A mother of five who was forced to endure what has been described as ‘six months of family hell’ is being treated for anxiety and depression after being made unexpectedly homeless because her landlord sold her rental property, as a growing number of private landlords exit the market to avoid recent buy-to-let tax hikes.
Rachel Hughes says she and her five children had to live apart while she and her young daughters ended up living in bed and breakfasts with homeless men, after her privately rented four-bedroom house in Deganwy was sold.
The 38-year-old, who has now moved into a house in Llanfairfechan, said: “I was devastated and frightened for myself and the children, as we were effectively being made homeless.
“Conwy Housing Solutions had no available houses for us, and we ended up in a bed and breakfast in Pensarn to stop us from being on the streets.
“We were there for three months, and it was horrendous because as a family we were split apart. My two teenage boys aged 14 and 13, refused to come with me as they go to school at Ysgol Aberconwy, and didn’t want to be parted from their friends so they stayed with my mother .
“Between the four of us we shared two rooms, and had to share a bathroom with the other homeless people at the B&B, my three-year-old twin girls were faced with men in their boxer shorts walking around-it wasn’t right.”
Unfortunately it would appear that Hughes could be among a growing number of victims of the government’s decision to introduce major tax hikes on second homes and investment properties, making the buy-to-let market less appealing and less profitable for landlords.
A letting agent in Conwy, who did not wish to be named, told the press: “Private landlords are very resistant to tenants who are on housing benefit.
“For a mum of five kids it’s going to be very difficult for her to find a four bedroomed property as there’s not many of them around.
“Also, for a four bedroomed house, landlord’s will expect around £1,000 a month for them, which won’t be covered by housing benefit.”
He continued: “Whenever we advertise a new rental property, there’s always a scramble for them. Since George Osbourne - the former chancellor, introduced a new tax on landlords, profit is down so many landlords are selling up meaning there is a massive shortage out there.”
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men in boxer shorts are pedophiles are they? stupid woman.
I'm surprised it has taken this long for tenants to feel the effect of the governments attack on landlord via section 24 tax relief termination. I'm tempted to ask the government for a suitable template letter that we can send to some of our tenants explaining why it is that we are having to liquidate a significant portion of our property portfolio as the section 24 would otherwise place is a negative cash flow situation. I say this because THE GOVERNMENT has caused this beginnings of an exodus from the residential Lettings market. I assume, in the odd belief that everyone wants, or must have, a mortgage. Or for some other indecipherable social policy.
Not a shocker this one. My business partner and I have sold off quite a few properties where the mortgage interest was close to the gross rent as we new the new rules would have us paying more in tax than we made as profit. One unfortunate family had to move their children to a different area and new schools because there was nothing else around. We even offered to loan them 10% of the deposit if they could buy it from us but the lawyers and the lenders all said that this breached mortgage lending rules. Another successful couple of government initiatives in stooping people from staying long term in homes they want to live in!
A landlord trying to help his tenants by lending them the deposit. This sort of altruistic behaviour must be stopped at all costs.
This is the tip of the iceberg. Councils in the uk are going to get an upsurge from section 24 of desperate families because I for one cannot resolve the massive negative cash flow engendered by section 24 hyper tax regulations. The only solution for us landlords is to develeverage our borrowings and that means selling off houses. But only to those who can afford them (that means not tenants). Beyond crazy.
Well if LL about get in and Rachel Reaves gets her way this ladies experience will be common among many families who rent. See how the electorate like that Rachael Reeves. More bits of Labour policy that is not joined up.
And to think there are STILL so many idiots out there, including in govt, who say tax attacks on landlords have no effect on tenants.
A mum with 5 children? not a chance in hell that I would rent to her, council's problem not mine.
Rachel, where’s Mr Hughes why is it our responsibility that you have 5 kids and expect to be housed, it might seem harsh but that’s the reality, no mention if the Landlord was depressed having sold his Property.
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