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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Fury at potential evictions ban extension

There was widespread disappointment among buy-to-let landlords when the government decided to prolong the existing ban on tenant evictions until 20 September, and so spare a thought for commercial landlords who now face the prospect of the government extending rules banning them from evicting those unable to pay the rent.

A moratorium on business evictions, introduced in April to help retailers and restaurant owners forced to shut sites for the lockdown, had been due to end on 30 September but the government left commercial landlords fuming yesterday when it was reported that it is looking at extending it to the end of the year.

BTL landlords will be hoping that the current rental eviction ban rules in England and Wales will not be extended again. 

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The initial ban, introduced at the start of lockdown in March, has so far been extended three times with the third extension, to 20 September, also requiring landlords to give tenants a six-month notice period, meaning that no tenant would find themselves evicted until at least March 2021. 

A further restriction was confirmed earlier this week that if an area is in a local lockdown that includes a restriction on gathering in residential properties, evictions will not be enforced by bailiffs.

The government has also announced in recent days that tenants will be protected from eviction over the winter period. 

But the government has not yet confirmed which dates the so-called ‘winter truce’ will cover for tenants in England and Wales.

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick commented: “We have protected renters during the pandemic by banning evictions for 6 months – the longest eviction ban in the UK. To further support renters we have increased notice periods to 6 months, an unprecedented measure to help keep people in their homes over the winter months.

“It’s right that we strike a balance between protecting vulnerable renters and ensuring landlords whose tenants have behaved in illegal or anti-social ways have access to justice. Our legislation means such cases will be subject to shorter notice periods and then prioritised through the judiciary’s new court processes.” 

According to independent research, 87% of tenants have continued to pay full rent since the start of the pandemic, with a further 8% agreeing reduced fees with their landlords.

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    let the robust messages commence...

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    • 16 September 2020 02:40 AM

    What robust messages!?
    Perhaps LL like me furious with the continuing effective sequestration of private property by Govt.

    Believe me many tenants will find themselves escorted from a property having signed a surrender form in the dead of night!
    There will be robust words had with the feckless rent defaulting tenants.
    LL are not going to allow themselves to be financially destroyed.

    LL will be depending on rough men to do you know what so that LL can sleep easy in their beds.
    There will plenty of rough men ready to do what it takes to very quickly remove a feckless rent defaulting tenant.
    Tenants had better watch out!

     
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    • 16 September 2020 04:49 AM

    For sure....I would pay for a few boys to carry out their profession.

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    • 16 September 2020 04:59 AM

    Yep I'm sure most of us know a few Albanians and they don't give a monkey's!!

    For me not a problem as I DON'T use AST anymore.
    My lot know the score and it suits them and me very well!!

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    There will be 'financial advisers' working for landlords who want tenants either paying rent or out. These 'advisers' will advise the tenants to pay rent immediately or ........................

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    • 16 September 2020 09:43 AM

    Interesting. Where can I get in touch with these Financial Advisors?
    I need them urgently.

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    • 16 September 2020 10:39 AM

    Hmm!!!??

    Let me see be bankrupted by a feckless rent defaulting tenant because of worries about action under the Prevention of Eviction Act or have 'financial advisers' assist removal of said tenant; entirely of their own volition of course...............................what to do!?

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    • 16 September 2020 10:42 AM

    Wow! That's a real tough one!
    I am not so sure though. Maybe a Financial Advisor could be a help in some way?

  • James B

    This is sending homeless up .. landlords getting properties back aren’t reletting them and starving usual supply

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    • 16 September 2020 10:58 AM

    The house belongs to them! Why can they not do what they want with their property?

    Maybe, I can just pop round to your house and use your car just because you are not using it?
    Are you happy with that?

    I am sure you would expect it to be ok, as that is what you you have said...At least then you car will not be starving people's transport.

     
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    • 16 September 2020 11:04 AM

    There is another way.
    Use spareroom and take on lodgers.
    You just advise you will rarely be at home as you tend to be a 'guest' at other properties.
    A lodger agreement is all that is required.

    No AST required.
    Obviously no families can be lodgers.
    No more than 3 lodgers though I'm not sure if there are 4 and the live-in LL that compliance would be required for Mandatory HMO Licensing.
    If so reduce to 3 lodgers ensuring hopefully the property isn't in an Additional Licensing area.

    Yes it is a bit of hassle staying at your different homes but beats having to use AST.

    Lodgers are far more effective than keeping a property empty.
    You could almost regard them as property guardians for when you are away from the home.

     
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    • 16 September 2020 10:54 AM

    The house belongs to them! Why can they not do what they want with their property?

    Maybe, I can just pop round to your house and use your car just because you are not using it?
    Are you happy with that?

    I am sure you would expect it to be ok, as that is what you you have said...At least then you car will not be starving people's transport.

    James B

    You miss my point completely david... I’m a landlord and I’m explaining this is backfiring on tenants as landlords read this stuff and don’t relet their property.
    So no, I’m not happy for you to use my car

     
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    Arrears very serious now and climbing every month mostly forced upon us by government which makes no sense, if we get no rent then we can't pay tax on no rent so they mustn't care about shooting themselves in the foot it's madness. They love Tenant fraudsters & false benefit claimants, as per TV program last week, estimated over 100'000 Council Properties illegally sub-let or fraudulently obtained, imagine that and they set themselves up over us perhaps they should get their own house in order first. The Councils has back 1800 of their properties illegally occupied mostly in Southward I think and the disgusting state of some if private LL had it like this they would throw the book at him. I know its not the fault of the property but the occupants. The fraudsters were not prosecuted just told to hand back the keys and walk away. Council said the Court System would cost too much and take too long, there you go. So they know nothing will happen to them, and from my past observations if they were taking to Court regardless of how much they owe the worst case scenario is suspended sentence.

  • Ruan Gildchirst

    When is England going to announce the same as Wales and Scotland with loan to tenants to pay back all Covid rent areas?

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    1/3 of Middlesbrough is being chased through the courts for the largely insignificant Council Tax... so who would voluntarily compound that by adding several £1,000s more ?

    Additionally, who in their right mind would convert a civil offence into a criminal offence ?

     
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    • 18 September 2020 12:08 PM

    As I have replied before

    NEVER!

     
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    • 18 September 2020 11:55 AM

    Indeed fecklessness rules.
    Not a lot can be done against feckless tenants and Govt knows it.

    The ones I feel sorry for are those aspirant tenants who are more than willing to pay rent.
    Just they can't while the property is occupied by a feckless rent defaulting tenant.

    I refuse to have AST whole lettings anymore.
    So no families can occupy my properties even if they can afford the rent.

    Unintended consequences or what!!

    But it just confirms how useless the Civil Recovery process is.
    Even Councils with all their legal power struggle to obtain what they are owed in rent and C Tax.
    What chance a little LL!?

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