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Here we go again! Activists prepare new attack on landlords

Rental activists have made clear that they are not going to stop when their objective to scrap Section 21 eviction powers is achieved.

Section 21 is widely expected to be scrapped in a rental reform White Paper expected to be released by the government in the coming weeks. 

This follows a long running, vocal and well-funded campaign by organisations like the Renters Reform Coalition, which is funded by the Nationwide Foundation. One member group in the coalition - Acorn - was last week ordered to pay just under £100,000 in costs and damages to a landlord, to settle a legal case for harassment, defamation and breach of data rights.

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Now Generation Rent - another part of the coalition - has set out in a series of tweets what may be the next phase of a campaign to erode landlords’ rights.

The tweets read: “When Section 21 evictions are abolished, it is likely more landlords will begin using Section 13 rent increases to force tenants out. These notices can be challenged at the Rent Tribunal, but in a 30-month period it heard just 341 cases.

“On average, tenants came away with an 11% increase in their rent in one go. This is because the tribunal bases its decisions on how much similar properties to your home are listed for nearby, and not what you can afford.

“The average rent rise is equivalent to 5.5% per year – much higher than rent inflation nationwide, and higher than wage inflation."

 

The tweets from Generation Rent go on: “Landlords ask for 28% more rent on average. As the tribunal takes into account poor conditions of the property, in 77% of cases private tenants get a lower rent increase than the landlord had asked for. But nearly 1 in 4 have to pay the proposed rent - or even more 

“While few renters use the system currently, those that do often find themselves forced to pay unaffordable new rent increases or find somewhere else to live. Before the system becomes more extensively used, it needs essential reform.

“Landlords shouldn’t be able to serve Section 13s if they don’t meet basic standards, rent increases should be capped at wage inflation and the government must raise awareness of the tribunal to prevent more renters suffering from unaffordable increases.”

Want to comment on this story? If so...if any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals on any basis, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.

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    Currently a great many tenants don't have regular rent increases. Several of mine are still paying the same amount as the day they moved in 4 or 5 years ago. I've only just increased rent on one property for the first time in the 10 years I've owned it.
    Demanding rent increases should be capped at wage inflation simply means that instead of probably no increase there will be a guaranteed inflation linked increase every year.
    The real winner will be HMRC as 40% of that extra rent (that we wouldn't normally have asked for) will go straight to them as extra tax.

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    The next big pathetic moan will be the lack of property available when we’ve all sold up and gone away. No doubt that will be the selfish Landlords fault too.

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    The Renters Reform Coalition should be very careful what it asks for. So far everything that has been granted has led to higher rents, less availability and less flexibility from Landlords.

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    Does Tescos charge you on what you can afford to pay? Or British Gas? They are confusing PRS LLs with social LLs again!

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    I so agree. I run a business and not a charity. I have increasing mortgages so my tenants will be getting a rise to cover my costs at the least. Its just sound business.

     
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    It’s so true my rents haven’t gone up in years, does any of those groups not know this or choose to ignore this fact and pick some properties with higher rent deliberately to be used against all LL’s.
    All my properties are licensed and re-licensed 2,3 & 4 times except one Flat that so far didn’t require a license. We are held to ransom when Councils are in collusion with Tenants to make big money for themselves. When you make a license app’ a load of paper work not only sent to you but everyone possible they can think of as well, whether lenders, Freeholders, Solicitors & Tenants. Therefore a perfect opportunity for the Tenant to hit the LL if he has any grievance or if LL wants to increase rent, they can say all sorts & you won’t even know, therefore held to ransom and incidentally keep well clear of Alfred Place if I am allowed to say that.

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    All these measures end up achieving the opposite of what they set out to do. In the past I have not raised rents on sitting tenants, but this year have started increasing my rents close to market value, and will in future raise rents annually to keep them in line. This is what I should have been doing from the start, but all these talks of rent controls have spurred me to update my business practices to make sure I’m not getting locked into tenants paying legacy rates that I will not be allowed to increase in the future.

    Landlords aren’t raising rents to evict tenants, they are raising rents to keep up with the market and because costs keep rising. You raise the costs of a business, that business has to charge more. Landlords are no different.

    As for ACORN - the company that has been fined £100k for bullying and harassment, why anyone would listen to them is beyond me.

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    How has this got to do with what the tenant can afford ? it's all to do with the market rent for similar properties in that area, if a tenant cannot afford to live there they will have to move to somewhere that they can afford.

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    I am really frustrated - I went to buy a new car and was disgusted to learn they were not prepared to charge me what I can afford, instead they wanted market value. Which charity do I speak to to get support?

     
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    I've already given up on Monaco.

    You'll be telling me to forget about Nice and Cannes next!

    So NOT FAIR! I'm going to moan to Shelter!

     
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    I have never let rooms individually so why am I required to be licensed HMO’s when its one Tenancy Agreement one let. When the Schemes was first going to be introduced this type of letting was suppose to be excluded but on the last minute it was changed and seen as a loop hole for others, (just like the 10% west & tear removed because virtually all LL’s letting unfurnished were claiming it when no entitled). Why am I banded in with room lettings inferior cramped accommodation like the 1960’ very often sleeping, cooking, living and store all your belongings in the room, not room to swing a cat, this is what they call raising Standards.

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    Michael - why do you think financially shackling yourself to a band of housemates ensures better accomodation than having an individual tenancy agreement?

    I do both joint tenancies and individual tenancies in HMOs and on the whole find individual ones work better. Joint tenancies can be problematic when groups have formed just to fill the house. People with no compatibility signing a joint tenancy agreement with people they hardly know just so a few friends can rent a house that is too big for them.
    With individual tenancy agreements the newbie can be selected with compatibility in mind. Existing tenants can be part of the selection process. People can leave the household with no financial impact on the other housemates.
    Managing properties with individual tenancy agreements is far easier as communal areas can be entered without notice. HMOs with joint tenancy agreements require 24 hours notice to enter and even if you turn up at the request of one tenant another one will start screaming that you've illegally entered because they don't actually talk to eachother.

     
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    Usual assumption LLs evict for fun. No need for S.13, I’ll just use S.8 when they’re in arrears…if they’re not, then I’m happy for them to stay.

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    • 12 April 2022 10:11 AM

    These filthy useless parasites harassing landlords once again. Keep digging your own grave entitled cockcroaches.

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    Hilarious. These people are such fools. They keep campaigning for fewer landlords and more regulation/taxes, then complain bitterly about rents rocketing and no choice of rental housing. They really are that thick! You couldn’t make it up. These idiots ought to closely study the (presumably hidden?!) message in the S24 campaign ‘Axe the tenant tax’. They refused to believe us then and now it’s been proven to be correct, they still refuse to believe us now. There’s just no educating some people, now matter how obvious it is.

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    So true. I have an regular email that that I send to my Tory MP (a trail that I started in 2015 when S24 was proposed) pointing out all the various regulations and taxes and the effect on rental cost and availability. He's still in denial ...
    I'm awaiting the usual nonsense from Gove's department with respect to EPC C.

     
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    Not so much thick, but they operate like unions. They need donations, but to get the donations they have to be seen to be tackling problems. If all the problems are solved and everything is operating fairly, there is no need for these union-like charities. This is why they will never stop arguing, even if you gave them everything they demand - because then they’d be out of a job - and nobody likes jumping off a gravy train.

     
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    Maybe if i just hand over the keys and ownership of my properties to the tenants then these '' activists '' will be happy ??? ........ No of course they won't.

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    They would still want you to maintain and insure it for them free of charge of course.

     
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    Hi Jo, busy today didn’t get a chance to catch up on the blogs what you say is quite right. However there are other aspects to this which I have seen first hand some Landlords putting all sorts in rooms next to each other without consulting anyone, at the same time many are often sharing facilities like bathrooms & kitchens so they are all living together anyhow like it or not sometimes sharing the living room if they got one but bro often with room letting scenario there’s a bed in there as well. On the other hand if a group of friends come together and take the property as a whole it must be more safe for them, if they need to make a change of occupant they are in control and pick a suitable Flat mate instead of having one imposed on them. The Gas, Water, Electric and Council tax is also their responsibility. I know you are right access. I never wanted to be a HMO landlord it was forced upon me.
    Anyway your model is better for Landlords financially I will give you that.I also have to bear in mind if I have to go to Court to get my property back it’s one action as apposed to making several applications probably all Contracts ending at different times.

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    These gangs are not the least interested in tenants welfare they are solely united by their venomous and fanatical hatred of landlords and their families, there aim is to put every landlord and children in a concentration camp and even then they will want to go to the next step

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