiting around to see - I'm selling while the going is good.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 December 2021 12:52 PM
I reckon 10 years is equivalent to 10 points lost due to the changes in assessment.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 December 2021 12:51 PM
I have a property with modern electric radiators, that run on clean green electricity - it is an EPC D. To get to an EPC C I can fit GCH or solar panels, probably both about £5-7k. GCH will make it considerably cheaper for my tenant to heat but will be carbon emitting, solar will reduce the cost by about 1/3 but because of the Green tariffs on electricity and the removal of feed in tariffs for solar it will still be expensive for my tenant. Where is the Govt support to enable me to take the green decision? In reality I will probably just sell the property if EPC C comes in because there is no guarantee over the EPC rating once the work is done and the return on my investment would be about 20 years. It is simply not cost effective for me to do.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 December 2021 07:06 AM
Will the Govt listen - or just plough on regardless? We know we have to improve the energy efficiency of ALL our housing stock but using a metric based on cost, favouring carbon emitting gas and penalising clean, green electricity makes no sense at all. Until the EPC is a clear, accurate measure of the energy performance of a property it is unrealistic to expect LLs to spend thousands on upgrading them. The Govt needs to switch to EIRs and make the assessment easy to understand with clear, achievable steps to follow to gain an improvement in the rating. We need to move to D first and then to C if we are not to lose thousands of properties from the sector and create a housing crisis of huge proportions and we need to bring the owner occupier sector along with us on the same path to have any meaningful effect on carbon emissions. Finally we need the Govt to understand that this is not a green-washing exercise but people's lives and livelihoods they are dealing with. We are already seeing spiralling rents and a lack of properties to rent - EPC C has the potential to decimate the sector and once LLs have left they will not quickly return, leaving the rental sector in chaos.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 December 2021 06:53 AM
The increasing length of tenancies makes the Govt's timescales for introducing EPC C even more laughable. Much of the improvement required in an older property - floor insulation, internal wall insulation - is very intrusive and needs to be done without tenants in situ. With tenants staying longer the opportunities to do this sort of work are few and far between and the Govt's target dates of 2026 / 8 are unrealistic.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 November 2021 06:42 AM
'Placed in emergency accommodation' - given the size of the family and the lack of LA housing of this size I would guess it is not particularly permanent or even suitable accommodation.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 November 2021 09:19 AM
The interesting point though is that the Govt is planning to push law abiding LLs to EPC C whilst failing to enforce the EPC E already in existence. The result can only be a 2 tier PRS - expensive, compliant properties & cheap non compliant ones. Let's face it, if you don't comply with EPC E you probably don't have a as safety, EICR or smoke / CO detectors, so these properties are possibly dangerous as well as non compliant but tenants will be forced to rent them due to a lack of decent, affordable properties.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 November 2021 09:16 AM
Easy to get confused - we will probably need CO2 alarms when we have to achieve EPC A!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 November 2021 11:53 AM
Modern, well maintained boilers do not release CO into the room - do you really think that those LLs who have old, poorly maintained appliances and probably no gas safety are actually going to comply with this legislation any more than they already do with existing legislation? Decent LLs will conform, even though unnecessary, and it is just another cost to be taken into account when setting rents. I am all for saving lives but I don't believe this will save even 1. PS I have already put CO alarms in my houses in advance of this legislation.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 November 2021 08:22 AM
Councils seem to spend most of their time making life difficult for Landlords but then want them to step in and help them provide housing! I have no problem helping Afghan Refugees but I am loathe to get into any arrangement with any Council in any way!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 November 2021 07:38 AM
Alternatively employ a Lettings Agent!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 November 2021 07:35 AM
Why let the truth spoil your argument?!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 November 2021 15:00 PM
The Govt knows that the EPC is a crude measure and it is based on cost. It was never meant to be used as it is now and some of the measures recommended increase the carbon emission. EIR is a better measure to work with to achieve net zero because it is based on the carbon emissions and we will eventually switch to using this I believe. So .....if you spend all your money trying to achieve EPC C by 2028 you may find by 2030 that you no longer hit the Govt's target because although your property is cheap to heat it is emitting carbon! Bye bye gas! It is a moving target, that is not clear or consistent and I will not be wasting my money trying to hit it.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 November 2021 13:23 PM
Let's hope the Levelling Up & Housing Ministry are taking note - these rent rises come after the very reforms that are being considered for the English housing market. follow this with EPC C and the result will be catastrophic.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 November 2021 07:31 AM
The imbalance will continue to be compounded, and probably accelerate, as we approach EPC C and LLs continue to divest properties that are expensive or impossible to upgrade.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 November 2021 07:28 AM
Like politicians rent controls are bad for tenants (even though they think they are good!)
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 November 2021 07:25 AM
Not my figures - theirs! I'm not even a member!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 November 2021 15:49 PM
On their website - 90k members and 10% of the PRS.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 November 2021 06:59 AM
I think someone should be checking how the £65m is spent - Govt & LAs have a habit of wasting taxpayers money!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 November 2021 10:56 AM
Certainly the rent repayment orders often seem extremely punitive. If there is no loss to the tenant then by all means fine the LL but RROs encourage tenants to look for faults. It also encourages the adversarial approach to the PRS when we should all be working together.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 November 2021 10:54 AM
10% of the PRS I believe.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 November 2021 10:52 AM
There is a clear link between licensing & rent increases!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 November 2021 07:39 AM
This report seems to show that LLs are being responsible and doing all the things that can be done easily around tenants. The next level of improvements are so intrusive and expensive that many LLs will baulk at them. At my age I do not have time to recoup the cost of the 'improvements' required so I will be selling and I believe many others will too.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 November 2021 10:05 AM
Angela, that is really interesting and shows that however came up with the algorithm was wired to a mars bar!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 November 2021 09:28 AM
I have just replaced old radiators in a property with new ones. The tenants are delighted saying the house heats up much more quickly and they are having to turn the heating off. Clearly this will save them energy & money. How many EPC points do I get for my new radiators? Zero. The EPC assessment is a joke but I'm not laughing and nor will 7 sets of 11 tenants when they are asked to leave so I can sell their EPC D rated home.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 November 2021 07:43 AM
I have the same problem with electric radiators: how is it good for the environment to rip out a perfectly good heating system and replace it with another electric system, which is no more carbon (or tenant) friendly but just might be cheaper (if you get the right tariff & use the complicated system efficiently)? The carbon emitted in the production of the new heaters; the waste of decent radiators; a system tenants often don't like & can't understand all make this a complete nonsense & just about sums up my opinion of EPCs!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 November 2021 07:52 AM
Whilst this headline is a bit alarmist the powers that be need to recognise that enforcing EPC C in the timescales currently suggested will precipitate the largest housing crisis we have ever seen. The Green Homes Grant fiasco showed that, even if LLs wanted do the upgrades necessary there are not enough qualified trades people to do it. EPC C will result in a dump of rental properties onto the market, where owner occupiers do not need to improve them, and a shortage of decent rentals. EPC D would allow LLs to improve the worst first and continue to work towards EPC C in voids. And the EPC algorithm needs to be updated to reflect the green credentials of electricity instead of its cost, cost which is hugely inflated by the green levies imposed upon it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 November 2021 07:26 AM
EPC C is a much greater threat to the PRS than Covid 19 ever was.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 November 2021 07:36 AM
I'm struggling to imagine the situation in which mediation will solve the issue - rent arears; ASB; trashing property? Doesn't seem likely to me!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 November 2021 07:34 AM
The Queen has often used the train :) I think the senior Royals are probably better than the Politicians for at least trying to travel in a less polluting way - did you see Biden and his 30 car entourage, flown over from the US to drive around Europe? And Boris flying a private plane from COP26?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 November 2021 12:42 PM
You are wrong I'm afraid - it is illegal to rent out a property without an EPC of E or better unless you have an exemption in place.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 November 2021 12:39 PM
Rather flies in the face of Shelter & Gen Rent's position that all LLs are greedy b*****ds!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 November 2021 07:34 AM
If S21 is removed provision MUST be made ensure that LLs can get though the courts quickly to evict rogue tenants who run up huge debts living rent free. The court process at the moment is hugely biased towards the tenants who manipulate the system and postpone the inevitable but get free housing for lengthy periods while the LLs run up further costs with little hope of ever seeing a penny come back. Failure to address the court process WILL result in LLs leaving the PRS. As Adrian says, it is not No Fault - just the quickest & easiest option to evict a tenant who is not behaving in a tenant like fashion.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 November 2021 07:25 AM
If they know the areas where EPCs are likely to be below an E why not spent the money employing someone to sit down with the EPC register, identifying the properties below an E then cross referencing with other information to identify the rented one? They don't need to be innovative - just diligent!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 November 2021 07:19 AM
Has the Govt deleted D from the alphabet without anyone noticing? Why this jump from E to C? It is too large a jump - some will be scared of such a large jump & not even try; and many who try will fail and leave the game; a few will make the leap & be safe until we have to jump again to B. We need the stepping stone of D to allow us to bring everyone with us on the journey to save the planet (and house all the tenants!) I'm off looking for D - anyone want t come & help me look?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 November 2021 07:16 AM
LLs only provide HMOs if there is a demand for them. Where are the tenants who can only afford a room rate rental supposed to live if there are no new HMOs?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 November 2021 07:45 AM
Like Stehen, my tenants stay as long as they want. In 20 years I have only ended one tenancy so in my view this longer tenancies debate is a red herring. Like many other LLs, the length of my tenancies is determined by mortgage holders who won't allow anything over 12 months.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 November 2021 07:43 AM
Why is it so difficult for LAs to cross reference the EPC register with other information they hold to work out who is non-compliant?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 November 2021 07:36 AM
BTR clearly has a place in the PRS but from the statistics above they are for singles & couples who are prepared to pay extra for more amenities and who are happy living in flats in cities. I can't see BTR being the answer for families, who want gardens & good schools not gyms & shared work spaces.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 November 2021 07:38 AM
More would-be renters keep coming into the market & more LLs are beginning to cash in their chips and leave, squeezing the PRS. Rents are going to keep rising unless the Govt finds a way to increase the housing stock, either by building more or reversing the trend of LLs selling up. IMO EPC C will increase the number of LLs leaving hugely until renting privately will be restricted to only those with high incomes & perfect histories.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 November 2021 07:32 AM
This is at odds with my own experience - I have yet to meet a tenant who even looks at an EPC! If you look at properties coming on to the market currently, many are still being posted without the required EPC being shown & they still rent very quickly. I guess its all in the way you ask the question!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 November 2021 07:25 AM
Given that Councils are only now 'engaging' with LLs who are illegally letting properties with an EPC below E, the rush to EPC C seems premature. Why not aim to get ALL housing up to an E and then a D? Surely that would save more emissions that the PRS meeting C - or is that not what the plan is about?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 October 2021 11:29 AM
You appear to be planning to work outside the law. Good luck with that!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 October 2021 20:34 PM
I have no problem with a LL register - the problem is setting it up efficiently and using it effectively. If it is used, as SL is, as a revenue stream for LAs the end result is just higher rents for tenants of compliant LLs.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 October 2021 07:41 AM
The Green Party are basically communists when it comes to policy and though there is no chance of them getting into power, if they make their statements often enough someone will start thinking its a good idea! Nothing quite so dangerous to business as a Politician!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 October 2021 10:31 AM
Taxing LLs more and expecting rents to be less - clearly no understanding of even basic economics!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 October 2021 07:50 AM
How are tenants supposed to find out about this money and how to claim it? £65m will only be of any benefit if it is delivered to LLs whose tenants are in arrears now but can pay their rent going forward. I fear it may be a scheme that achieves very little.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 October 2021 07:48 AM
If you need to prove it is insulated you perhaps need to hire your own thermal imaging drone. The Council are only going to use theirs to catch people out - not help LLs! Alternatively drill a small hole in the ceiling and see what is there - that's how I discovered my floors are insulated when they EPC assumed they were not!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 October 2021 14:20 PM
Wales and Scotland have had a similar scheme for sometime so I am glad that there is now one for England. I'm not sure how tenants are supposed to find out about it and how they go about claiming it but anything that means that LLs are no longing having to carry covid debt is welcome. I hope it is used carefully so it benefits people who could pay not those who chose not to pay. Paying it direct to LLs is very welcome.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 October 2021 14:17 PM
I can cope with red tape and tax what I can't cope with is EPC C. This will have me and many other LLs heading for the door, precipitating the biggest housing crisis this country has ever seen, unless someone gets a handle on the assessment & its ridiculous implementation quickly!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 October 2021 15:33 PM
Surely a quick look at the EPC Register is a cheaper way of seeing whether a house is compliant than using a drone! The information is already freely available it just needs someone to cross reference it with rented property address. No-one wastes money like local Govt!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 October 2021 10:57 AM
That sounds like it will help any electrical heat system :) Putting green tariffs on gas will also help level up the playing field. I think we may all have to get used to paying more for our energy in the future - cheap gas will not be a cheap option anymore :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 October 2021 08:30 AM
The Govt is lurching from one idea to the next in an effort to tick the green box. Insulating all our housing stock would reduce the amount of energy used in heating our homes and thus our carbon emissions without changing our heating fuel, but instead of supporting that idea the Govt offers just 90,000 households the chance to save £5k on a heat pump - a system which requires good insulation in the first place. Maybe Boris thinks heat pumps are sexy and insulation boring - either way this policy is destined to be as ineffective as the Green Homes Grant.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 October 2021 07:43 AM
I hate to agree with anything Gen Rent say - but actually insulating properties and thus reducing the amount of energy needed to heat them seems like the first step we should be taking. I wonder what the cost & the impact of every house in the country having decent loft insulation would be - probably a better investment than 90,000 people installing heat pumps!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 October 2021 09:29 AM
From a LL perspective installing a heat pump doesn't seem to guarantee you an EPC C (powered by electricity) so its a no go anyway.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 October 2021 09:24 AM
As we head towards EPC C with no coherent strategy for achieving it - by the way heat pumps score badly as they are electrically powered) - watch the number of LL leaving the PRS turn from a trickle into a gush and see how that affects demand and supply!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 October 2021 07:49 AM
G romit - I am aware of the PROPOSAL for EPC C - not yet law - but given that heat pumps are electrically powered the installation of one is worse for your EPC than GCH at present.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 October 2021 13:37 PM
Given the difficulties I have encountered trying to get a shared drive repaired I cannot imagine the difficulties a shared GSHP installation might experience!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 October 2021 13:35 PM
If you are correct about the leader of Norwich Council that is absolutely scandalous!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 October 2021 09:01 AM
its my tenants call not mine - but I'm nothing one in my home. I know that the kettle uses a lot of electricity and I don't need an electronic device to tell me! You have to ask yourself why, after Germany halted their roll out because it 'wasn't in the interest of consumers', our Govt continues to force them on us.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 October 2021 08:27 AM
Not only would this provide much needed extra housing at the lower end of the market, it would reduce some of the pressure on the PRS and perhaps slow the relentless upward pressure on rents for all.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 October 2021 07:48 AM
At least LLs are not being forced into this ahead of owner occupiers. The focus so far is on the cost of the pump but no one has addressed the other costs - insulation / rads / tank etc - or the practicalities of installation in smaller, terraced housing with limited space inside & out. I'm not convinced heat pumps are the solution so I'm looking forward to the early adopters putting some real world evidence on the table before making my decision for my own home as well as my BTLs.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 October 2021 07:44 AM
No mention of the unsuitability of most of our housing stock to be retrofitted with heat pumps - which require well insulated houses, bigger radiators, maybe bigger pipework, bigger water tank, additional storage space for units, top up heat source - all off which is invasive to fit & expensive. Whilst the Govt can force its will on the PRS (I guess most of us will leave) how on earth does it intend to force hard pressed home owners to find this sort of cash? Without changes to the whole of the housing stock the transfer away from GCH is meaningless and from where I'm standing there is no viable alternative at present.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 October 2021 07:50 AM
I'd like a freeze on mortgages, utilities, council tax, food, wine .......unfortunately we don't always get what we want John. The constant pressure on LLs is pushing many out of the sector and the result is fewer properties and more tenants. This is called supply and demand, I believe, and the result is higher prices - basic economics John!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 October 2021 07:38 AM
Having just read about Charles Dickens House in Tower Hamlets, where tenants have been dealing with appalling conditions for over a decade, and remembering the recent story of similar conditions in Croydon's Social Housing I would suggest that Shelter should concentrate its efforts on taking these Housing Associations to task instead of constantly haranguing the PRS.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 October 2021 07:36 AM
Given the ridiculous price rises the the SDLT holiday fuelled it is not surprising that LLs were reticent to buy in an over priced market.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 October 2021 07:19 AM
Increased pressure on LLs has lead to a slow and steady exodus from the PRS whist the number of households looking to rent continues to increase. Increased demand + lower availability = rent rises Just wait until EPC C hits - I predict the flood of LLs leaving the sector will precipitate a housing crisis.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 October 2021 07:43 AM
This article is really misleading - shame on you Graham! The cost of insulating walls varies hugely between cavity and external insulation. I was quoted around £10k for external insulation of a victorian terrace under the Green Homes Grant. The £400 quoted above can only be for cavity wall insulation of a flat-backed 1970s style terrace and the article does not make this clear. The section on insulation is completely misleading and is presumably the type of 'facts' that policy makers are relying on whilst making policy!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 October 2021 07:39 AM
so really, instead of a Dept of levelling up with Housing tagged on as an after thought what we really need is a Ministry for Making our Housing Fit for the Future! Unfortunately Boris is just box ticking for climate change!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 October 2021 09:31 AM
The huge numbers of purpose built units charging premium prices must contribute to these figures. I'm in Nottingham & I had a student rental until 2020. I charged £75 pw whilst the ensuite all singing all dancing new flats were costing £125-£150 pw. New student accommodation is popping up all over the city & the Council is actively discouraging traditional student lets, trying to force these properties back in to use as family housing. Forcing traditional student LLs out of the market to be replaced by large scale student LLs is bound to increase the average cost.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 October 2021 08:55 AM
There is also no point forcing LLs to upgrade their properties when the owner-occupier sector does nothing! Rising energy costs will make everyone want to cut their energy usage so perhaps what we all need is more carrot & less stick!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 October 2021 08:49 AM
If LLs are to be expected to spend up to £10k to improve the EPC that measurement MUST be a fair reflection of a property's energy efficiency. At the moment is is based on assumptions and guesses conducted as a tick box exercise, and is so opaque that having spent £10k you still have no idea if you will reach the desired EPC. If you do improve the EPC to a level that allows you to rent it out there is no guarantee that the next EPC will as the algorithm keeps changing! It is like throwing darts at a moving target, blindfolded! LLs will not spend this sort of capital without some guarantee of the result.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 October 2021 08:09 AM
Its going to be an insurance based product - like the 'No-deposit deposit' now in operation. What the powers that be have missed is that for a good tenant who leaves a clean and tidy property with no deductions, the insurance route is more expensive. How can it not be when you put a business in between LL & T who wants to make a profit?!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 October 2021 13:19 PM
At least he now has free accommodation & 3 meals a day!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 October 2021 07:45 AM
If LLs hold the power - and that's a big if - is that not right because they own the property? LLs invest their time & money in the property what do tenants invest? There is no other partnership I can think of where the junior partner hold the power.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 October 2021 07:43 AM
My MP is a 20 something with no idea how the world works. He wouldn't know an EPC if it slapped him in the face and blindly follows the party whip with no original thought. He does not represent his constituents he merely tows the party line. I have written to him several times but just get hog wash in return.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 October 2021 11:49 AM
This is not a story of a Council's success prosecuting a rogue LL but one of failure of LAs preventing disgraced LLs from simply moving to another area and repeating their behaviour!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 October 2021 09:39 AM
I think the SDLT 'holiday' has done more damage than good. People have overpaid more than they saved and those who needed to move (eg for work) have been caught in this stupid market. I have read that many people who moved in the last year either think they have over paid or regret moving; first time buyers have watched prices go even more out of reach as their savings are effectively reduced by inflation and HMRC has lost revenue. Who are the winners? Well perhaps LLs who took the opportunity to leave the market!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 October 2021 09:36 AM
I don’t know how the level of UC is worked out but I assume there is a formula that takes into account what is necessary to support recipients. To arbitrarily add £20 a week to the amount makes a mockery of the system. Either the formula is correct and the top up should be removed or the formula is wrong and it should be revised. A decent society supports those who can’t support themselves (as opposed to won’t) but the money given to claimants comes from all of our pockets and there must be an underlying calculation to justify what is handed out.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 September 2021 08:35 AM
In the news today - Govt planning to lower the threshold for starting repayments!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 September 2021 08:56 AM
The problem with these high quality units is their high price tag! The loans given to students won't even cover their accommodation in these units let alone cover other living costs. Then when these students enter the real world they discover that their salary won't cover an equivalent in the real world. I believe it was Martin Lewis who said we are 'educating our young in to debt but not about debt'. There is a place for both high end and low cost student accommodation but this focus on the high end may result in less choice and that is not a good thing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 September 2021 08:04 AM
Why would anyone want to let at LHA rates, which are pretty much frozen, when there are plenty of tenants around & rents are rising fast? That's without considering whether you want to take the tenants that qualify for housing help.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 September 2021 09:12 AM
I believe we are beginning to see the start of a major housing crisis. LLs are beginning to leave the PRS and the shortage of stock is resulting in higher rents. The LL exodus is set to continue and will be in flood by the time EPC C hits, at which point those left in the market will be able to charge what they want & thousands of tenants will be left out in the cold. This will give opportunities to unscrupulous LLs to rent substandard & unsafe properties and we will have a huge underbelly of illegal housing. So well done all the agencies who are attacking the PRS in the name of tenants - this will be the result of all your hard work!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 September 2021 08:03 AM
Or their flat screen TV!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 September 2021 17:21 PM
'The value of a good tenant should not be underestimated' but equally the inability to evict a bad tenant needs to be assessed! The PRS needs to work well for both sides and during the pandemic the LL has become the junior partner in the relationship. Govt should not underestimate the effect of supporting tenants at the expense of the LL if the PRS is to survive and continue to house so much of the population who fall between home ownership & social housing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 September 2021 07:48 AM
I agree - but given the length of time sometimes necessary to charge / argue / agree the deductions how is the time between deposits managed? It will surely usually be 14 days & possibly a month before the charges are agreed. Does the new LL have no deposit at this time & how do you make a tenant increase the deposit if deductions have been made, particularly once they are already in the new property?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 September 2021 08:42 AM
Stock shortages? Just wait until EPC C hits - then you will see shortages. For those LLs staying in the PRS the future looks rosey - increasing demand and reducing stock. For tenants the picture is less happy - reducing stock & increasing rents. Me - I'm significantly reducing my portfolio & only keeping EPC C compliant properties.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 September 2021 07:49 AM
Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't most build to rent flats? How is that fair to the pet? Pets need to be in homes with gardens not stuck in a block of flats with no outside space - that is just a selfish owner in my book.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 September 2021 07:45 AM
Add to furlough and benefit cuts spiralling gas & electricity prices and renters are in for a hard winter - especially those on electric heating. 30% plus of their bill provides subsidies to the green energy industry. The Govt could help everyone instantly by removing this unfair stealth tax and funding green energy openly and fairly. Remove the green levies from our bills - NOW!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 September 2021 07:43 AM
As ever it is the decent tenants who lose out as LLs increase rent to cover potential losses; become increasingly careful about who they rent to & sell up and move into safer assets. This Govt is sleep walking us into a housing crisis, the like of which has not been seen before.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 September 2021 08:56 AM
Perfect storm - no S21; EPC below C; no way to evict tenants so HAVE to upgrade; cost into £1000s! I will certainly be getting out long before that happens. I have also experienced a regulated tenancy - no way am I going into that situation again - whatever name they give it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 September 2021 08:38 AM
EPC C is a much bigger threat than the loss of S21. We all know that most S21 evictions will just become S8 - EPC C will see perfectly decent homes being removed from the PRS 6 out of 9 of mine will be sold :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 September 2021 07:45 AM
I had a tenant who had a dog without permission. The letting agent failed to spot it - they removed it very time there was an inspection. When they left the garden was covered in poo, the laminate was ruined from pee and the kitchen cupboards were chewed - they were charged! This is just one example of irresponsible pet ownership that has forced me to adopt a 'no pets' rule
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 September 2021 07:42 AM
Another article on this site today tells the true story of the PRS with demand outstripping supply and properties renting quicker than anytime since 2016. Could it be that the constant demands placed upon LLs by the Govt, Shelter & Gen Rent is causing LLs to head for the door? When will they realise that their actions are making life harder for the very people they claim to represent?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 September 2021 07:54 AM
The cost is passed straight on to the tenant in most if not all cases and then they wonder why rents keep going up!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 September 2021 09:09 AM
No-one condones criminal behaviour by LLs but Shelter's stance is so biased and one sided. What about the shocking behaviour displayed by some tenants - running up huge debts & trashing properties? Meanwhile most LLs & tenants continue with a perfectly happy relationship. This constant bashing o f LLs is driving the good ones out and the bad ones continue as before. When Shelter and Gen Rent have destroyed the PRS where are all the renters going to live?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 September 2021 06:24 AM
I believe LLs are switching from longer lets to shorter lets because of the risk with longer lets that you get stuck with a non-paying tenant that you can't evict & who trashes your property and then walks away. Govt interference in the PRS, so unbalanced in favour of the tenant, is driving LLs out of the PRS. For the PRS to work well there has to be a balance between the needs of LLs and tenants. The interference of bodies like Shelter & Gen Rent is turning this into a crisis as decent LLs leave with no replacements in place so we now have spiralling rents & lack of housing with the main victims being decent tenants who are supposedly being supported by these organisation. If Keir Starmer gets his way and social care costs are dumped on LLs things will deteriorate even more and very quickly!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 September 2021 07:32 AM
it has been said before, but I think it bears saying again: LLs do not evict good tenants! We are a business and throwing out good customers is not good business practice. Good tenants, who look after the property and pay their rent rarely get asked to leave, so who exactly are GenRent supporting?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 September 2021 07:23 AM
Most people still have no idea about EPCs and they are so meaningless that they don’t add any value to a property, as shown in this statistic. The only reason there is a premium for D over F & G will be because they will be so obviously run down. Also interesting that we are going to be told to raise our properties’ EPCs, costing thousands, when the National Grid has fired up a coal fired power station to provide electricity in August.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 September 2021 07:16 AM
Does that headline even make sense? Sloppy. Maybe arrears are not a big cause of disputes because it is more black or white than cleaning. Either you have paid or you haven't. Cleaning is more subjective and in my opinion many people don't really know how to clean a house properly!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 September 2021 06:43 AM
Misleading headline! 'Landlord body tells Govt' is not the same as 'Landlords' - I didn't tell the Govt anything, neither was I asked.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 September 2021 06:41 AM
This should hopefully allay the fears of the many bigots who believe the refugees are ‘taking our houses’. We owe these brave people so much and the least we can do is support them in their new lives. Unfortunately the ignorant, racist portion of our society is concerned how this might affect them rather than offering wholehearted support. The Govt is providing extra money, the PRS is being asked to offer housing so let’s welcome these people into our communities and show them the Best of British.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 September 2021 06:35 AM
Every property should be able to attain an EPC E relatively easily and LLs should be required to fit the really pretty basic measures required - loft insulation, LED bulbs, double glazing, decent boiler. But after that it gets more difficult. Most properties need wall insulation and possibly floor insulation to get to the proposed level of C and this is too expensive, too disruptive and too unproven to mandate for in law. Add to this the Govts mixed messages on heat pumps - unsuitable for most properties, gas - supposedly being phased out and electricity - trashes an EPC because of cost, a quarter of which is green subsidies even though much of electricity is now clean and green. We need a coherent, affordable solution to decarbonising heating. Let’s start by taking the tax off clean green electricity!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 September 2021 06:31 AM
Ask me - not the Housing Secretary! Prove you are a decent tenant who looks after my property and you can have a pet - but if you are out at work all day you can't have a dog however good a tenant you are!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 September 2021 09:00 AM
I don't know where they found these tenants but availability appears to be the only factor where I have properties. Given that many tenants never change their utility supplier and others fail to get to grips with their heating controls (especially storage heaters) I find it hard to believe they care at all about the EPC rating. In addition, as the EPC is such an artificial measure of anything it would be worrying if tenants were actually relying on it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 September 2021 07:15 AM
Rents may be higher than the payments on a repayment mortgage but a renter invests none of their own money in the deposit and has non of the costs of the upkeep of the property. They can also move on a whim with just one months notice. With all the extra demands and costs being heaped on LLs and the likelihood of many leaving the PRS rents are only going to go one way - up!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 September 2021 06:39 AM
it never ceases to amaze me that GR keep making demands without giving anything in return. For the PRS to work well there has to be fairness to both sides. GR never seem to consider this and just continually portray the LLs as the bad guys and the tenants as the poor victims. Consider where all these tenants would be if we all upsticks and leave! If their demands were more reasonable they might get some traction but this pie-in-the-sky stuff just makes them too easy to dismiss so they achieve nothing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 August 2021 08:21 AM
Perhaps part of the reason that LLs have removed properties from the long term market is the inability to evict a non-paying or otherwise rogue tenant. The market has been tipped so far in favour of the tenant recently that a few unscrupulous tenants have soured the whole market. For LLs to offer decent, secure homes to renters there has to be a fair mechanism to deal with the minority who do not play by the rules.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 August 2021 07:23 AM
Unfortunately wanting doesn't always mean getting. In the current market there are plenty of tenants without pets for a LL to choose from and until the balance in the PRS is redressed towards the LL from its current precipice in favour of the tenant, things are unlikely to change.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 August 2021 11:15 AM
I dispute the statement 'It is too easy for LLs to evict locals from their homes..' - it has not been easy during the pandemic to evict anyone! Could this inability to evict bad tenants be behind the move to holiday lets? Most holiday makers don't overstay their time, fail to pay their rent or trash the place. Once again Generation Rent is playing the one sided blame game.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 August 2021 07:14 AM
This is a good example of where the EPC assessment fails - electric radiators are all scored the same whether they are high end quality rads or a £25 convection heater from Homebase! Storage heaters score slightly higher because they use E7 (but who wants to live with old storage heaters and pay higher rates on everything else?). Many assessors agree this is unfair but there is nothing they can do about it. Similarly, good double glazing doesn't score higher than bad; new rads don't score higher than old; well maintained boiler no better than poorly maintained inefficient - everything is about the box it ticks. It would be funny if it wasn't going to affect so many people :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 August 2021 08:50 AM
Trying to improve an EPC is like throwing darts at a dart board, blindfolded! The system is so opaque there is no way of knowing how many points an improvement will achieve. The measures recommended often involve huge sums of money for little benefit (which goes to the tenant) and no financial return for the LL. Installation of any internal insulation (inc floor) is so disruptive that it can't be done with tenants in situ. The recommendations are at odds with other Govt policy - GCH scores highly but new installations will be banned after 2026 while heat pumps score badly although the Govt wants to install 600,000 a year! Electric heating, which is green & clean, scores very badly because of cost (25% of which is green subsidies) even though it can be completely green (from solar & wind) and on some estates there is no alternative. Until the govt has a cohesive policy for the future of heating our homes and the EPC is a fair & transparent measure why would anyone invest the £000s needed to bring a property upto this artificial standard? EPC C - if it happens in its current form - might just precipitate the biggest housing crisis we have ever seen. I for one, am heading for the door and will be evicting perfectly happy tenants from perfectly decent homes.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 August 2021 07:12 AM
THE EPC C is a proposal not law yet.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 August 2021 15:35 PM
That is a different problem and requires a different solution. Dealing with one should not preclude dealing with an other. This is a humanitarian problem on a huge scale, that we have had a significant part in causing, we must help those we can.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 August 2021 08:16 AM
Val this is racist and ignorant - shame on you!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 August 2021 08:13 AM
LHA fuels rent rises as is is tied to average rent. Look how rents jumped when the Govt reversed its cuts to LHA in April 2020. The only way to reduce the burden of rent on tenants claiming LHA is to increase the stock of affordable housing.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 August 2021 07:35 AM
Many smaller LLs will be leaving the sector over the next few years - increased legislation / tax & EPC C will see to that. But the demand for rentals will not be diminished, so for those who plan to stay for the long haul I believe there will be good rewards. For those of us who have been in a while & who are approaching retirement now looks like a good time to get out. The people who are in trouble, as ever, are the tenants, as deminishing stock & high costs are going to price many people out of the market with nowhere else to go :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 August 2021 07:31 AM
SL is just about funding their Housing Dept - nothing to do with raising standards as they already had powers equivalent to SL under existing legislation.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 August 2021 07:27 AM
The pressure on rental housing stock is only going to get worse. More households are coming into the market just when many LLs are leaving due to extra regulations, lack or support from Govt / LAs and the imminent imposition of EPC C. Renting is going to become unaffordable for many people and with no alternative they will be looking to social housing for support - where there is already a dearth of properties. The LHA bill will go through the roof and we will have a housing crisis the like of which we have never seen before.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 August 2021 07:39 AM
The assessment algorithm is hugely complicated yet assessors have very little training & just tick boxes. Assumptions are made on the age of the building (and are often wrong) and the insulating properties of different building materials are often inaccurate. Factors that cannot be changed (location, orientation, size) can affect the rating. Very little benefit is derived from improvements such as new radiators vs old; the efficiency of a boiler isn't measured so a well maintained one is no better than a poorly maintained one, and cost is a factor regardless of whether the fuel is clean (green electricity) or carbon releasing (gas). The improvements suggested are ridiculous - under floor insulation at a cost of hundreds of £ to save tens of £ in heating with no consideration to the difficulties of installing in a tenanted property and the knock on effect of having to raise kitchen units, door frames, skirting boards, sockets where that floor is solid. Similarly internal wall insulation requires massive alterations. No points are given for 10mm of underlay (that must make a difference). Over time the algorithm changes - properties can lose 10 its over a decade and trying to achieve a C is like throwing darts at a dartboard blindfolded - with the target constantly moving! EPC C is tick box exercise to show how green the Govt is, when much more could be achieved by concentrating on getting the basics right everywhere - loft insulation, water tank insulation, LED bulbs, high quality double glazing & boilers with good controls. In its efforts to tick a green box that will achieve virtually nothing in terms of reducing our emissions this Govt will destroy the PRS and put thousands of families on the street with nowhere to go as LLs of older properties sell up and leave the market all together. The remaining PRS will consist of well insulated, boring boxes that will become too warm to live in in the summer because of the insulation requires to meet the new EPC requirements!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 August 2021 07:34 AM
It is also something that should be read BEFORE you rent your very first property. Once you have signed a tenency its too late!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 August 2021 08:24 AM
Are you an antivax too? Although the planet's temperature does vary naturally I don't see how anyone can deny that man is causing changes to happen more quickly and the result IS climate change. EPC C in the PRS is not going to stop this but denying it is happening does not help either!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 August 2021 08:21 AM
Three factors at work here: general rise in rents across the PRS; student LLs who lost money last year when students went home or didn't pay rent trying to recoup. losses; huge increase in purpose built accommodation which is much more expensive than traditional HMO student houses. Many of our young people are destined to leave Uni with a degree that does not lead to work and a huge debt they will carry for the next 25 years.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 August 2021 07:01 AM
This Govt is completely blind to the fact that this is going to cause the biggest housing crisis ever seen as LLs sell up and take their money elsewhere. The cost, and indeed the logistics, of improving much of the housing stock to EPC C is prohibitive and any tenants in older properties or with electric heating are going to find themselves homeless. The whole situation is exacerbated by an EPC assessment that is not fit for purpose, rewarding GCH over clean, green electricity and which is completely unintelligible to most people. The net gain in CO2 emissions will be negligible but the PRS will be drastically reduced with no alternative available for thousands of tenants - this is sheer madness.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 August 2021 06:52 AM
I have all the above in my victorian properties and they are Ds. I am surprised without wall insulation you can get a C - when were they done? Some of my properties have lost upto 10 points in the last 10 years.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 August 2021 12:44 PM
Heat pumps are expensive to install, expensive to run, hugely disruptive to retro fit (larger rads & pipework needed) and do not provide sufficient heat or hot water in our climate and will require a top up source unless you have a super insulated modern house - yet the Govt thinks we should all fit them! People who live in fuel poverty are often living in electric only houses. We make clean green electricity and yet because of the green subsidises put on our bills (upto 24%) this becomes an expensive way to heat homes. There is no way anyone with any sense is going to remove a gas boiler and put in a heat pump so the Govt is on a hiding to nothing IMO. If you want to move away from gas put the green subsidies on gas instead of electricity and increase our wind & solar power generation.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 August 2021 07:40 AM
How easy do you think is to get cash strapped councils to pay money out for adaptations? So now on top of spending a fortune getting our properties up to EPC C we are supposed to spend more money adapting them for specific tenants, who we can't evict and who should be housed by the LA. Anyone else think this is bonkers? No thanks. I
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 August 2021 13:24 PM
Having jumped through all the hoops for this scheme and received vouchers for insulation, I had some of those 22,000 vouchers that cannot be redeemed because the scheme was cancelled. Do I believe any Govt funded scheme will be worth applying to? NO. Will I do the required work to my rentals without financial support? NO. Will my properties reach EPC C without it? NO. Will I sell my properties? YES. Where will all the tenants go once evicted? I have no idea. Will EPC C in the PRS save the planet? NO. Will it precipitate the biggest housing crisis this country has ever seen? I believe it will.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 August 2021 07:28 AM
Doesn't this show that licensing is about Councils raising money not standards?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 August 2021 07:22 AM
Unfortunately due to the lack of social housing available the powers that be rely on the PRS to house would be tenants. What they seem to forget is that LLs have a choice and can rent to whoever they like. Short stay tenants pay more and generally do less damage than long term tenants so why would LLs not go this route if it works for them. It is about time LLs were supported in doing the valuable job they do instead of being constantly bashed and trashed!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 August 2021 15:43 PM
There is a reason so many more HMOs are springing up - its all people can afford! Families may not like living sandwiched between HMOs but don't blame the LLs who are responding to demand, blame LAs and Govt policy that have put houses out of the reach of single adults. We desperately need more affordable housing so stop bashing LLs and build them!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 August 2021 07:20 AM
RRO are just going to drive more LLs out of the sector. Then rents will go up and there will be more tenants chasing fewer properties. We are about to enter a housing crisis and the powers that be and the tenant favouring lobbyists are in a dreamworld!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 August 2021 17:52 PM
They really do think we are a bunch of amateurs!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 August 2021 11:30 AM
The Afghan interpreters worked for the British Army in theatre and when we left we reneged on the deal that they would be looked after. They and their families lives were at risk as they were seen by some elements as collaborators. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to these people and need to fulfil our promise to help them now we are no longer involved militarily in Afghanistan. Edwin's comments and his 'likes' verge on racism. I am sure these resourceful people will find jobs and be an asset to our country but maybe they just need a helping hand to get them started. I would not hesitate in becoming involved in this program if I had a suitable property. These people are only refugees from their own country because of the service they did ours.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 August 2021 14:07 PM
That is exactly what this 'over privileged whiner' intends to do - so where are all the now homeless tenants going to live Daniel? Me selling up doesn't put the deposit in anyone else's pocket or increase the number of social housing units available. We are a significant part of the housing market and as we leave the pressure on the remaining stock will ensure higher rents & more homeless families. Is that what you want?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 July 2021 08:13 AM
The Stamp Duty holiday has done more. harm than good! I'm sure nobody intended it to cause the boom it did and I am pretty certain many people have overpaid. Meanwhile those who had to move rather than chose to have got caught up in the madness - my son, a key worker moving for work, has had his transaction take 8 months to complete meaning he has had to commute an hour each way for 5 months!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 July 2021 06:59 AM
When politicians make it impossible for LLs to evict non-paying tenants they will take whatever action they believe protects them best. A report out yesterday highlighted the fact that 70%. of us are basic rate tax payers - we cannot afford to house people for free - and so LLs have become creative in how to ensure they receive their rent.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 July 2021 06:54 AM
My mortgage conditions do not permit tenancies longer than 12 months so that is one obstacle. And tenants who sign up for 12 months often ask to be released early - or just leave - due to a change of circumstances. Most of my tenants started on 6 or 12 months and then went periodic and stayed as long as they wanted. A good tenant is hardly ever asked to leave so in many ways this is a non story.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 July 2021 07:17 AM
The bottom line is as LLs we do everything we can to reduce the chances of a bad tenant or damage to our property. Unfortunately for the many good tenants out there who have or would like pets, accepting pets increases the risks and so many LLs choose not to.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 July 2021 10:05 AM
30 % over 5 years sounds like a significant number to me! Most of the extra burdens placed on LLs in recent years have had fairly minor financial implications which have been passed on to the tenant via increased rent. When the requirement for EPC C becomes law I expect to see a flood of LLs leaving the sector as this is not a simple case of proving you are compliant and passing the cost of the proof on. It has been estimated that the average cost to bring a property up to EPC C is £7500. Even with a rent rise of £25pm that is a return time of 25 years! That is of course assuming that your property can be made EPC C for £7500. Personally I will be selling all victorian terraces and all electric only properties thereby making 7 happy families homeless. There will be more tenants fighting over fewer properties so prices for those will increase but where will the rest go? Social housing - I don't think so? Owner occupied - unlikely. This Govt is pushing us into a housing crisis of never before seen proportions with its eyes firmly shut!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 July 2021 08:40 AM
Until the EPC assessment accurately reflects the condition of properties, does not make invalid assumptions, gives realistic upgrades that can be achieved without ripping the fabric of the property apart and stops penalising electricity because of price most LLs will just sell any property below a C. The effect of this policy will not improve the living conditions for tenants but it will reduce the stock available and increase rents for some whilst pushing others into the arms of rogue LLs. This policy might result in a tiny decrease in carbon emissions but I believe it will decimate the PRS. Personally I will be selling 7 out of 11 properties, 3 Victorian terraces that require over £10k each investment to reach EPC C (not guaranteed) and 4 properties without gas, that cannot reach C due to the cost of electricity, ironically inflated hugely due to the green subsidies slapped on them.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 July 2021 07:39 AM
What about the new space travel program for the very rich from Branson & Besos? What do you think the carbon emissions from that are? Or the new oil drilling platform off Shetland?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 July 2021 12:42 PM
There was a report out this week that said modern houses will need to be retrofitted with cooling systems soon because they are too warm! Older houses were built to naturally cope with our climate - older properties are much cooler in this current heatwave than modern boxes. Yes it costs to heat them in winter but they can be made hotter when the weather is cold but stay cool when it is warm. Your tenants are discovering the problems caused once everything is insulated and air tight. Could insulating become the next cladding crisis with it all being ripped off? I also have properties that have 'lost' 8 points in 10 years. How can the Govt expect us to hit their targets when they keep moving them? This bill will be introduced, LLs will leave the PRS and the Govt will be left scratching their heads wondering what to do about the housing crisis.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 July 2021 08:21 AM
1. 'This bill will help my constituents have lower fuel bills' - but watch their rent sky rocket as LL leave the PRS & those that stay put their rents up to cover the costs. If you want to lower fuel bills take the green subsidies off electricity bills (the only green fuel) - that will reduce bills by 40%. And since most electrically heated properties are lived in by tenants &/or low income families this will help those that need it most. 2. Sort out the EPC assessment so that gas boilers (due to be phased out by 3035) aren't the only way to get a C; electricity is recognised for its green credentials and improvements are feasible and cost effective. 3. How can you possible force owner occupiers to achieve a C? Most don't even know what an EPC is! This measure will single handedly decimate the PRS - personally I will be selling 7 of 11 properties that cannot make the grade. Where will these tenants go?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 July 2021 08:08 AM
Over demand + under supply = rising rents. Wait until EPC C comes in and LLs sell up in their droves - only a few will be able to afford the rents of the compliant properties. Where will the rest live?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 July 2021 09:16 AM
I am in favour of a LL database - especially if it then supersedes Selective Licensing schemes. If LLs had to register and then put their registration number on all tenancies surely prospective tenants would be able to see straight away whether or not their LL was compliant? If not they could be reported and maybe, just maybe we could start to see enforcement action against the real rogues instead of ever more regulation of those of us already complying with the law. At present many tenants rent from rogue LLs through ignorance or because they want to rent cheaply. This fuels the 'rogue' sector but with a registration number (or not) on documents they would be able to see easily if the LL is compliant. If they rent from a LL knowing there is no registration they would be part of the problem instead of a victim. Anything that exposes these crooks and removes them from the PRS is welcome in my view.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 July 2021 09:14 AM
Once again the PRS is being mistaken for Social Housing! Given the support there has been for LLs in recent years (none) is it surprising that LLs feel no duty to tenants? I am making as much money as possible before selling up and leaving the sector completely.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 July 2021 13:57 PM
Are we not allowed to make a profit on the investment we have made? We are not charities, we are businesses and we have invested our hard earned money into BTLs and provide homes for many happy customers. One bad tenant can leave us thousands out of pocket and the costs of running a decent BTL have gone up hugely in recent years. I also pass on all extra costs to my tenants. If you want not-for-profit housing get yourself a Council House!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 July 2021 13:03 PM
Let's combine two topics: renting with (quality) furniture and allowing pets. Not sure the second set of tenants are going to be quite so happy as the furniture now has cat claw marks & dog hair all over it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 July 2021 06:45 AM
It’s fine - when your house burns down and you lose everything you put a sob story out there and crowd funding raises you enough to replace everything you lost!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 July 2021 07:36 AM
That's like all the LAs who said that LLs would absorb the cost of new licensing - dream on!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 July 2021 11:24 AM
Increased cost & regulations = LLs exiting market = less properties less properties + more demand = higher rent Basic maths!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 July 2021 07:31 AM
Council Tax is supposed to be used to provide services not as a punishment! Most LLs don't want their property empty but if they do why should they be penalised? You don't get punished for taking your car off the road and not driving it do you? I have an empty property - I desperately want to sell it and I have a developer who wants to buy it, but the legal wrangling & planning permission is so slow it has sat empty for 3 years. The Council Tax is an unwanted burden and their planning department the main cause!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 July 2021 07:26 AM
Andrew raises a lot of good points, however until the EPC regulations apply to the whole housing market not just the PRS & until EPCs accurately reflect improvements made and don’t ask for silly improvements it just feels like the Govt scoring points at LLs expense.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 June 2021 12:08 PM
We wanted to upgrade my windows (already UPVc) in a conservation area and put in a new (coloured) door. We asked if we need to apply for planning permission as loads of others in the same street had changes and had no planning permission. The Council said they hadn't got the resources to challenge offenders but now we had alerted us to the fact we were going to do it they would check up on us!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 June 2021 07:10 AM
As a LL I would only buy a property with, or able to get, an EPC of C or above. Not because I think this will help climate change or carbon emissions or even because tenants want this. No - simply because of arbitrary Govt targets likely to be introduced in the next few years. This will not make the housing sector better in terms of CO2 emissions, it will simply transfer inefficient &/or characterful houses to the owner occupier sector and reduce the PRS to boring, standard, but well insulated boxes. While Boris slaps himself on the back for achieving a target whilst signing off a new oil drilling platform and cancelling the Green Homes Grant, prospective tenants will be fighting over the few overpriced rentals available to them!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 June 2021 07:04 AM
Here's a blunt message back - not in my property!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 June 2021 06:54 AM
Just another example of the contradictory policies LLs have to contend with!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 June 2021 07:51 AM
I have tenants who opt for E7 tariffs when they don't have storage heaters or standard tariffs when they do! Generally they are so un-proactive (is that a word?) that they consistently over pay for utilities and stay with expensive suppliers so I agree that many pay too much. Then there are those who don't register with a utility company or simply do not pay!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 June 2021 07:21 AM
There has been a fall in possessions because it has been impossible to evict!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 June 2021 07:19 AM
So in 84% of disputed cases the LL gets all or some of the money claimed. Seems to me that's the bigger story!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 June 2021 07:47 AM
Surely you can remortgage at that .05% discount and all your problems will end! Oh - just done the maths and that 3.15% mortgage is more expensive than every mortgage I currently have! Your only option is to leave the PRS and sell to an owner occupier who has no obligation to improve the EPC.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 June 2021 07:38 AM
Look at the date - Dec 2016!! Why does it take LAs so long to deal with these LLs? No-one wants them in our industry but when they can get away with providing substandard housing for so long is it surprising they continue to do so?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 June 2021 10:50 AM
Unfortunately, in both residential & commercial sectors there are some who choose not to pay and the inability to evict them just plays onto their hands at the LLs expense.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 June 2021 16:13 PM
Landlord possession claims in Q1 were done because were was no possibility of evicting!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 June 2021 07:09 AM
Once again the assumption is that tenants are all wonderful people and LLs all ruthless, unfeeling money grabbers. The cost to repair the damage that can be done by even one pet is huge - considerably more than 1 weeks deposit - and tenants balk when given the bill. By not allowing pets in my properties I keep them in better condition (particularly the floorings) which new tenants greatly appreciate. How about thinking about those tenants who do not want to live with the after effects of a previous tenant's pet?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 June 2021 07:08 AM
Selective Licensing is just a means for Councils to raise money for their Housing Department, paid for in the end by hard working tenants in the form of raised rents. Croydon have been caught out!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 June 2021 06:51 AM
"Renting is so complicated" she says and then encourages tenants to use any possible error on the LLs behalf to their advantage! Not really sure 'doesn't remember receiving' is an accurate picture of events either! The PRS works best when LLs & tenants work together - this constant adversarial approach does tenants no good and is pushing good LLs out the door.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 June 2021 07:15 AM
The grubby, greedy LLs who put roofs over tenants heads with their own hard earned money! Where would tenants live without us? Do you feel the same way about supermarkets - making money from feeding people? Or utility companies - making money from energy? No-one does it for free- why should they?!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 June 2021 12:45 PM
That the most common recommendation is Solar Panels, costing thousands of pounds, shows why most LLs feel the whole system is ridiculous. The most common recommendation I have had recently is under floor insulation - costing thousands of pounds, disrupting tenants & requiring new flooring to be laid - all for a gain of £20 per year! Until the EPC is a fair reflection of a property and the recommendations sensible, LLs will just dump them on the market reducing voice & availability for tenants.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 June 2021 07:15 AM
The Council is on the side of the tenants - whether they are in the right or not! Ask LLs with non-paying tenants, unable to evict because of the ban on evictions, who they think has all the power! For a PRS to work e need all sectors to work together; Councils declaring all out war on LLs is not helpful.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 June 2021 07:04 AM
Eviction is never a quick option and usually it is the act of a desperate LL who has tried everything else!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 June 2021 06:58 AM
Can someone show this report to Shelter please? Clearly we are not all the rogues we are constantly made out to be!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 May 2021 06:54 AM
Good for them! Consultation over licensing is a tick box affair with Councils just riding roughshod over LLs to introduce licensing and the tenants end up paying the cost in extra rent. LAs already have the powers they need to deal with rogue LLs - licensing is just a way to fund their Housing Dept because they are short of funds.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 May 2021 06:52 AM
Decent tenants do not get served with S21!!! How many times must we say that LLs do not evict good tenants before we are heard? S21 is used because it is quicker and easier than s8 to evict for arrears and other issues but no LL wants to evict a good tenant. Like Jim, in 20 years I have issued 1 S21 - because I needed to sell a property, so its abolition is not of a huge concern to me. But the Govt must tighten up on S8 so rogue tenants can be evicted.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 May 2021 07:43 AM
Joining a redress scheme (when my agent already has to), no worries - I'll just pop the fee on the rent :)
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 May 2021 11:41 AM
Unfortunately for Generation Rent, most tenants are quite happy with their LL. Unfortunately for those tenants and their LLs this will be a self-selecting disaffected minority whose views will be extrapolated to the entire PRS resulting in more regulation and higher costs for the LL which will be passed on in...yes you guessed it...higher rent!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 May 2021 07:01 AM
Where are all the renters going to live when all the good LLs have been driven out of the PRS?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 May 2021 19:01 PM
Clearly their Housing Dept needs more funds. I feel sorry for the tenants, who through no fault of their own will now get an extra rent rise.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 May 2021 06:47 AM
They'll be back! The lure of the Capital will return once we are through Covid - people generally have very short memories.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 May 2021 07:06 AM
No-one has yet explained how the time when a LL is assessing, calculating and disputing a charge to the deposit in the old house will be covered. I am certainly not taking on a tenant without a deposit because it has not yet been released by the former LL! Even when things go well there is upto 2 weeks before the deposit is released - and if charges are in dispute, much longer. How is this going to be covered?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 May 2021 07:18 AM
Probably cheaper than trying to evict legally and having a non paying tenant for the best part of a year waiting for the courts to open! There is no mention in the article of how big the arrears were, but given no legitimate way to evict a non paying tenant for the last year I am not surprised that some LLs resort to this kind of behaviour.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 May 2021 07:14 AM
Its no wonder tenants don't get their deposits back if they need to be told such basic things!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 May 2021 06:58 AM
Is the answer 'Because tenants are still failing to look after the houses they rent'?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 May 2021 06:43 AM
The biggest barrier to becoming a homeowner is taking on expenses before buying. Live at home and don’t rent; don’t have children; don’t insist on the newest phone / car; don’t go on that ‘holiday of a lifetime’; don’t have expensive nights out all the time - these are all things that will help potential homeowners save. Once people prioritise ‘my own space’ / have children etc it becomes so hard to save enough for a deposit that many people will give up. The ‘must have it now / must have it new’ approach to life is the death knell for saving and the lack of financial education / understanding hamstrings a whole generation who will struggle to get on the housing ladder.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 May 2021 12:43 PM
Some interesting points: "First, we must ensure that adequate housing standards and living conditions are applied to the private rented accommodation, in the same way they currently apply to social housing” - I think there are plenty of issues in social housing that need to be dealt with! "Secondly she says landlords should be required to join a local accreditation scheme" - happy to do this. "The upcoming [Renters’ Reform Bill] must get the balance right for both renters and landlords and not tip too far in favour of one or the other.”- absolutely! All the talk is about renters but if LLs are not protected from rogue tenants they will leave and the PRS will continue to shrink. Shelter's sledgehammer approach where all LLs are bad and all tenants are good does more harm than good. The focus should be on addressing the problem LLs without putting further burdens on the good LLs which just result in costs being passed on to tenants or LLs leaving the PRS completely. Decent LLs want the rogues pushed out of the sector too but all the time there are tenants prepared to rent substandard accommodation because of the lower cost it is hard to drive them out. This is the area where Shelter should focus is attention, not on the decent LLs who are trying to do a good job, providing decent homes to their tenants.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 May 2021 07:07 AM
The sooner Council Tenancies are reviewed every 5 yrs and those who no longer meet the criteria are asked to leave the better! How can this situation be possible when the demand for council houses is so great?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 May 2021 16:15 PM
Of course not everyone in this situation is a bad tenant - but too many are for me to take the risk.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 May 2021 16:12 PM
Five weeks rent + VAT which will not be returned even if you leave your property in pristine condition - expensive for tenant. On a short term rent that is a huge premium to pay. Anytime you put a profit making venture between LL and Tenant there is a cost to be born, usually by the tenant.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 May 2021 06:56 AM
Tenants should not have to foot the bill for basic safety works but they do foot the bill for selective licensing in my properties - £890! When inspected my properties were 'well above the required standard' so they receive nothing extra for this payment - but nor do I - so their rent (like many others in Nottingham) went up to cover the cost. Nothing is achieved with selective licensing that couldn't be achieved under other legislation other than money to run Nottingham City's Housing Dept and a rent increase. Nottingham City Council is broke so they use Selective Licensing to plug the financial gap and who pays (literally) - the tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 May 2021 06:51 AM
Generation Rent admit there will be wear and tear but say that that should not be taken from the deposit as it is not damage. They don't say that you shouldn't be surprised when your rent goes up - the only way to cover the extra wear and tear a pet causes.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 May 2021 07:02 AM
Insurers are there to make a profit - if you put a profit making organisation between LL & tenant all you do is increase the costs to - guess who - the tenants! Not to mention the difficulties in trying to get an insurance policy paid for by a tenant to pay out to a LL. In addition, even the most well behaved pet will increase the wear and tear on a property. I don't really mind a cat in a house with a 10 year old carpet but I refuse to have one in a house with a brand new one! Anyone with a pet in my property will find their rent going up to the max!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 May 2021 11:59 AM
But he is right - market forces will decide - so leave us alone to get on with running our businesses.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 April 2021 08:40 AM
Councils already have all the powers they need to enforce improvements in substandard accommodation. Licensing simply funds Council Housing Depts by pushing up rents for tenants.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 April 2021 08:13 AM
Do we have a comment from Shelter or Generation Rent?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 April 2021 08:09 AM
Wait until the EPC legislation requiring a 'C' by 2025 / 28 is passed. LLs like me will be leaving in droves.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 April 2021 07:02 AM
'Shelter and tenants' Groups' seem to forget that the PRS is just that - Private. They should focus their attention on getting more social housing built as this will not only stop rents rising but also create LLs with a social duty. The PRS is a profit making sector and due to the extra costs heaped on LLs by the Govt their costs, and so their rents, keep rising. Many LLs are not hugely rich and just trying to supplement their pay or pension. They do not have a duty to house people or to offer low rents - that is for the Social Housing Sector. Only when we invest in that area will rents stabilise - although there is no guarantee these will be decent houses, well maintained if recent revelations are to be believed!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 April 2021 07:44 AM
My daughter owns her own home and has 2 cats. I the first year she has had vomit, wee and blood on her carpets - and she is a 'responsible owner' with 'well behaved' pets. This shows the inevitability of accidents and is why pets are not allowed in my properties until I am convinced tenants are staying long term and are looking after my property.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 April 2021 07:07 AM
Shhhhh - don't tell Shelter!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 April 2021 07:09 AM
Unfortunately the SDLT holiday has done more damage to the prospects of FTBs than can be undone with a 95% mortgage! If you can buy a house now because you only need a 5% deposit, your monthly payments are gong to be bigger because you have to borrow more and at a higher rate. How is that helping FTBs?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 April 2021 07:06 AM
Why would LLs try to take part in any future Green Scheme after the fiasco of the last one?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 14:37 PM
David - what is your experience of benefit tenants? Clearly as a tenant you have not housed them - people here are talking from experience. I agree with Andrew that benefits are supposed to be a safety net, not a way of life.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 12:47 PM
David, I also have 11 sets of happy tenants, many who have been renting from me for several years. Don’t believe the press - and if you continually have problems with your LL then maybe it’s you or the type of property you rent.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 12:41 PM
I want to kick that box every time I see it! My only dealing with Shelter resulted in an 80 year old leaving her home of 40 yrs to become a sofa surfer because they were more interested in beating a LL than supporting a tenant.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 12:37 PM
I have issued 1 S21 in 20 years when I needed to sell a house to buy my own home. But I have had tenants break agreements, damage my property, not pay rent - who needs protection from who?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 12:35 PM
Why would any LL want to take on a tenant 'facing homelessness'? Polite speech for 'in rent arrears!'
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 09:00 AM
I can't believe anyone thought pre-tenancy training or a leaflet would make a LL more willing to accept a tenant! What we want is a guarantee that the rent will be paid - is that too much to ask?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 08:58 AM
If you pay your rent on time and look after your property you are unlikely to be served a section 21. No LL wants to lose a good tenant.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 07:22 AM
LLs are business people - if being green reduces costs we will be interested. Unfortunately, many of the recently announced 'Green Mortgages' don't have a market leading rate, because (guess what) the lenders are businesses trying to make money too! With the mixed messages coming from Govt - Boris is to announce cuts in emissions of 78% by 2035 shortly after cutting the Green Homes Grant & subsidies for electric cars - it is difficult to know whether this will be a successful tactic.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 April 2021 07:16 AM
Guess what - rents will go up and so the tenants will end up funding the Housing Dept instead of Central Govt. I get that LAs have had such big cuts in their funding that they need to be creative in how they fund their services but at least be honest and admit that this is about funding not standards.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 April 2021 11:36 AM
Making plenty of money in Nottingham - doesn't even make the list!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 April 2021 11:34 AM
90% collection rate & tenants who can't and don't want to manage their money - doesn't sound like a good proposition to me!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 April 2021 07:13 AM
There is always a reason (and usually a 'fault') - no LL wants to evict a good tenant.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 April 2021 07:25 AM
Its not an issue then is it and those of us who want to have pet free rentals should be allowed to say no?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 April 2021 07:24 AM
This will only be of any benefit if the EPC assessment is fit for use - which it currently is not. Replacing electric heating with gas (if you could) might increase your EPC but it doesn't make the house more climate friendly. Landlord are unlikely to spend the sums of money required to improve their properties' EPC when the whole assessment is such a lottery.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 April 2021 07:38 AM
GCH scores highly because it is cheap (although not green) and electricity scores badly because t is expensive (although can be carbon neutral). Gas is supposed to be being phased out by 2035 and yet it is the only sensible way to get to a C. The whole thing is a joke!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 April 2021 14:29 PM
Do the really think its the availability of funds that stops LLs from improving the energy efficiency of their properties? Rather I believe it is the cost (which needs to be passed on to the tenant); the payback (often £20 per year for a £4000 outlay); the vagueness of the EPC system (no guarantee what rating you will get after the work); the selectiveness (only applies to PRS not home owners); the farce of the Govts entire policy (Green Homes Grant - need I say more?); the timescale (ridiculously short) etc etc. Good luck with your new product NW!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 April 2021 10:07 AM
I hope he's got a satisfactory EICR!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 April 2021 10:02 AM
There are 2 major commercial - to - residential conversions near me that completed in the last couple of years. Both are electric only with EPCs of D with no potential to go higher. What happens to these - do they just get exemptions? Why were they allowed to be converted without extra energy efficient measures? It's a joke!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 April 2021 15:09 PM
Clearly he believes it will get him elected - and it might, as tenants may believe his propaganda & that of the militant leftwing anti LL brigade!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 April 2021 07:21 AM
Whilst it would be helpful to have the dates pushed back as suggested, in my case it will just mean the date I sell my properties will go back by a couple of years. I can get to a 'D' but the expense of getting to a 'C' will still not be viable for a LL like me, with perhaps only 10 years left in the game. There is no realistic alternative to GCH until EPCs reflect the 'green-ness' of electricity so my electric only properties will have to go to the owner occupier sector and my tenants will be left looking for alternative accommodation in an ever decreasing pool of houses. If you agree with me that EPCs are unfair in their current state please look for my petition on the Govt website & sign it if you can. I can't add the link on this site but if you search for EPC it will come up. Thanks.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 April 2021 07:45 AM
The cost of upgrading a property from E to C will not be covered by any saving from a mortgage like this, it just means an extra product is available to some LLs. If you ask me its just a gimmick - and all my mortgages have a significantly better rate than 3.99% (although they are also all less than 80% LTV).
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 March 2021 08:19 AM
Look out for the rent rises.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 March 2021 08:20 AM
If only EPCs could be scrapped as easily!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 March 2021 08:19 AM
It is not lack of finance that is holding LLs back from improving energy efficiency in their properties - it is that the measure used is opaque and ever changing. Trying to improve your EPC rating is like trying to hit a moving target without blindfolded. Give us a clear set of goals based on a consistent policy and we will invest in our properties. At present we are being asked to invest large sums of money with unpredictable results and no guarantee of being able to continue to rent our properties out. And please bear in mind that if LLs are forced to spend large sums of money on their properties they will look to recoup through rent. We are, after all, a business nor an environmental charity!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 March 2021 07:45 AM
John Elledge does a huge disservice to the many honest, hardworking LLs in the PRS who provide decent housing to tenants. Not everyone wants to live in a tower block with a faceless LL and most tenants have a good relationship with their LL. There is not a one size fits all for renters and small LLs are an important part of the choice for tenants. Although there are some rogue private LLs out there, the existing corporate LLs (LAs & HAs) are not without their faults and without the smaller LLs many tenants would struggle to find a home at all!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 March 2021 07:35 AM
Not sure I would call property 'low risk' at the moment! Like Shane, I am beginning to unwind - thank goodness Rishi didn't mention raising CGT in his tax proposals!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 March 2021 11:53 AM
Funny that they should announce this just as everyone is turning their heating off! As has been said before, tenants take no notice of EPCs when choosing a property and many expect to be able to walk around in T-shirts in January! EPCs a flawed and unfair - If you haven't signed my petition yet (and thanks to those that have!) search for 'EPC' on the Govt petitions website & it should pop up (unfortunately this website won't allow me to post a link ).
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 March 2021 11:50 AM
I know of 2 house fires this week where the occupants lost everything but did not have contents insurance - it is a false economy in anyone's book. However....is it not breaking the law under the Tenant Fees Act to insist tenants take out contents insurance?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 March 2021 07:51 AM
CGT and the 3% additional SDLT.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 March 2021 15:16 PM
I had a prospective tenant for a coach house with no outside space ask if they could bring their Labrador!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 March 2021 15:13 PM
Increase in CGT; EPC ratings required to be C; no section 21 eviction; forced to take pets - why would anyone choose to be a LL in 2021 and beyond?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 March 2021 07:21 AM
How on earth does a LL demonstrate a pet is poorly behaved? What a load of twaddle!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 March 2021 07:19 AM
I can only imagine there are serious issues of rent arrears, illegal occupation or some other serious issue for the Police to get involved in evictions. LLs and the Police don't just turn up and evict decent, rent paying tenants.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 March 2021 10:39 AM
Why doesn't the Govt just build social housing on this land?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 March 2021 07:34 AM
Councils are under huge budgetary pressure and this is one way they can fund their housing dept without using their own money. They don’t care that the rents go up - just that it relieves the pressure on their budgets. Unfortunately the tenants suffer.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 March 2021 13:57 PM
It’s becoming a 2 tier system - and like others here I am aiming for the top tier. All the time demand outstrips supply good quality houses will rent.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 March 2021 13:52 PM
People were always going to go back - they have short memories and I am sure London is a great place to live. And they've had enough time to realise a garden is hard work!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 March 2021 14:28 PM
They do realise it will cause rents to increase significantly don't they?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 March 2021 09:09 AM
I wonder whether they asked the question 'Would you support selective licensing if it increases your rent by £25 pcm?' ?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 March 2021 09:07 AM
I offered to top up the insulation in one of my properties to the recommended 270mm and the tenants said "No Thanks'!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 March 2021 10:30 AM
Bit of a risky market after the year we've just had!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 March 2021 14:26 PM
It's amazing how these types of proceedings are announced with a flourish as a great success. Success would've been stopping this LL long before he had raked in £750K!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2021 15:56 PM
This is just headline grabbing and pandering to their target audience.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2021 11:54 AM
Where are these tenants going to live? If LLs don't accept LHA and social housing is full do we just make them homeless?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2021 11:53 AM
This is very noble of you - do they qualify for LHA? This looks. like they might not be claiming their due.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2021 11:51 AM
Oh..and by the way...where do 'Public Funds' come from? The taxpayer - so we get to pay again!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2021 15:52 PM
I agree with what you say but you missed out that it was outsourced to a US company - how ridiculous was that!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2021 13:41 PM
Links can't be posted here but if you google Govt Petitions 559700 it should pop up, or on the petitions website put EPC in the search box. Thanks.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2021 09:39 AM
I think they are confusing the PRS with Social Housing!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2021 09:37 AM
How is a suspended sentence appropriate for this? That is a slap on the wrist for all the damage he has done, putting lives at risk, stealing power as well as growing an illegal drug!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2021 08:42 AM
If you, like me, think that going from an EPC E to a C under the current assessment is virtually impossible please sign my petition. You can find it on the Petitions website, number 559700.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2021 08:40 AM
This is all well and good but where is the protection for LLs who have tenants with huge arrears refusing to pay? The support for tenants must be balanced by a court system that allows LLs to deal with rogue tenants swiftly.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2021 08:38 AM
He's been home schooled for the last year!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 February 2021 07:59 AM
When Nottingham introduced SL the cost was passed to the tenants immediately - Nottingham had some of the highest rent increases in the country as a result!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 February 2021 07:58 AM
The important thing is not to pay CGT and IHT and you seem to have found away around it - good for you. You could sell it and give the money away - that too would avoid one set of tax.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 February 2021 07:55 AM
Whilst no-one condones rogue LLs this is another blatantly biased position. The Council could spend its money searching out and prosecuting rogue LLs instead of spending it on a few tenants who will presumably spend their entire rented lives looking for a reason to get a rent repayment order.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 February 2021 08:01 AM
You can already set 'Green Improvements' again your income on your Tax Return, so I think the NRLA are wrong about LLs needing to wait until they sell to get the credit.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 February 2021 17:41 PM
Part of the problem is the the LHA fuels rent rises - so rents go up, LHA goes up and rents go up again! When the Govt took the brakes of fLHA rises as a response to the pandemic, rents shot up again snd so tenants continue to struggle to pay. The solution is more affordable housing but successive Govts have failed to address the lack of building and we are in the sorry state we are.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 February 2021 17:39 PM
Selective licensing is just a way for Councils to fund their Housing Departments. They are so short of cash that they need the fee in order to do what they already have the power to do, but funded by LLs, who incidentally pass the costs straight on to the tenants!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 February 2021 17:29 PM
Consultation is a box ticking exercise. The one question the councils always miss off is 'Tenants - would you like your rent to go up?' It is the one certainty of SL. I know - its what I did when Nottingham introduced SL and I was not alone.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 February 2021 11:10 AM
I am one of the LLs who has got vouchers - 2 for external wall insulation. My installer won't be doing them until the summer and if the scheme ends early I won't be doing them at all. The vouchers only last 3 months (they can be renewed) but EWI can't be done in the winter so this is very worrying news.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
22 February 2021 11:06 AM
It has been proven over and over again that rent controls don't work - but it makes a good headline & tenants think its good so vote accordingly. Another politician who doesn't understand the PRS!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 February 2021 11:42 AM
Many people who have to be housed by the Council have been evicted from the PRS - probably for non-payment of rent - so why would we want to house them? Without wishing to tar all council tenants with the same brush, why would anyone risk getting a rogue family for the princely sum of LHA? Why does the social housing sector expect the PRS to bail them out?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 February 2021 11:41 AM
Students have maintenance grants to pay their rent - LLs don't have access to effectively interest free loans that get written off after 25 years, they have mortgages that need to be paid. Students pay little or no attention to the contract they sign and are just interested in living with their mates. They, and many other people, got caught out by covid. Unlike many other people, most have parents to fall back on. Those that don't can access a hardship fund. The pandemic was not caused by LLs so why should they take they hit? You signed a contract and you've had to absorb a loss. Welcome to the real world.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 February 2021 10:30 AM
Many renters, particularly the young, can only afford a room because Govt policy has forced rents so high. A combination of lack of building housing over decades and the availability of LHA for everyone has pushed the cost of renting a whole house out of the reach of many. That, combined with people's desire for their own space before they can afford to buy, has pushed demand for HMOs up. HMO LLs are only responding to demand - if people didn't want the rooms LLs won't convert houses in this way.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 February 2021 10:25 AM
I have sympathy for anyone who is suffering under the pandemic but I don't see the Govt insisting grocers and utility companies provide their services for free. Why is housing, arguable the first expense you should pay, different? By all means, offer support to people who need it - just don't expect the LL to foot the bill on his / her own.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 February 2021 07:54 AM
Any tenant who leaves my property with a debt can be sure I will go for a CCJ. Those who pay have nothing to worry about.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 February 2021 12:55 PM
Also read today that the Govt's Green Homes Grant Scheme is going so well they are withdrawing £1 billion from the scheme for year it has been extended by - that is half the funding! So much for Govt investing in our Green Future - it appears the only people required to do that are landlords!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 February 2021 17:05 PM
My rents are all going up.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 February 2021 14:08 PM
We all know this - its just that Shelter & Generation Rent don't want to see this type of headline as it doesn't support their agenda.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 February 2021 14:22 PM
If the answer is renting to the Council it must be a stupid question!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
10 February 2021 14:20 PM
Fine words but where is the action to support them?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 February 2021 12:49 PM
It took about 10 weeks for my voucher to arrive once I had finally found an installer to quote. I don’t quite understand why they only last 3 months when it’s unlikely the installer can do the work that quickly. I know it can be extended but why make more work?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 February 2021 12:00 PM
So SDLT is preventing new accommodation coming onto the rental market; extra costs like EICRs & reduced tax breaks are encouraging LLs to exit the market - you just wait until the EPC C regs hit - we will be running for the exit leaving hordes of homeless tenants behind us! This Govt is destroying the PRS without putting any extra social housing in place. Its a disaster slowing unfolding before our very eyes!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 February 2021 08:37 AM
Who'd be a tenant on benefits - there is no way you will get a property now or in the near future!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 February 2021 08:34 AM
All the climate change levies are currently loaded on to electricity bills - according to the Times this morning 25% of your electricity bill is this levy whilst it is only 2% of your gas bill. This discriminates hugely against properties with electric heating and adversely affects the EPC as the algorithm is based on cost.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 February 2021 09:55 AM
What about protection for LLs from non-paying tenants?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
03 February 2021 15:19 PM
Can see any great uptake on this - you need to get the Green Homes Grant issued first and this seems impossible!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 February 2021 09:54 AM
Given what some tenants believe 'clean' means I'm not surprised that this is the number issue. I've yet to meet a tenant who realises dust & grease settle on the top of kitchen cupboards and limescale seems to be an alien concept - I don't know what some tenants do to toilets!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 February 2021 09:52 AM
Nottingham City Council recently released the figures for their Selective Licensing Scheme. Since lunch in 2018 when they anticipated 30k applications the have had 24,069. That suggests 6k (probably more) LLs have not applied. A simple LL Register, where tenants could check their property is registered and report it if it is not, would help to flush out these 'hidden' LLs who are often the ones renting substandard properties. As an aside NCC have issued just under 17k licences - not what I would call a success story.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 February 2021 09:49 AM
You don't have to give a reason, just choose a different tenant.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 February 2021 10:25 AM
It's really interesting how many comments "pets in rentals' generate - you would think that alone should show the Govt how big a problem LLs believe pets to be. The bottom line is there are a significant number of renters who are not at all bothered about looking after someone else's property and until there is a way to identify them (and evict the) all tenants are treated the same and will pay the price.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 January 2021 11:51 AM
Inspections - pretty easy to spot a pet!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 January 2021 11:46 AM
You don't need to hold the amount as a deposit to charge it - bill them and if they don't pay do a MCOL.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 January 2021 11:45 AM
You don't need to put it in the agreement just do it on the next anniversary and tell the tenant the rent rise is due to them having a pet.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
30 January 2021 11:44 AM
No requirement to use the Govt's model tenancy.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
29 January 2021 11:00 AM
What are they using their grants for?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 January 2021 10:45 AM
Apparently the scheme is administered by a companion the US - how mad is that!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 January 2021 10:43 AM
The consultation is just a nod to the law, Councils take no notice! LLs tell them rents will go up and then Councils act surprised when they do! Given most Councils are broke this is their best way of funding their housing departments and if the cost is borne by the tenants that's a shame but we can always blame the greedy LLs can't we?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 January 2021 09:05 AM
More evidence! The LL wanted to move from his 3 bed house into a 1 bed rental! What was needed here was more common sense! This eviction order should never have been upheld.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 January 2021 09:01 AM
As someone with 2 family members who work in NHS hospitals I can confirm this is not just fake news but in fact simply a lie. It's idiots like you spreading fake news that is contributing to the death toll.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
26 January 2021 08:23 AM
Its not the death rate that is the problem, its the toll on the NHS! Have you been to a hospital this year? Or been waiting for an operation? We have to get on top of the virus for all our sakes is we want treatment in hospital for anything else in the next decade!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 January 2021 15:19 PM
Selling with non-paying tenants? Don't see that working and think it a bit mean to pass your problem on to an unsuspecting LL!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
25 January 2021 15:17 PM
I have started a petition onEPCs to help bring to the Govts attention the unfairness of the EPC assessment - if you agree with me please sign. I can't post the link on the website but if you google Govt petitions 559700 it should pop up under the title 'Overhaul current, flawed EPCs so that they are fair, accurate & relevant'.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 January 2021 08:31 AM
5 out of 5 LLs will say selective licensing would increase rents - but that's not going to be reported is it? And given the demands on Council resources at present how else will they fund their housing dept?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
20 January 2021 12:43 PM
Given that the tenant is (usually) responsible for utilities - except perhaps in HMOs - the LL cannot do this as the utility companies will only talk to the account holder. So this is a nonsense story!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
19 January 2021 07:39 AM
Can I claim a mental health breathing space and stop HMRC from chasing for my taxes??
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 January 2021 10:49 AM
But what happens if they go into a home or hospital or even die - how do you end the tenancy?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
16 January 2021 17:26 PM
So Kristjan, how does the porting work? If it takes 2 weeks to get the deposit back from the old house and it is not sufficient for the new house how does the new LL get the full deposit? I can imagine that some tenants will be happy to make it up but what if your tenant chooses not too?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 January 2021 10:56 AM
I too have tenants of this age and they really look after the property. My only concern is how all these older renters will cope when they retire. The lack of pension provision by most people coupled with no equity in a house to fall back on sounds like a recipe for disaster.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 January 2021 10:20 AM
What are they using their Student Loan for? I'm sure they are still receiving them!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 January 2021 10:11 AM
Our whole rental market is based on a 6 or 12 mth AST. To allow longer tenancies we would need a change from mortgage providers and possible in type of tenancy so that current eviction rules (!) still apply. My tenants can stay as long as they like as long as they pay their rent & look after the property - no need for longer tenancies here. In my experience it is tenants who have a change of circumstance and want to leave.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 January 2021 10:46 AM
If it is the insurance based product they are an expensive way to offer security for anyone who looks after the property and generally gets their deposit returned.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 January 2021 10:41 AM
How about the 'lifetime deposit' how exactly do you cover the gap between needing a new deposit and having the old one retuned - assuming that it is returned - and what happens if there is a shortfall of hundreds of pounds?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
14 January 2021 10:23 AM
An evictions ban together with a loan scheme for tenants - with money paid direct to LLs- would prevent people from being evicted whilst they get themselves back on their feet. The alternative is a landslide of evictions post covid with many tenants receiving CCJs &/or poor references so un able to rent again, LLs selling up and homelessness increasing. It is common sense & the Govt should see that a relatively small sum of money could prevent chaos in the housing market post covid.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 January 2021 12:34 PM
Nottingham Council seems to want all students in purpose built accommodation anyway so that the private houses go back into the 'family market'. Problem is these all inclusive, ensuite student boxes cost more than the maintenance grant!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2021 10:06 AM
Not in a million years would I hand over my property to a council!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2021 09:09 AM
When the evictions ban is finally lifted and the courts have caught up with the backlog of cases there will be a number of things that will happen: 1. Thousands of tenants will be made homeless with no alternative accommodation 2. LLs who have been badly affected will sell up reducing the number of available properties in the PRS 3. Those that remain will put up their rents to cover for losses 4. Anyone without a perfect credit history and a secure well paid job will be unable to rent. Surely the answer is to financially support the PRS (as is being done in Scotland & Wales) so that the arrears can be dealt with over a period of time resulting in tenants staying in their homes paying their rent and LLs remaining in the PRS.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2021 09:08 AM
"No repossessions were recorded between April and end September 2020 compared to 14,847 in the same period last year." Presumably these were all excellent tenants who were unfairly evicted by the greedy LLs. I accept that there are tenants struggling financially because of Covid but why are LLs expected to pick up the tab? Many of them are struggling too and unable to access any meaningful financial support. Why doesn't the Govt support both sides of the housing market?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2021 09:01 AM
Scotland have a tenants loan scheme - by all means prevent evictions but at least support the LL. A tenant building up a debt which is then set against a loan which must be repaid is much less likely to stop paying just because they can.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 January 2021 10:58 AM
With no help forthcoming from the Govt LLs will be forced to evict non-paying tenants as soon as possible even if they are willing to help them. The simple truth is that many LLs just cannot afford to bear the cost of a non-paying tenant. No-one wants to evict previously good tenants who have fallen on hard times but without financial support many LLs have no choice. Then, any tenant evicted for non-payment of rent will find it impossible to rent again from a decent LL so where will they go? Either into shady, off grid properties or on to the streets. Come on Rishi, give tenants & LLs a break instead of just businesses.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 January 2021 09:30 AM
Why would I want a non Trustmak tradesman to to the work on my property? And this doesn't address the time taken to get a voucher from the scheme - still waiting for mine :(
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 January 2021 11:42 AM
What will the renters do when they retire? Most won't have a decent pension and we will have a whole generation expecting the Govt to provide them with LHA to pay their rent because they can't!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
06 January 2021 11:40 AM
Where are all these people going to go when they are eventually evicted? They will never pass a credit check for the PRS again!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
05 January 2021 11:54 AM
I am not an Air BnB host but if I was why should I do this for free? How long would the person expect to stay and what happens if the abuser finds out where they are and trashes my house / car/ etc. I am all for supporting victims of abuse but this is a nonsensical idea. Surely empty hotel rooms would be a better solution. (Or Lib Dems' spare rooms!)
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 January 2021 14:06 PM
We had selective licensing introduced in Nottingham 2.5 years ago. Result - about half of the number of LLs expected applied and rents went up! So....no rogue LLs caught and Nottingham on the list of fastest rising rents in the country. My tenants gained absolutely nothing - except a rent increase!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 January 2021 14:02 PM
The problem is not LLs buying properties - they are investors who are responding to a supply and demand chain - it is the lack of building houese for decades by successive Govts. The lack of housing pushes prices up - for buying & for renting - then LHA paid to allow renters to afford to rent pushes rents up even further! Builders restrict the number of units coming onto the market so the price doesn't drop - why risk profits by building more? Build more houses and house prices stop rising; build more houses to rent and rents stop going up. This is Govt policy at fault, not landlords who are providing a much needed service.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 January 2021 13:54 PM
Ridiculous! HMOs fulfill a particular role, catering to a particular tenant. If you want an ensuite, rent an ensuite but don't force people who are trying to spend as little as possible on rent to pay for something they choose not to have. Next we will have an increase in LHA to cover the extra costs incurred because of extra facilities!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 December 2020 12:33 PM
I bough a property with a tenant in situ nearly 20 years ago - my solicitor was really concerned about lack of vacant possession but I guess now that is not an issue. I would be a bit concerned to do the same today, given the difficulties of eviction, but I can see how it works for many people.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
31 December 2020 12:30 PM
Nottingham City Council have just lost millions of pounds on an energy scheme and are about to go bust - I know they have a difficult job and a limited budget but as a business most Councils would not survive in the real world.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 December 2020 10:50 AM
Given the 'success' of the Green Homes Grant - firstly overwhelming tradespeople with demand and then taking forever to issue the vouchers - it is difficult to see how we can get this done even with Govt help. Personally I think the Govt should concentrate on getting ALL homes to EPC E before trying to get rentals to C. We also need realistic improvements - heat pumps in Victorian Terraces is not ever going to be the answer!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
24 December 2020 10:48 AM
Goodness - LLs are not all greedy, unscrupulous rogues! Who would have thought it!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 December 2020 10:35 AM
When the supermarkets give out free food and the utilities give out free gas, electricity and water then free rent should follow. Until then people should pay for necessities and cut back on non-essentials. The Govt has handed out money by the bucketful to people who have been furloughed or made redundant - whose money? Our money! We all pay. I am sorry for those who have been impacted by the pandemic but they must understand that the world has now shifted and they need to move with it not stand there bleating with their hands out!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 December 2020 10:33 AM
My understanding of the ruling in question was that the discrimination was against women and disabled people as they were more likely to be on benefits than other groups. The bottom line is that the PRS falls into 2 groups - working and non-working. The price charged and standard of property reflect which group is the target market. Low income people applying for high value property will not usually pass the affordability criteria or credit check - if those checks have to be done there is a cost to someone, which is ultimately passed on in rent increases. The 'No benefits' line generally saves everyone time and money. We can remove it but the result will be the same - the working tenant will get the rental. You can change the language but not the reality.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
18 December 2020 10:27 AM
I have a house that has never had mould until current tenants. Turns out they never put the heating on and condensation is settling on external walls and going mouldy! There is a difference between damp caused by structural issues and by tenants and LLs can only solve one type!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 December 2020 15:36 PM
Are tenants with guide dogs a large section of the population? I've never met one in 20 years of renting. The fees ban means LLs can no longer take a pet deposit or insist on professional cleaning - those changes made in favour of tenants have made LLs even less likely to accept pets.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
17 December 2020 15:11 PM
If tenants are to be given loans & grants how can we ensure they actually use them to pay off the rent arrears? Some, I am sure, will use it to pay off other debt - such as doorstep loans for Christmas - as we all know it is pretty impossible to evict a non paying tent at present.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
15 December 2020 11:53 AM
I think the drive towards greener homes is going to continue and denying it is just sticking your head in the sand. The problem is there isn't a reasonable alternative to a gas boiler that is relatively cheap to install and run. I guess the hard deadline will encourage R&D and so there maybe a solution soon that we are not aware of yet. But we have all got to go green whether we choose to or not.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 December 2020 08:20 AM
I think you mean lower not higher! A is high G is low!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 December 2020 08:17 AM
Renters pretty much can't be evicted, small businesses can claim grants and individuals have been furloughed - not everyone has been helped but many have. It is a hard time for everyone but your statements are not really accurate.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
09 December 2020 08:16 AM
Given that LLs need to get their properties up to higher EPC ratings using the GHG to do so is a no brainer. Because of the way this scheme has been put together there is no opportunity to 'choose' your contractor - you are limited to the one you can get to quote! So LLs are between a rock & a hard place - do I do the work and risk using a cowboy or miss the opportunity to benefit from this scheme, without which the costs of many improvements are prohibitive?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 December 2020 07:54 AM
Do Acorn realise that in areas where Selective Licensing has been introduced the most noticeable difference is rent rises as LLs seek to recover this extra cost? I hope in their coaching notes they include the facts that selective licensing increases rent, reduces stock and drives rogue LLs underground with even less oversight. Be careful what you wish for - you may get unintended consequences!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
07 December 2020 12:20 PM
LLs don't generally evict good tenants so who are these people who are being protected and why? There is absolutely no chance of evicted anyone at the moment who is not hugely in debt so where is the support for the LL in all this?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
04 December 2020 12:53 PM
Conciliation service? I can't see a LL who is owed £1000s in rent arrears and the tenant who owes them sorting it out over a cosy chat! Eviction process not helped by Councils refusing to do anything until a tenant is actually evicted. What we need is a swifter Court process for arrears and an increased social housing sector .
From:
Tricia Urquhart
02 December 2020 15:35 PM
A year after SL came in in Nottingham the Council had received about 16,000 applications out of about 33,000 expected. It took nearly 2 years for my license to arrive even though I applied a month before the scheme started. I think there are thousands of LLs who have yet to apply. The authorities just keep hounding the good LLs with more requirements whilst failing to go after the real rogues.
From:
Tricia Urquhart
28 November 2020 09:58 AM
How long does it take to fine this LL? Over 2 years - no wonder so many don't bother, there a good chance they'll never get caught. Instead of patting themselves on the back the Council should be asking why it took so long!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 November 2020 15:30 PM
Just reports what most of us already know - unfortunately 'LL and Tenants get on' isn't usually newsworthy - but well done to Paragon for doing the survey and publishing the results :)
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 November 2020 14:52 PM
I believe this story could also be written as "Council failing to complete alterations required for family with disabled child causing family to become homeless". Depends who you want to slag off doesn't it? Eviction is not possible at present with significant rent arrears but "Tenant doesn't pay rent" isn't an emotive enough story is it?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
23 November 2020 13:15 PM
I also spell out the cost of oven cleaning (£50-£75) and other cleaning £20-25 per hour. That certainly helps some tenants focus on leaving the property clean! I also advise them which products work best - some people really don't seem to know anything about cleaning at all! The place I always find missed is the tops of kitchen cupboards - usually thick with grease & dust. I put newspaper on top now then it just gets thrown away :)
From:
Tricia Urquhart
13 November 2020 16:06 PM
This is a pointless article - if you haven't already got your quote and your tradesman booked you have no chance of accessing the Green Homes Grant. This whole policy is all 'Fur Coat and No Knickers'! It makes the Govt look good but costs nothing because no one can access it!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 November 2020 17:26 PM
The choice is CGT or IHT - just make sure you only pay one of these!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
12 November 2020 16:57 PM
Not really a plan of action for the majority is it?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 November 2020 16:35 PM
If we are to bring our properties up to an EPC C can we please have an energy assessment that is not fatally flawed? Gas - high score on EPC but Govt banning GCH from new builds in 2025 - how is this consistent? Storage Heaters - score better than intelligent electric heaters yet are inflexible and cause all your other appliances (and any boost to heating) to be charged at higher rate Modern electric radiators - efficient and controllable, can be powered by renewables yet slated by the EPC Assumptions made about construction and insulation based on age of property regardless of whether it is in fact correct. Recommendation inappropriate and not cost effective - solar installations on north facing roofs, £10k to do external insulation taking 30 yrs to get back in rent Older properties will be dumped into the owner occupier sector, where no improvements will be made, whilst LLs snap up modern boxes with GCH and charge more because they can! And overall, no improvements to the energy efficiency of the housing stock. Sheer Muppetry!!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 November 2020 16:35 PM
Why do Shelter persist in this adversarial monologue? We all know there are good and bad tenants and good and bad landlords. Instead of continually promoting the idea that all tenants are saints and all LLs are the devil they could come up with some constructive ideas for improving the PRS for all. Instead they LL bash and promote the idea that there is a war going on when the truth is that most tenants and LLs are quite happy! The PRS is not perfect so let's all work constructively to deal with the rogue elements on both sides and make it a good experience for all. If all the private LLs left there would be chaos so lets move forward together instead of taking sides regardless of the facts!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
08 November 2020 16:28 PM
If the property is unliveable why does the tenant want to stay?
From:
Tricia Urquhart
27 October 2020 12:42 PM
I don't have a problem with the general principle of improving the energy efficiency of my properties but I do have a problem with this proposal. 1. As already commented - the cost of getting a Victorian Terrace up to this level is prohibitive, if possible. I will sell mine to owner occupiers who don't care. 2. The EPC process is not fit for purpose - to get a better EPC I should rip out my highly efficient electric radiators (which can run on completely green electricity) and replace them with either storage heaters - designed by the energy industry to use electricity produced at night and horrid to live with; or gas central heating - which the Govt is trying to ban but which gives the highest EPC rating! This will result in a complete lack of choice for tenants as the only houses that will achieve a C or above will be modern, featureless boxes and the numbers of these available will mean sky high prices. Where are all the tenants who cannot afford these going to live? In a Housing Association house - if they can get one - which doesn't comply?!
From:
Tricia Urquhart
01 October 2020 14:08 PM
The 'have-it-now' generation can't buy a house because they are too busy buying cars / phones / 'experiences' now. We know its hard to save when you are renting but if there is no reason to save if you don't believe you can ever buy, so you can spend all your money instead. Additionally, the traditional route of buying a house before you start your family has been reversed and if you start your family in rented accommodation you greatly reduce your ability to save & therefore buy. Those who prioritise buying & are prepared to make sacrifices to do so still seem to find a way.
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Tricia Urquhart
02 February 2020 08:06 AM
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From: Tricia Urquhart
18 July 2023 07:45 AM
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18 July 2023 07:41 AM
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From: Tricia Urquhart
17 July 2023 08:42 AM
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From: Tricia Urquhart
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From: Tricia Urquhart
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From: Tricia Urquhart
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From: Tricia Urquhart
10 July 2023 10:15 AM
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10 July 2023 10:13 AM
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10 July 2023 07:19 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
10 July 2023 07:18 AM
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10 July 2023 07:15 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
10 July 2023 07:11 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
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From: Tricia Urquhart
06 July 2023 07:08 AM
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06 July 2023 07:06 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
05 July 2023 06:45 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
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From: Tricia Urquhart
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16 June 2023 06:45 AM
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08 June 2023 07:35 AM
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27 May 2023 06:33 AM
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26 May 2023 07:32 AM
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23 May 2023 09:31 AM
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23 May 2023 09:30 AM
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23 May 2023 09:29 AM
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22 May 2023 07:18 AM
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21 May 2023 07:13 AM
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19 May 2023 09:48 AM
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19 May 2023 09:44 AM
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19 May 2023 09:43 AM
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19 May 2023 07:23 AM
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17 May 2023 07:46 AM
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17 May 2023 07:45 AM
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15 May 2023 07:24 AM
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12 May 2023 07:35 AM
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09 May 2023 07:31 AM
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04 May 2023 09:44 AM
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17 April 2023 07:48 AM
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17 April 2023 07:47 AM
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14 April 2023 07:46 AM
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14 April 2023 07:45 AM
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03 April 2023 07:44 AM
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03 April 2023 07:42 AM
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31 March 2023 09:32 AM
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31 March 2023 09:28 AM
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30 March 2023 12:24 PM
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30 March 2023 08:48 AM
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30 March 2023 08:45 AM
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24 March 2023 08:46 AM
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24 March 2023 08:42 AM
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22 March 2023 09:03 AM
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22 March 2023 07:31 AM
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21 March 2023 07:38 AM
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20 March 2023 07:32 AM
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17 March 2023 07:48 AM
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16 March 2023 12:44 PM
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16 March 2023 12:42 PM
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09 March 2023 10:39 AM
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09 March 2023 10:34 AM
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09 March 2023 07:31 AM
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09 March 2023 07:28 AM
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08 March 2023 11:16 AM
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08 March 2023 08:34 AM
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08 March 2023 07:39 AM
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07 March 2023 10:33 AM
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07 March 2023 10:31 AM
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07 March 2023 10:28 AM
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07 March 2023 10:24 AM
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07 March 2023 07:39 AM
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06 March 2023 11:00 AM
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06 March 2023 07:39 AM
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06 March 2023 07:36 AM
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06 March 2023 07:36 AM
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03 March 2023 10:34 AM
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03 March 2023 09:55 AM
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03 March 2023 09:52 AM
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03 March 2023 09:49 AM
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03 March 2023 09:08 AM
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03 March 2023 07:56 AM
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03 March 2023 07:54 AM
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02 March 2023 08:55 AM
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02 March 2023 08:52 AM
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02 March 2023 08:52 AM
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02 March 2023 07:44 AM
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02 March 2023 07:42 AM
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02 March 2023 07:36 AM
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01 March 2023 14:24 PM
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28 February 2023 07:43 AM
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27 February 2023 11:52 AM
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27 February 2023 07:43 AM
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24 February 2023 07:50 AM
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24 February 2023 07:41 AM
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24 February 2023 07:38 AM
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23 February 2023 12:41 PM
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23 February 2023 10:30 AM
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23 February 2023 10:28 AM
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23 February 2023 07:45 AM
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23 February 2023 07:39 AM
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22 February 2023 08:51 AM
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22 February 2023 08:01 AM
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22 February 2023 07:59 AM
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20 February 2023 07:52 AM
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20 February 2023 07:49 AM
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19 February 2023 09:25 AM
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17 February 2023 10:47 AM
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17 February 2023 07:43 AM
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17 February 2023 07:39 AM
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16 February 2023 09:06 AM
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16 February 2023 08:18 AM
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16 February 2023 08:15 AM
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16 February 2023 08:08 AM
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16 February 2023 08:04 AM
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15 February 2023 07:53 AM
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14 February 2023 07:51 AM
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14 February 2023 07:47 AM
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13 February 2023 11:50 AM
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13 February 2023 11:45 AM
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13 February 2023 11:42 AM
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13 February 2023 08:08 AM
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08 February 2023 14:25 PM
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08 February 2023 14:23 PM
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08 February 2023 10:30 AM
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08 February 2023 10:27 AM
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08 February 2023 10:26 AM
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08 February 2023 10:16 AM
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08 February 2023 07:52 AM
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07 February 2023 11:29 AM
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07 February 2023 08:48 AM
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07 February 2023 07:49 AM
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07 February 2023 07:46 AM
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06 February 2023 09:59 AM
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06 February 2023 09:26 AM
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06 February 2023 07:53 AM
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06 February 2023 07:51 AM
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02 February 2023 07:50 AM
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02 February 2023 07:48 AM
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31 January 2023 07:53 AM
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30 January 2023 07:54 AM
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23 January 2023 07:59 AM
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20 January 2023 08:43 AM
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18 January 2023 08:10 AM
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17 January 2023 08:20 AM
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17 January 2023 08:18 AM
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16 January 2023 08:16 AM
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16 January 2023 08:13 AM
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11 January 2023 14:39 PM
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11 January 2023 14:37 PM
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11 January 2023 14:36 PM
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11 January 2023 07:36 AM
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11 January 2023 07:31 AM
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10 January 2023 07:14 AM
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10 January 2023 07:13 AM
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09 January 2023 08:13 AM
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09 January 2023 08:12 AM
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09 January 2023 08:09 AM
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06 January 2023 07:38 AM
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06 January 2023 07:37 AM
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06 January 2023 07:32 AM
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05 January 2023 08:58 AM
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05 January 2023 08:57 AM
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05 January 2023 08:56 AM
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04 January 2023 08:47 AM
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04 January 2023 08:05 AM
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04 January 2023 08:02 AM
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30 December 2022 07:01 AM
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23 December 2022 07:55 AM
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23 December 2022 07:52 AM
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22 December 2022 11:24 AM
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21 December 2022 09:10 AM
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21 December 2022 09:09 AM
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21 December 2022 09:07 AM
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21 December 2022 07:41 AM
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19 December 2022 07:33 AM
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19 December 2022 07:32 AM
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19 December 2022 07:26 AM
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18 December 2022 07:36 AM
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13 December 2022 07:52 AM
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12 December 2022 13:45 PM
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12 December 2022 07:53 AM
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12 December 2022 07:50 AM
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12 December 2022 07:46 AM
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08 December 2022 07:15 AM
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08 December 2022 07:11 AM
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08 December 2022 07:10 AM
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07 December 2022 07:43 AM
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01 December 2022 08:31 AM
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29 November 2022 08:00 AM
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29 November 2022 07:45 AM
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28 November 2022 15:20 PM
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28 November 2022 15:19 PM
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28 November 2022 10:53 AM
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28 November 2022 10:46 AM
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28 November 2022 07:37 AM
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28 November 2022 07:30 AM
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28 November 2022 07:27 AM
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25 November 2022 12:36 PM
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24 November 2022 12:40 PM
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24 November 2022 08:56 AM
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24 November 2022 08:50 AM
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23 November 2022 12:58 PM
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23 November 2022 07:48 AM
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23 November 2022 07:45 AM
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22 November 2022 07:13 AM
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21 November 2022 07:57 AM
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21 November 2022 07:52 AM
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18 November 2022 14:22 PM
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18 November 2022 08:10 AM
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18 November 2022 08:05 AM
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17 November 2022 08:27 AM
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16 November 2022 09:02 AM
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16 November 2022 09:00 AM
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16 November 2022 07:47 AM
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16 November 2022 07:43 AM
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15 November 2022 07:55 AM
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15 November 2022 07:52 AM
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14 November 2022 08:07 AM
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11 November 2022 07:37 AM
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10 November 2022 07:20 AM
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10 November 2022 07:18 AM
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09 November 2022 08:49 AM
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09 November 2022 08:37 AM
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09 November 2022 07:42 AM
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08 November 2022 13:16 PM
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08 November 2022 13:13 PM
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08 November 2022 13:10 PM
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08 November 2022 07:28 AM
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08 November 2022 07:24 AM
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07 November 2022 07:45 AM
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07 November 2022 07:42 AM
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05 November 2022 07:29 AM
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05 November 2022 07:05 AM
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04 November 2022 11:33 AM
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04 November 2022 07:27 AM
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03 November 2022 07:00 AM
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02 November 2022 08:00 AM
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01 November 2022 12:33 PM
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01 November 2022 07:52 AM
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01 November 2022 07:50 AM
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28 October 2022 10:51 AM
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28 October 2022 07:48 AM
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27 October 2022 07:42 AM
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27 October 2022 07:41 AM
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27 October 2022 07:39 AM
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27 October 2022 07:36 AM
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27 October 2022 07:34 AM
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26 October 2022 08:58 AM
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26 October 2022 08:55 AM
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25 October 2022 10:14 AM
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25 October 2022 08:59 AM
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25 October 2022 07:58 AM
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24 October 2022 09:59 AM
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24 October 2022 07:59 AM
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24 October 2022 07:56 AM
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21 October 2022 10:48 AM
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21 October 2022 10:41 AM
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21 October 2022 07:32 AM
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20 October 2022 09:25 AM
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20 October 2022 07:38 AM
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20 October 2022 07:33 AM
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20 October 2022 07:25 AM
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20 October 2022 07:23 AM
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19 October 2022 13:09 PM
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19 October 2022 13:04 PM
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19 October 2022 07:48 AM
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18 October 2022 08:44 AM
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14 October 2022 10:48 AM
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14 October 2022 07:07 AM
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13 October 2022 11:03 AM
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13 October 2022 07:28 AM
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10 October 2022 09:01 AM
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10 October 2022 06:20 AM
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06 October 2022 07:57 AM
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06 October 2022 07:56 AM
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05 October 2022 11:19 AM
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05 October 2022 08:35 AM
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05 October 2022 07:59 AM
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05 October 2022 07:57 AM
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04 October 2022 07:58 AM
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04 October 2022 07:53 AM
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03 October 2022 10:46 AM
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03 October 2022 10:44 AM
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03 October 2022 07:24 AM
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30 September 2022 09:23 AM
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30 September 2022 09:22 AM
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30 September 2022 09:18 AM
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30 September 2022 09:13 AM
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29 September 2022 07:56 AM
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29 September 2022 07:50 AM
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28 September 2022 09:09 AM
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28 September 2022 09:08 AM
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28 September 2022 09:06 AM
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28 September 2022 08:58 AM
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27 September 2022 08:43 AM
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26 September 2022 13:10 PM
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26 September 2022 13:04 PM
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26 September 2022 07:36 AM
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22 September 2022 07:54 AM
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21 September 2022 10:12 AM
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21 September 2022 10:08 AM
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21 September 2022 07:23 AM
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21 September 2022 07:21 AM
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20 September 2022 08:46 AM
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16 September 2022 07:36 AM
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15 September 2022 10:59 AM
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15 September 2022 07:29 AM
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15 September 2022 07:27 AM
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14 September 2022 07:22 AM
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13 September 2022 07:49 AM
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12 September 2022 10:46 AM
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12 September 2022 07:35 AM
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12 September 2022 07:25 AM
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09 September 2022 08:40 AM
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09 September 2022 07:29 AM
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08 September 2022 08:48 AM
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08 September 2022 07:29 AM
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07 September 2022 11:57 AM
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06 September 2022 07:03 AM
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05 September 2022 08:43 AM
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05 September 2022 07:32 AM
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05 September 2022 07:30 AM
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05 September 2022 07:27 AM
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02 September 2022 09:58 AM
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01 September 2022 13:36 PM
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31 August 2022 08:49 AM
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31 August 2022 07:38 AM
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30 August 2022 07:50 AM
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28 August 2022 20:57 PM
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28 August 2022 20:54 PM
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26 August 2022 12:32 PM
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26 August 2022 07:34 AM
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26 August 2022 07:33 AM
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26 August 2022 07:31 AM
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25 August 2022 09:49 AM
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25 August 2022 09:47 AM
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24 August 2022 06:35 AM
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23 August 2022 07:13 AM
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23 August 2022 07:12 AM
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23 August 2022 07:05 AM
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22 August 2022 09:01 AM
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18 August 2022 09:04 AM
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17 August 2022 07:19 AM
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17 August 2022 07:17 AM
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15 August 2022 07:44 AM
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12 August 2022 06:54 AM
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11 August 2022 09:43 AM
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11 August 2022 09:41 AM
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11 August 2022 07:58 AM
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08 August 2022 10:45 AM
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08 August 2022 07:31 AM
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08 August 2022 07:29 AM
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05 August 2022 08:14 AM
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05 August 2022 08:13 AM
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05 August 2022 08:11 AM
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04 August 2022 10:36 AM
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03 August 2022 07:53 AM
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03 August 2022 07:49 AM
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03 August 2022 07:46 AM
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02 August 2022 09:26 AM
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02 August 2022 09:21 AM
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02 August 2022 09:20 AM
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02 August 2022 09:16 AM
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02 August 2022 07:50 AM
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02 August 2022 07:47 AM
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29 July 2022 10:31 AM
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27 July 2022 08:00 AM
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27 July 2022 07:53 AM
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26 July 2022 07:54 AM
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26 July 2022 07:52 AM
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25 July 2022 07:10 AM
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22 July 2022 07:40 AM
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21 July 2022 07:31 AM
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21 July 2022 07:28 AM
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19 July 2022 11:45 AM
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18 July 2022 07:54 AM
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15 July 2022 08:06 AM
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15 July 2022 08:05 AM
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15 July 2022 06:27 AM
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14 July 2022 07:41 AM
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14 July 2022 07:27 AM
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14 July 2022 07:18 AM
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13 July 2022 07:35 AM
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11 July 2022 10:47 AM
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11 July 2022 10:45 AM
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11 July 2022 10:42 AM
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08 July 2022 07:07 AM
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08 July 2022 07:06 AM
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08 July 2022 07:01 AM
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07 July 2022 07:12 AM
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06 July 2022 21:27 PM
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06 July 2022 07:19 AM
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06 July 2022 07:18 AM
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04 July 2022 15:25 PM
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04 July 2022 11:24 AM
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04 July 2022 11:22 AM
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04 July 2022 07:15 AM
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01 July 2022 09:07 AM
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29 June 2022 08:37 AM
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28 June 2022 07:24 AM
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27 June 2022 09:44 AM
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27 June 2022 09:40 AM
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27 June 2022 09:38 AM
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27 June 2022 07:17 AM
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24 June 2022 07:31 AM
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22 June 2022 07:26 AM
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21 June 2022 13:17 PM
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20 June 2022 06:41 AM
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17 June 2022 12:42 PM
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17 June 2022 10:56 AM
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17 June 2022 10:52 AM
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17 June 2022 06:52 AM
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16 June 2022 07:40 AM
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15 June 2022 15:11 PM
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15 June 2022 07:27 AM
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14 June 2022 07:47 AM
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14 June 2022 07:39 AM
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13 June 2022 10:28 AM
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13 June 2022 07:23 AM
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13 June 2022 07:21 AM
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13 June 2022 07:18 AM
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10 June 2022 07:25 AM
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10 June 2022 07:22 AM
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08 June 2022 07:22 AM
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07 June 2022 12:32 PM
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06 June 2022 11:49 AM
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06 June 2022 11:48 AM
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06 June 2022 11:48 AM
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06 June 2022 07:16 AM
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01 June 2022 12:50 PM
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31 May 2022 07:35 AM
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31 May 2022 07:29 AM
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30 May 2022 07:29 AM
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25 May 2022 09:22 AM
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25 May 2022 09:19 AM
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24 May 2022 09:28 AM
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24 May 2022 09:22 AM
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23 May 2022 11:04 AM
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16 May 2022 08:58 AM
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13 May 2022 07:46 AM
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11 May 2022 08:34 AM
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10 May 2022 09:01 AM
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10 May 2022 09:00 AM
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06 May 2022 07:42 AM
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06 May 2022 07:39 AM
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06 May 2022 07:32 AM
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06 May 2022 07:29 AM
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06 May 2022 07:27 AM
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05 May 2022 07:50 AM
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03 May 2022 15:27 PM
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29 April 2022 07:28 AM
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27 April 2022 07:35 AM
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26 April 2022 07:53 AM
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25 April 2022 07:28 AM
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22 April 2022 09:25 AM
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22 April 2022 09:24 AM
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22 April 2022 07:31 AM
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21 April 2022 10:00 AM
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21 April 2022 07:49 AM
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21 April 2022 07:47 AM
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20 April 2022 07:34 AM
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20 April 2022 07:30 AM
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14 April 2022 09:35 AM
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14 April 2022 07:22 AM
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14 April 2022 07:20 AM
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14 April 2022 07:19 AM
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13 April 2022 19:28 PM
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13 April 2022 09:06 AM
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13 April 2022 09:04 AM
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12 April 2022 09:17 AM
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12 April 2022 08:37 AM
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12 April 2022 08:35 AM
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11 April 2022 07:41 AM
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07 April 2022 14:15 PM
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04 April 2022 10:00 AM
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31 March 2022 11:50 AM
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31 March 2022 07:35 AM
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31 March 2022 07:33 AM
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29 March 2022 13:56 PM
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28 March 2022 08:27 AM
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25 March 2022 07:17 AM
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25 March 2022 07:15 AM
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25 March 2022 07:14 AM
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24 March 2022 07:04 AM
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24 March 2022 07:03 AM
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24 March 2022 07:02 AM
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23 March 2022 06:54 AM
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22 March 2022 08:27 AM
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22 March 2022 08:25 AM
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22 March 2022 07:12 AM
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19 March 2022 07:38 AM
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17 March 2022 07:50 AM
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16 March 2022 16:36 PM
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16 March 2022 10:17 AM
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16 March 2022 07:40 AM
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16 March 2022 07:38 AM
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14 March 2022 10:20 AM
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11 March 2022 07:23 AM
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10 March 2022 09:07 AM
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04 March 2022 07:07 AM
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04 March 2022 07:04 AM
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02 March 2022 12:56 PM
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02 March 2022 07:55 AM
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02 March 2022 07:48 AM
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01 March 2022 07:34 AM
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28 February 2022 07:56 AM
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27 February 2022 16:26 PM
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24 February 2022 14:11 PM
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24 February 2022 07:54 AM
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21 February 2022 08:58 AM
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21 February 2022 07:57 AM
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16 February 2022 12:18 PM
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16 February 2022 08:52 AM
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15 February 2022 09:20 AM
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15 February 2022 09:18 AM
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15 February 2022 09:17 AM
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14 February 2022 16:03 PM
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14 February 2022 10:39 AM
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10 February 2022 17:22 PM
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10 February 2022 15:34 PM
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10 February 2022 10:08 AM
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10 February 2022 10:06 AM
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10 February 2022 09:17 AM
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10 February 2022 09:12 AM
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10 February 2022 07:42 AM
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10 February 2022 07:39 AM
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09 February 2022 14:03 PM
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09 February 2022 14:00 PM
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09 February 2022 09:00 AM
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09 February 2022 03:16 AM
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08 February 2022 07:55 AM
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07 February 2022 07:46 AM
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05 February 2022 15:02 PM
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01 February 2022 08:56 AM
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31 January 2022 12:45 PM
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31 January 2022 08:16 AM
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29 January 2022 12:25 PM
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29 January 2022 12:23 PM
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29 January 2022 12:20 PM
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29 January 2022 12:00 PM
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28 January 2022 07:49 AM
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27 January 2022 13:31 PM
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26 January 2022 08:01 AM
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26 January 2022 08:00 AM
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26 January 2022 07:54 AM
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25 January 2022 07:50 AM
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25 January 2022 07:46 AM
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25 January 2022 07:42 AM
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24 January 2022 12:32 PM
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24 January 2022 11:11 AM
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24 January 2022 07:51 AM
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24 January 2022 07:44 AM
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21 January 2022 11:58 AM
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20 January 2022 08:30 AM
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20 January 2022 08:26 AM
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19 January 2022 07:32 AM
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18 January 2022 11:14 AM
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18 January 2022 07:48 AM
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18 January 2022 07:36 AM
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17 January 2022 16:57 PM
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17 January 2022 12:52 PM
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17 January 2022 12:51 PM
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17 January 2022 08:36 AM
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17 January 2022 08:24 AM
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16 January 2022 16:12 PM
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14 January 2022 08:02 AM
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13 January 2022 13:23 PM
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13 January 2022 13:23 PM
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13 January 2022 07:52 AM
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13 January 2022 07:49 AM
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12 January 2022 16:25 PM
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12 January 2022 16:20 PM
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12 January 2022 14:42 PM
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12 January 2022 12:38 PM
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12 January 2022 11:04 AM
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12 January 2022 09:21 AM
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12 January 2022 07:25 AM
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11 January 2022 07:32 AM
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10 January 2022 15:29 PM
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10 January 2022 15:27 PM
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10 January 2022 07:27 AM
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08 January 2022 11:36 AM
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06 January 2022 09:03 AM
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06 January 2022 07:02 AM
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06 January 2022 06:55 AM
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06 January 2022 06:54 AM
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05 January 2022 09:15 AM
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05 January 2022 07:12 AM
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05 January 2022 07:07 AM
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04 January 2022 07:39 AM
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23 December 2021 11:31 AM
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23 December 2021 09:31 AM
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22 December 2021 07:30 AM
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21 December 2021 08:59 AM
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20 December 2021 08:01 AM
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20 December 2021 07:57 AM
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20 December 2021 07:56 AM
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17 December 2021 10:26 AM
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17 December 2021 10:25 AM
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17 December 2021 08:31 AM
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16 December 2021 17:19 PM
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15 December 2021 11:55 AM
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14 December 2021 07:41 AM
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13 December 2021 09:03 AM
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13 December 2021 07:35 AM
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10 December 2021 16:40 PM
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10 December 2021 07:30 AM
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08 December 2021 07:17 AM
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07 December 2021 08:40 AM
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07 December 2021 07:28 AM
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07 December 2021 07:25 AM
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06 December 2021 15:31 PM
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06 December 2021 07:05 AM
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03 December 2021 08:09 AM
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02 December 2021 07:01 AM
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01 December 2021 12:52 PM
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01 December 2021 12:51 PM
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01 December 2021 07:06 AM
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01 December 2021 06:53 AM
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24 November 2021 07:38 AM
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24 November 2021 07:35 AM
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23 November 2021 15:00 PM
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18 November 2021 07:31 AM
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16 November 2021 07:28 AM
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16 November 2021 07:25 AM
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15 November 2021 15:49 PM
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15 November 2021 06:59 AM
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13 November 2021 10:56 AM
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13 November 2021 10:54 AM
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13 November 2021 10:52 AM
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12 November 2021 07:39 AM
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11 November 2021 10:05 AM
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11 November 2021 09:28 AM
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11 November 2021 07:43 AM
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10 November 2021 07:52 AM
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10 November 2021 07:26 AM
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09 November 2021 07:36 AM
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09 November 2021 07:34 AM
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08 November 2021 12:42 PM
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08 November 2021 07:34 AM
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03 November 2021 07:32 AM
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03 November 2021 07:25 AM
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29 October 2021 11:29 AM
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25 October 2021 07:50 AM
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21 October 2021 09:29 AM
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21 October 2021 09:24 AM
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21 October 2021 07:49 AM
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19 October 2021 13:37 PM
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19 October 2021 13:35 PM
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19 October 2021 09:01 AM
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19 October 2021 08:27 AM
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06 October 2021 07:43 AM
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05 October 2021 11:49 AM
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01 October 2021 09:39 AM
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01 October 2021 09:36 AM
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30 September 2021 08:35 AM
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24 September 2021 08:03 AM
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22 September 2021 17:21 PM
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22 September 2021 07:48 AM
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21 September 2021 07:49 AM
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21 September 2021 07:45 AM
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21 September 2021 07:43 AM
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17 September 2021 07:45 AM
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17 September 2021 07:42 AM
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18 August 2021 07:31 AM
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18 August 2021 07:27 AM
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10 August 2021 15:43 PM
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13 July 2021 09:14 AM
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08 July 2021 13:03 PM
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08 July 2021 06:45 AM
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07 July 2021 07:36 AM
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06 July 2021 11:24 AM
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30 June 2021 12:08 PM
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30 June 2021 07:04 AM
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30 June 2021 06:54 AM
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16 June 2021 07:09 AM
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16 June 2021 07:08 AM
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14 June 2021 06:51 AM
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07 June 2021 07:15 AM
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04 June 2021 07:15 AM
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04 June 2021 07:04 AM
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02 June 2021 06:58 AM
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27 May 2021 06:54 AM
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27 May 2021 06:52 AM
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26 May 2021 07:43 AM
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25 May 2021 11:41 AM
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20 May 2021 06:47 AM
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19 May 2021 07:06 AM
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18 May 2021 07:18 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
18 May 2021 07:14 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
17 May 2021 06:58 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
14 May 2021 06:43 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
13 May 2021 12:43 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
11 May 2021 07:07 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
10 May 2021 16:15 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
10 May 2021 16:12 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
05 May 2021 06:56 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
05 May 2021 06:51 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
04 May 2021 07:02 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
01 May 2021 11:59 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
30 April 2021 08:40 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
30 April 2021 08:13 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
30 April 2021 08:09 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
29 April 2021 07:02 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
27 April 2021 07:44 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
26 April 2021 07:07 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
23 April 2021 07:09 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
23 April 2021 07:06 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 14:37 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 12:47 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 12:41 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 12:37 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 12:35 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 09:00 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 08:58 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
21 April 2021 07:22 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
20 April 2021 07:16 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
19 April 2021 11:36 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
19 April 2021 11:34 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
19 April 2021 07:13 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
15 April 2021 07:25 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
15 April 2021 07:24 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
14 April 2021 07:38 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
13 April 2021 14:29 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
13 April 2021 10:07 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
13 April 2021 10:02 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
11 April 2021 15:09 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
09 April 2021 07:21 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
08 April 2021 07:45 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
30 March 2021 08:19 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
29 March 2021 08:20 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
29 March 2021 08:19 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
26 March 2021 07:45 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
26 March 2021 07:35 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
25 March 2021 11:53 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
25 March 2021 11:50 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
23 March 2021 07:51 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
19 March 2021 15:16 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
19 March 2021 15:13 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
19 March 2021 07:21 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
19 March 2021 07:19 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
18 March 2021 10:39 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
16 March 2021 07:34 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
15 March 2021 13:57 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
15 March 2021 13:52 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
10 March 2021 14:28 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
10 March 2021 09:09 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
10 March 2021 09:07 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
05 March 2021 10:30 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
04 March 2021 14:26 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2021 15:56 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2021 11:54 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2021 11:53 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
02 March 2021 11:51 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2021 15:52 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2021 13:41 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2021 09:39 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2021 09:37 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2021 08:42 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2021 08:40 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
01 March 2021 08:38 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
28 February 2021 07:59 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
28 February 2021 07:58 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
28 February 2021 07:55 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
25 February 2021 08:01 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
24 February 2021 17:41 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
24 February 2021 17:39 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
24 February 2021 17:29 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
22 February 2021 11:10 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
22 February 2021 11:06 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
20 February 2021 11:42 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
20 February 2021 11:41 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
17 February 2021 10:30 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
17 February 2021 10:25 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
15 February 2021 07:54 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
12 February 2021 12:55 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
11 February 2021 17:05 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
11 February 2021 14:08 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
10 February 2021 14:22 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
10 February 2021 14:20 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
08 February 2021 12:49 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
08 February 2021 12:00 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
05 February 2021 08:37 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
05 February 2021 08:34 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
04 February 2021 09:55 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
03 February 2021 15:19 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
02 February 2021 09:54 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
02 February 2021 09:52 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
02 February 2021 09:49 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
01 February 2021 10:25 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
30 January 2021 11:51 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
30 January 2021 11:46 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
30 January 2021 11:45 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
30 January 2021 11:44 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
29 January 2021 11:00 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
27 January 2021 10:45 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
27 January 2021 10:43 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
26 January 2021 09:05 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
26 January 2021 09:01 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
26 January 2021 08:23 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
25 January 2021 15:19 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
25 January 2021 15:17 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
23 January 2021 08:31 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
20 January 2021 12:43 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
19 January 2021 07:39 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
18 January 2021 10:49 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
16 January 2021 17:26 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
15 January 2021 10:56 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
15 January 2021 10:20 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
15 January 2021 10:11 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
14 January 2021 10:46 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
14 January 2021 10:41 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
14 January 2021 10:23 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
12 January 2021 12:34 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2021 10:06 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2021 09:09 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2021 09:08 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
11 January 2021 09:01 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
08 January 2021 10:58 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
07 January 2021 09:30 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
06 January 2021 11:42 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
06 January 2021 11:40 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
05 January 2021 11:54 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
04 January 2021 14:06 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
04 January 2021 14:02 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
04 January 2021 13:54 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
31 December 2020 12:33 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
31 December 2020 12:30 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
24 December 2020 10:50 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
24 December 2020 10:48 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
18 December 2020 10:35 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
18 December 2020 10:33 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
18 December 2020 10:27 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
17 December 2020 15:36 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
17 December 2020 15:11 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
15 December 2020 11:53 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
13 December 2020 08:20 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
13 December 2020 08:17 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
09 December 2020 08:16 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
08 December 2020 07:54 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
07 December 2020 12:20 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
04 December 2020 12:53 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
02 December 2020 15:35 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
28 November 2020 09:58 AM
From: Tricia Urquhart
27 November 2020 15:30 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
27 November 2020 14:52 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
23 November 2020 13:15 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
13 November 2020 16:06 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
12 November 2020 17:26 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
12 November 2020 16:57 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
08 November 2020 16:35 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
08 November 2020 16:35 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
08 November 2020 16:28 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
27 October 2020 12:42 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
01 October 2020 14:08 PM
From: Tricia Urquhart
02 February 2020 08:06 AM