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Boris Johnson dodges question on timing of rental reform

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has dodged a question from an MP about the timing of the long-awaited Rental Reform Bill and associated White Paper.

Towards the end of yesterday's Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons - a session dominated by Johnson’s admission that he attended a lockdown ‘bring your own booze’ party - a question was posed by the Labour MP for Stockport, Nav Mishra. 

He told the chamber that the average rent of a two bedroom home in his constituency was “an unaffordable £800 a month” and that a pensioner couple of his constituents had recently been served with a Section 21 notice.

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Mishra went on to ask the Prime Minister when the Renters’ Reform Bill would be introduced, or whether it had been kicked into the long grass.

 

 

Johnson’s answer almost entirely ignores the private rental sector, saying: “One of the first things I did when I became Prime Minister was increase the Local Housing Allowance so that those on social rent could afford where they lived more easily - the key component of tackling the cost of living.

“What we’re also doing is building a record number of homes and I’m very pleased to see a huge increase in the number of people able to get the homes they need.

“But the point that [Mishra] makes about renters is very, very important and that’s why we’re tackling the rights of renters as well.”

At that point Johnson sat down; TV coverage of the event showed Mishra shaking his head at the conclusion of the answer.

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    You will never get a straight honest answer from any of them, what ever side they sit on.

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    Why didn’t Nav Mishra use his position as an M.P. to stop Government making Renting expensive instead of complaining about it afterwards. Everything they have done was to increase costs on the PRS.

  • Simon D

    HAHA news alert Boris Johnson dodges a Question!! Why is this news? he never answers anything with a straight answer, it's all part of his smoke and mirrors policy that has dominated his entire career.

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    It's called politics, they all do it. Johnson isn't an exception.

     
    Algarve  Investor

    Yeah, but he is far and away one of the worst.

     
    Theodor Cable

    But out of any PM other than Churchill, no other PM has had to face such a catastrophe within days of being elected.

    And I cannot think of any Conservative or Labour member who have anyone in their ranks who could have done any better through such a major danger for this country and the indeed the world.

     
  • George Dawes

    He’s usually so trustworthy too 😝

  • Matthew Payne

    May 24 still too far away, not that he will be around anyway. The Tories will want this gift to the Labour voting masses in the 9 months leading up to the next election. That said, if Mr Sunak becomes PM I think it may get shelved. He clearly understands that continuing along this policy path is only going to create greater problems in the future and as a much younger man with an eye on more than the next couple of years, he doesnt want to create a hole he will only have to dig himself out of later, and dare I say it, we may have a rare commodity in the Chancellor, a conviction politican - he doesnt need the fame or fortune.

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    Mate what planet are you on? A conviction politician? They don't exisit at this level of Government and if you think otherwise I've got a bridge to sell you. Just because Sunak doesn't need fame or fortune doesn't mean he doesn't want it.

     
    Algarve  Investor

    Sunak is all hot air, who runs away at the first sign of trouble. He is undeniably slick and savvy, but he has also made a number of mistakes recently that have affected his standing.

    But, compared to Liz Truss, he's an intellectual titan.

     
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    Spot on Max Boyne! 👍
    Without prejudice-Whoever thinks that Rishi Sunak doesn’t want the fame is clearly brainwashed, or a marketeer or stands to gain by Sunak being appointed PM, or is a completely deluded British unaware of history based significance of the fame & fortune accompanying an Indian (& African migrants) with non White skin colour origins based Prime Minister and the multiple generational financial benefits to that PM’s family as well as a prominent place in the future history!
    No doubt -Sunak is highly educated & excellent with numbers but is incapable of seeing the bigger picture, create strategies or make tactical moves for the benefit of All British communities on the ground in an emergency situation.
    Rather Sunak than Abbott/another Labour/or Liberal Chancellor who can’t count up to 10!
    It has been clearly evident during his calculations of ignoring #ForgottenLtd families, self employed (over 60% of working population) for pandemic support & implementation of IR35 making businesses/workers face severe losses/redundancies.
    Liz Truss, on the other hand is much more capable of handling a complex turbulent global political landscape and has successfully concluded post Brexit Trade agreements.

    To sum up, in my opinion, since Churchill Boris has been the next best Prime Minister to having led U.K. out of EU slavery, and a global pandemic to give our present and future generations an opportunity of a lifetime to live in a truly Democratic, Self governing, Sovereign, Self reliant (work in progress) Great Britain 🇬🇧.
    I and my network would vote for Boris again to give him an opportunity to help U.K. progress after Brexit without a pandemic. Patel and Javid are a dream team to keep the terrorists out/deport criminals, keep British borders secure-Javid got my vote the day he signed the orders to keep the jihadi bride Shamima & her next generations out of U.K./my homeland’s safety, and is now doing a good job in Health ministry,
    Sunak is ok with Treasury as long he starts taking a balanced local all communities/on the ground businesses based approach,
    Gove has just announced support for long suffering leaseholders stuck in cladding crisis-this will be a great relief for good LL’s & Tenants alike in PRS & Social tenancy residents,
    Liz Truss is a fantastic Global Trade Ambassador-Strategic & Tactical politician- just needs to be wary of imperial ambitions of China/Korea/Russia etc & shake off by closing trade agreement legal loopholes to forever keep all nations hands off on British treasure NHS. USA, EU, Canada, Caribbean, China, Russia, Africa & India’s leaders have tried to get their hands on our NHS.
    #borisisbestforgreatbritainsfuture.

     
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    MP's and their policies are what pushed these rents up in the first place. The use of the word 'unaffordable' is starting to get right up my nose. Unaffordable is relative and just because the price has gone up doesn't make it unaffordable. All that has happened is that people who can't afford it are being left behind or in the less desireable properties. That's inevitable when these idiots do nothing but increase costs (and raise their pound of flesh) to landlords. If rents were genuninely unaffordable, no-one would be paying them.

    As for a 'pensioner couple' (irrelevant) receiving an S21... so the f*** what?? Landlord buys property. Rents to tenant. Landlord wants property back, issues S21. I missed the part where housing people, pensioners or otherwise, became an obligation to private citizens just because they have the means. On that basis I might campaign for a law allowing me to let myself into Mishra's house for a sandwich whenever I feel like it.

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    I wished people would stop on about Premier and his Officials having a few bottles in the garden at a time of crisis, at least they were communicating with each other not on internet zoom rubbish. Anyone would think it was the most important issue ever, with the Media/ TV/ Radio & papers nonstop for days and nights continuously ranting away about an insignificant national issue, good job we have nothing serious like a war to deal with.

    Algarve  Investor

    You can't see why it's an issue? The man and his team who make the rules ignoring those rules to have a party when millions of others were making huge sacrifices. Most people followed the rules, but it seems those in Downing St didn't feel they needed to. The optics of it is terrible, especially as they so clearly tried to hide it.

    Johnson has only apologised - and it was barely an apology - because he got found out. He is a dead man walking - it's just a matter of when, not if, he now goes.

     
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    • AQ
    • 15 January 2022 10:34 AM

    It is important. The problem isn't "zoom rubbish" - the problem is people parents or grandparents dying alone in hospitals while the cabinet was getting pssed.

     
  • Theodor Cable

    What does this have to do with this forum?
    I thought it was a base to talk about housing and the like.
    NOT about Prime Minster parties.

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    Algarve, no I can’t see any issue they are the Government running the Country. Why should general public think they have the right to call all the shots. Suppose you were a Company would you have your employees dictating how you ran your business, you wouldn’t survive that nonsense. Further I think spying, recording or reporting shouldn’t be allowed in No. 10’s garden either, as such a Private Government
    Area and should be Prohibited by Statute for Security reasons if nothing else. When I done Jury Service we weren’t allowed to gossip what we heard or talk to press.

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    Leaders should lead by example. Boris should resign.

     
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    Michael Foley-I agree.
    Overall Boris Johnson and team have done a fantastic job for delivery of a Democratic vote 🗳 and leading our nation out of a global pandemic 😷 with the help of scientists advise based policies.
    Bravo 👏
    My vote is for Boris to stay and continue building on the strong foundation work Post pandemic Leadership by winning the next elections.
    In my opinion, aside from Boris, there are no other strong, decisive leaders who lead from the front, instead of hiding behind others, blaming on other teams/external factors etc, in any of the other political parties to look after the growth of Great Britain as an independent, self governing, sovereign nation - except for Britain First.
    #borisisbestforbritainsfuture 🇬🇧

     
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    Tricia, sorry I don’t agree on this one but usually in agreement with you. I am not singing his praises either what they have done to private LL’s is unbelievable. I don’t think looking back Labour could have go away with it. At the same time this is a nonsense issue, a smoke screen and with the Country facing huge challenges ahead wasting our time on this.
    I don’t know why any man of means would want that job, what difference is it to him, to be in the spot light getting criticism and abuse from all directions.

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    Leaders should lead by example, but do any of them? they are all as bad as each other

  • George Dawes

    The last politician with a smidgen of credibility was the truly abysmal Corbyn , that shows you how low the political class has gone to , like rats in a bucket

    Sir Fony Bliar ? Boris drinking at lockdown, starmer too , the whole lot are a bunch of hypocritical scumbags

    Where’s guy Fawkes when you need him ?

    PossessionFriendUK PossessionFriend

    Corbyn and credibility do Not belong in the same sentence and have No relationship with each other. The man's a Terrorist sympathiser

     
    Ferey Lavassani

    PossessionFriendUK Terrorist as Oxford dictionary states is the unlawful use or threat of violence especially against the state or the public as a politically motivated means of attack or coercion. Is it not what the British Governments have done in Africa, Middle East and far East throughout centuries? Check Sykes-Picot Agreement 1916.

     
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    Corbyn and Credibility in the same sentence- that’s funny & outrageous at the same time!

    Even my 14 year old advised me that she & her friends would Never vote for him & Labour ever.
    Reasons: Corbyn/Labour offered free Wifi-by contracting out the safety of national infrastructure to a known overseas terrorist leader, no University fees but there was no money in treasury , shook hands with terrorists all the way, with an anti British, anti Working people, anti Enterprise, anti Entrepreneurs, anti Jewish approach favouring non White skin colours, supporting illegal migrants, criminals to blow up British people & visitors in our homelands, inviting illegal immigrants & 5 year old to get voting rights, supporting Sharia laws & making 11 year olds marriage legal - that was good enough for intelligent young students to refuse to ever support Labour political party.
    I used to be a Labour supporter until Tony Blair damaged our nation whilst filling in his own, wife & kids, relatives bank accounts, creating U.K. & Global real estate & other asset classes multi million pounds portfolio at innocent British civilian & defence services cost.

    Thanks to Blair & Corbyn-Labour is definitely dead, and needs to stay buried regardless of who the leader is.
    Starmer & cold blooded ambitious Khan have already shown that they will unashamedly step over dead bodies-especially Jewish, White indigenous, and legal migrant enterprising British people to realise their political ambitions.

    For Great Britain’s safety & future prosperity Boris has shown overall a great leadership comparable, even better than the scale of Sir Churchill’s leadership to steer Great Britain 🇬🇧 to a truly Democratic, Sovereign, Self Governing, Independent Trading nation.
    The only other political party alternative to put our Homelands safety First out of terrorists clutches is Britain First.

     
  • George Dawes

    You’ve got a point .

    Ok . Maggie Thatcher then .

    Everyone since has been about as useful as a chocolate teapot

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    Opportunity for the shadow government to see if they can win some votes.

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    Just had an email from Rent (not so smart )Wales.
    They are, yet again, interfering with the PRS, here in Wales.
    In summary, the changes that are coming in in July include.

    1. Tenancy agreements to be replaced by Occupation Contracts and provided in writing

    2. Increased security, necessitating six months notice as long as the contract isn't breached. Retaliatory evictions prevented.

    3. All properties must include working smoke alarms and electrical safety testing.

    4.A fair and consistent approach on anti-social behaviour.

    5. Increased rights to pass on your home.

    6.Making it easier to repossess abandoned properties.

    Meanwhile, the rogue landlords carry on regardless, off the radar and failing to declare their earnings from rentals.
    RSW need to justify their existence, so they have to come up with yet more regulations to make our life difficult.

  • David Saunders

    If/when section 21 no fault eviction is outlawed, a property owner will need to be a sandwich short of a picnic to consider letting a house, flat or even a room. Hence private lets will become as rare as rocking horse droppings as was the case in the 1970s and 80s and like what happened back then, high homeless figures will go into orbit.

    Theodor Cable

    So what can we do about it?
    It scares me sick

    Should I sell now?

     
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    Still ranting away about drinks in the garden of No. 10, now a major crisis, resigning and sacking proposed, might even bring down Government the most important issue ever, yet they can spend years destroying Private Sector Housing and LL’s who House millions of People and that’s fine, not a murmur for goodness sake do they not know what a crisis is, they are like school kids.
    Unfortunate and very sad that Price Phillip happened to pass away around this time and at a great age to rip. What on earth it has to do with those drinking in No 10’s garden hardly disrespectful, in Ireland when someone dies they hold a wake and give you a glass of whisky on the way in.

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    Exactly Michael, people die get over it , it's a daily occurrence, an undertaker friend of mine earns very well out of death , it's the one thing that we can all be certain will happen to everyone of us one day, really no big deal

     
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    Yep 👍 Death and Taxes are the two certainties in life.
    People need to accept these facts in every part of the world 🗺, not just in U.K..

    Or they need to emigrate to tax exempt nations, Death unfortunately will still occur in due course.

     
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    Section 21 is the very minimum an owner should be entitled to, to get the property he owns back is that too much to expect and don’t anyone think it a soft option either. The Court and the Tenant only can end the Assured Shorthold Tenancy the LL cannot without a Court order which is hugely expensive, its sometime since I did it but even then it cost £2’400.00 Solicitor fees. I know there is a Section 8 as well for loss of rent seems often used to including Assured Tenancies. However regardless of whether rent is owed or not if you want your property back it a minimum entitlement.
    The article on about pensioners being served notice, sad as it may be what on earth have they been doing for 60 years and still haven’t sorted out their own place to live, (our fault is it).

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    I second that!

     
    David Saunders

    For those landlords that are thinking they will just put the rent up beyond what tenants are capable of paying so will have to move on, will find there will be rent controls put in place as was the case back in the 1970s etc whereby landlord will be lucky to be allowed to raise the rent by £5 per month fixed for 5 years .

     
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    David, if we get those sort of rent controls I'll be selling all my properties as I expect most other landlords would

     
    David Saunders

    It will likely be 10-15 years before the penny drops in government circles and property owners are again encouraged to let in order to help alleviate a then housing crisis. Meanwhile Assured shorthold tenants are about to become Assured tenants (sitting tenants for life), protected by rent controls and with the added bonus of their offspring being able to take over the tenancy after death. Hence if landlords then wish to sell the property it will likely fetch 50% or less of its vacant possession value as the only likely purchaser will be the sitting tenant.

     
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    David you are getting a bit ahead of yourself here, assured shorthold tenants are still just that, rent controls are not here yet, yes they are possible in the future but they will not come in over night by which time all tenants will have been evicted either legally or illegally .

     
  • David Saunders

    A glut of landlords properties coming on the market is a win win for the government for it helps keep the economy buoyant and CGT is likely to be due on landlords properties if/when sold. Only downside is homeless figures go on rising.

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    Yes agreed David money poring in from CGT, and poring out again putting all those homeless families up in hotels, I think there will be a lot more money spent on hotel bills than that gained from CGT, but then those in government are too thick as to see that one.

     
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    Government always wins, stay in you are hammered with regulation’s, fees and high income tax, sell and its c/gains on inflation mostly, plus the buyer will have to pay Stamp Duty and the spin off costs plus VAT on Sales for the Professional’s,

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    Now we have the big boys and money rich big Portfolio LL’s want to buy your rental properties or Portfolios no matter how big it is they want it. They are advertising cash in a week but the reality is very much different because they only pay you 80% of the value, so they make 20% on the deal, by the time you pay your c/gains tax and other costs, kiss good by to half the value of your estate at a stroke, sharks everywhere. I bet you didn’t realise you could get poor so quickly.

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    I'm not looking to sell anything at present, however I have a guy hounding me to buy one of my properties, I'll sell it to him at a price, my price, he won't give up, but he won't pay my price, so he won't be buying it, if you don't need to sell why would you be the least bit interested in an offer at 80% of value.

     
  • David Saunders

    Circumstances can sometimes change overnight and a need to sell a property may arise so should that happen a landlord must be allowed to ask his/her tenants to vacate albeit in 3 or even 6 months and enable the property to be sold with vacant possession. With that option removed alongside evermore anti landlord legislation letting is a minefield.

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    Of Course they don’t tell you anything about the 80% but its their valuation and I know that’s how they operate. I am not selling either but I was approached by a Developer to buy one I have in a prime location which would also involve the neighbour that was well up for it, to build a block of Flats. I knocked them back regardless of good offer it was no use to me because not allowed to roll over c/gains, so when tax and costs are paid plus Stamp Duty on similar replacement property, there is no beef left on the bone, night.

  • David Saunders

    Andrew I'm old enough to remember the anti landlord atmosphere of the early 1970s ( similar to today) when all private landlords were considered to be a Peter Rachman , resulting in all legally signed and sealed tenancy agreements being declared null and void not worth the paper they were written on and ALL tenants becoming sitting tenants with rent controls overnight. What goes around has a habit of coming back around so long as it's a vote catcher.

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