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Generation Rent calling for compensation for evicted tenants

Campaign group Generation Rent is calling for tenants who are served notice to leave a property to be compensated by landlords. 

The group claims the lack of stability in private rented housing means more than a quarter of tenants can expect to lose their home through no fault of their own.

A survey carried out by BMG Research found that 27% of current and past private tenants had been evicted by a landlord who wanted to sell, refurbish or change the use of the property, or were forced to move because of a rent increase.

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The most common reason for losing one’s home is the landlord deciding to sell the property (14%), followed by raising the rent so high the tenant could not afford it (7%).

Yet more than half (51%) of respondents to the survey were not aware that a private landlord can evict tenants without giving a reason, including 39% of private renters.

Almost two thirds (63%) of respondents agreed that private tenants who abided by the terms of their tenancy agreement should have an automatic right to remain in their home.

Two thirds of respondents (66%) believe that private tenants who are evicted through no fault of their own should be compensated for the cost of moving home, including 80% of private renters.

Three quarters (75%) think private landlords should be prevented from raising their tenant’s rent by more than inflation, including 84% of private renters – and 81% of pensioners.

As the Housing Bill progresses through Parliament, Generation Rent is calling on the government to change eviction law to protect tenants who face losing their home, by giving them a right to compensation, and thereby also discourage landlords from forcing them out in the first place.

Betsy Dillner, director of Generation Rent, said: “Every time a renter moves home they spin the roulette wheel. They might well get a good landlord who values long term tenants, but this poll suggests that one in four of us will end up with a bad one sooner or later. With increasing numbers of us facing a lifetime of renting, we need to be able to call the place we live a home, and we can’t until the government ends unfair evictions.”
 

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    Is there no end to the stupidity this woman comes out with? It's the policy they were campaigning for (Clause 24) which is going to be forcing up rents and if they can't go up then the tenants will be evicted. Some people really shouldn't be allowed out on their own.

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    Why is it that Generation Rent thinks that the private sector should be exactly like the social sector?

    Why demand that private businesses should act like taxpayer subsidised providers?

    If you want all of these things from your rented housing then go into social housing ... oh, wait, that’s right, there isn’t enough to go around and the private sector ends up picking up the slack.

    Instead of constantly bleating that the private sector is what it is, why doesn’t Generation Rent do something tangible, like build houses for its supporters? Oh, wait, that would mean actually getting out of their chairs and doing something. It’s far easier to just keep shouting and waving their rolled up copy of Socialist Worker, than it is do actually do, make, or create anything themselves.

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    Most of what was the Council housing stock in my area has been moved to a 'not for profit' organisation.
    It was reported in the local news this week that many of the properties are in a shocking state with persistent damp problems etc.
    They are obviously finding it difficult to keep up with repairs as the rents probably don't cover the ongoing maintenance costs.
    The private sector would not be viable if it had to survive on the income that this organisation receives and if these pressure groups 'lived in the real world' they would acknowledge that fact?

     
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    John I spend a proportion of my time, at my expense, trying to keep two housing associations on the straight and narrow of what they should be doing as they seem incapable of doing it themselves - currently one want to spend £500 per property replacing the flooring as a priority when the roof felt has perished, there is a tendancy to concentrate on kitchen/bathrooms at the expense of other issues, health and safety issues such at lighting on stairs take months to resolve to name but a few point. You are assuming that they pursue value for money and spend it wisely if my experience is anything to go by then I suspect the cause is not so simple

     
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    With 10 properties i make less than minimum wage and thats taken 25 years of sacrifices and hard work. Profits further eroded every month by legislation. £45k of lost rents (since 2006) with no chance of recovery. In any other field this would be theft and a crime, yet all i can do is throw more cash away to the courts. They is no body with any balls fighting for landlords rights. Dont group us with the problems in London it doesnt apply to the north. I detest the rich rogue image far from reality.

    I ve only ever done two evictions, thousands in lost rent and damage; where is my compensation ?

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    Steve, this is the reality of letting out property outside of London and the wealthy South East.
    Where I am, we are unable to raise rents to cover the cost of continuing regulation.
    We are also referred to as 'greedy landlords' in the local press and that couldn't be further from the truth?
    The rents we are receiving today are broadly in line with what we were getting 20 years ago.
    You can see many properties advertised at higher rents, but when you point this out to the agents they always have an excuse as to why your property is unlikely to achieve that.

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    The vast majority of landlords want long term tenants who pay the rent on time and look after the property. The only time I have had to serve a section 21 was for non payment of rent. Would Generation Rent like to compensate me for the thousands of pounds of unpaid rent? I didn't think so. Generation Rent should also remember who owns the property and if a landlord needs to sell, it is actually their property to sell. Generation Rent would be better utilised in lobbying councils to provide social housing and stop picking on the PRS!

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