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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Government tells landlords to consider reducing rent if tenants ask

The Scottish Government - which is already implementing a rent cap and eviction ban for the private sector - is now telling landlords to consider reducing rent if their tenants ask.

In new guidance issued over the weekend, the Scottish Government - ruled by a loose alliance between the Scottish National Party and the Green Party - tries to explain why it believes tenants in the private sector need both the rent cap and the eviction ban.

“Rented households are more likely to have lower household incomes, higher levels of poverty and to be financially vulnerable. Evidence shows that 40 per cent of private rented households in Scotland are estimated to be financially vulnerable, with savings which would cover less than one month of income at the poverty line, compared to 24 per cent of households buying with a mortgage and nine per cent of households owning outright” says the guidance. 

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It advises that private tenants should continue to pay their rent during this time but gives landlords a list of helplines and support services to which is can direct a tenant “who is struggling to pay their rent, or worried about paying their rent in the future.”

Then the guidance comes to the part about reducing rent.

It says: “In the face of the cost of living crisis, tenants may ask their landlords for a temporary change in the level of rent or the arrangements for payment. Landlords should be willing to consider such requests from the tenant to help sustain a tenancy by providing breathing space for tenants facing unexpected changes in their financial circumstances”

And it then advises that where landlords are willing t”o support a tenant” through a reduction in rent it is essential that both parties understand the details of the change – whether it is a partial reduction in rent, a rent holiday or some other adjustment to payment arrangement – and the timescale during which the change will be in place. 

“It is strongly recommended that such agreements are confirmed in writing” the guidance notes.

A complete moratorium on evictions has been extended to September 2023 meaning that landlords have very few options to obtain vacant possession of their properties including such circumstances as when tenants have stopped paying the rent or when the relationship between the tenant and the landlord has broken down. 

In addition, private sector rents cannot be raised until July at the earliest with notice having to be given this month - with any rent increases capped at three per cent. A rent freeze has already been in place since September 2022 until the end of last month, March.

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    I don’t need ANY advice from them. Never mind ‘breathing space’; stop suffocating landlords with red tape and extra costs yourselves before you start asking for rent reductions.

  • George Dawes

    They can reduce council tax while they’re at it

    Just asking

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    And Tax and mortgage interest please

     
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    • B L
    • 03 April 2023 12:44 PM

    When reasoning doesn't work, we force it.

     
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    They really are stretching the goodwill of the landlords . Is it not enough that we are being screwed for every penny. I had two rentals, one I recently sold last month (served notice in August before the SNP/Greens brought in their communist landlord regime)and the second I got the keys back on Saturday (tenant gave notice).that is now two less on the Market for rent and alongside other Landlords selling up, this will just increase rent prices, more need , less choice….what part of economics does the Scottish Government not understand !


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    “ .what part of economics does the Scottish Government not understand ! ”

    All of it!

     
  • Simon Scholes

    Why not ask supermarkets to reduce the price of food or oil companies to reduce the price of fuel or water companies to supply free water? 🙄

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    Yes, why pick on landlords.

     
  • James B

    Will they be telling British Gas to reduce bills if asked ? Or is their billion pound profits different

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    Aren't they funny!

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    Not when you live here!

     
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    I am so glad that I don't have to manage a business in Scotland. The red tape and socialist agenda seems very stifling and anti-business. Their loss paid for by the magic money tree once capital has left the country. Even worse than England.

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    Soaring rents are a direct result of government anti landlord policy. This is 100% a mess of their making and simply asking us to bail them out is ridiculous.

    Go tell your councils to reduce council tax if you care that much.

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    This is why I'm selling my portfolio in Scotland. I have already sold 2, currently have one under offer and I'm in the process of trying to gain possession of another one due to the current eviction ban and my tenants not leaving because they know they dont have to... I'd have to be a lunatic to continue in the PRS in Scotland. Time for a sharp exit!!

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    I always think that people who recommend that others should give money or assets away, should first commit to giving 25% of their own salary to those in need, perhaps this time to the homeless.

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    That's a great idea Ellie. But sadly these Champagne Socialists / Commies are great spenders of other peoples' money.

     
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    And often very mean themselves.

     
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    Perhaps they could tell lenders to reduce interest rates. Also they could reduce taxation of landlords. Then maybe rents could come down a bit!!

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    You wouldn't reduce one penny but your profits would rise

     
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    Yes, they are condoning ‘theft’ I suppose they will prevent shops and supermarkets from prosecuting so called poor shoplifters ’ next. It’s the fault of the economic policies and strategies of the government that poverty is rife. They are demonising’ the word ‘Landlord’ and using it as a scapegoat

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    • 03 April 2023 11:13 AM

    This is an unlawful breach: In the big-picture believer/non believer top-down customers will not be giving God or the law of the land any time soon. The Courts seemingly requires the believer/non believer God’s focus truth ‘top-down’ plan as in Richard Heaton's talk on the government's website, as government has REFUSED customers (tenants and landlords) customer care, unlawfully and are covering up negligence in the 'woke' ideology civil service/councils and in-turn the 2-way R & W power advisers when investigated -- improper management structures and missing comparable contract law for measuring 'reasonableness'.

    Yes you will get 2 way arguments as the Implied statue is missing for Richard Heaton's FUSION in a war between the 2 sides. The power groups' common law has breached the comparable FUSION (implied + common law) argument and a danger to customers' ( tenants and landlords) mental health, safety and causing serious financial loss by the confirmed common law system's solicitors attacks UK wide --who seemingly has ceased giving advice locally, but still blaming landlords

    Apparently another amendment to statute is required in an Act of Parliament to make any business sense (Implied statute + power groups common law), in the meantime it is instant TERMINATION of all civi service common law policies, as the good faith tenancies or letting agent management agreements have unlawfully been wiped out by the power group's biases in a war on tenants and landlords . The common law element on its own is unlawful according to Richard Heaton's talk on the Government's website in an endless 2-way customer smashing arguments. Common law Policies tried, cannot be delivered and are not-ft-for-purpose according to the grapevine's solicitors/departments, because of the FUSION MISTAKE by the inresponsible common law power groups including the confirmed common law solicitors' breach of good faith agreements (Implied statute + power groups' common law) Where is the implied statute for customer care -- the power group common law policies do not not stack up with Richard Heaton's talk in a 'woke' ideology unfair disjointed trading system?


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    Not him again.

     
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    • B L
    • 03 April 2023 12:23 PM

    Reducing rent is a breach of contract. This slogan sounds like taking landlords' credit but again on landlords' expenses. CalMac ferries fiasco costs £1.5 billion to sort out in Scotland, the tram project increased to £1 billion and yet incomplete. This is how SNP and Green Party waste the tax revenue. Suggest government consider to open the council offices and their homes to accommodate those who couldn't afford the rent to begin with to demonstrate their philosophy.

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    Next in Marxist Scotland, it will be rent free.

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    • B L
    • 03 April 2023 13:54 PM

    The fact is Shanghai and Beijing are the top 5 expensive cities in rental. So Marxism will not help the rental at all, but it is extremely dangerous to lead to totalitarianism. There won't be even a debate left. There are only four countries in the world still practice this belief. Seems Scotland is going backwards instead of going forwards.

     
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    I can't keep up with the Nazi politicians and their extremist rants any more , and have lost the will to even try

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    The landlord's EASY scapegoats for the government,
    its the government who abolished landlords' 10% furnishing allowance, told us to spend thousands to update EPCs, told us to spend thousands on mold prevention, told us to spend thousands by not allowing tenant fees, spend thousands on right to rent, told us to spend thousands on Deposit protections and inventories, spend thousands on tax for no mortgage relief and now telling the landlords to reduce rents, I don't see any banks reducing fees, councils reducing rates, water , electric etc reducing their charges, dont see tax man putting up the inheritance threshold or putting up the tax allowance,
    just Fxxk the GREEDY landlords the easy solution to everything.

  • PossessionFriendUK PossessionFriend

    Will Scottish government consider reducing Taxes if citizens ask ? - Bloody stupid comment !!!

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    We know exactly what is going on it’s a conspiracy, collusion at highest level to drive Private landlords out, how much more evidence do you need, if you were listening to LBC last night I gave them a list of 10 anti-landlords rules which all were read out on air as they were struggling to know why homeless had increased.
    I’am sure our colleague, Jo, could give them another 10.

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    I am sure we are all very grateful for your excellent representation of Landlords. You always identify the key points.

     
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    Good that you actually got them to take on board the issues Michael - I have approached Radio leftist 4 on several occasions and they do not even acknowledge me despite my providing a comprehensive and easy to understand explanation........I guess it would go against the BBC lefty agenda - I wish I had heard that LBC broadcast

     
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    Another 37 Bank Branches to close between 3 of them.
    Lloyds Bank, HSBC and Barclay Bank, more sites for Blocks of Residential Flats for them to get an alternative money streams the Government will look after them.

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    A few yrs ago the banks were busy selling off their freehold properties and leasing them back, so many of them won't be theirs to convert

     
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    How about Landlords tell government to consider reducing tax if public ask? We know what the answer will be don't we?

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    The SNP is neither pro Scottish nor is it nationalist.

    Its a Marxist internationalist insurgency intent on destroying the Scottish nation more surely than any government in Westminster has ever tried to do.

    This Landlords guidance us just a symptom of an illegal.government conning its way to total control through killing by "kindness"

    The Scottish people have a long history of falling for political con-men. They voted Labour long enough to prove that. Its about time they woke up to just how much damage they are doing to themselves.

    If politics were drink, they'd be told to abstain before it was too late.

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    Catherine this was it.
    There are a number of causes contributing to homeless,
    (1). The Housing Secretary driving out thousands of landlords with Unfairer Renters Reform Bill.
    (2). Removing Section 21, the very foundation of all Private Renting before which there wasn’t any and as you incorrectly stated to be outdated.
    (3). The licensing Schemes hugely expensive, difficult to achieve, time consuming and a money grab.
    (4). Shelter unjustified never ending attack on Private Landlord’s but don’t house anyone themselves.
    (5). Removal of Owners Rights doing away with Assured Shorthold Tenancies in affect creating life long Tenancies, this is totally unacceptable, it’s Privately owned and Privately funded not owned by the
    State.
    (6). The introduction of Section 24 taxing Private landlords on turnover instead of profit.
    (7). The huge rise in interest rates caused many to sell up as their position because untenable.
    (8). MEES / the Energy Performance rules increasing too expensive for some older properties.
    (9).The additional 3% Stamp Duty on landlords purchases on top of normal rates.
    (10). The huge burden of Administration Compliance Certification of Services and Appliances, “How 2 Rent” also “Right 2 Rent” share codes compulsory referencing etc.

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    Thanks Michael :).

     
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    6% stamp duty in Scotland….Time for a change…..But who can we vote for in Scotland? Torries are just as left as labour and the SNP is a dictatorship. Lib dems, I have no idea what their policies are! …

     
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    Michael, you did brilliantly!

    Were there any responses to what you said?

     
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    How about Shelter using some of that reported £48m tax free income for 2021 / 2022 to house some of the homeless instead of wasting it attacking Private landlords who house an estimated 9’000000.

  • John  Adams

    If you have property in Scotland you should be contacting the MSP and MP for that region. Inform them you are selling up and why. Tell them you will be informing the tenant that their MP is responsible for this situation. Until these MPs are given grief by evicted tenants they'll keep doing it. It's no use waiting for the NRLA to grow a spine and take these clowns to court, because frankly they are pitiful in their representation of landlords.

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    @John Adams - I agree and although not Scotland I have written to George Freeman MP on multiple occasions - he used to reply with platitudes but now doesn't even bother. So now whenever I advertise a house (and we all know the huge volume of applications we get) I tell every unsuccessful applicant i know how hard it us to get a good rental home and then explain the damage being caused by our goverment so that they are aware exactlyvwho is responsible for the chaos

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    Wave off council tax, energy bills and provide free payment on monthly basis , it will resolve the issues

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    I tell the government, if people ask they should reduce their tax burden!!

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    I was going to advertise my properties for free with bills included. I mean, why would I want to cover my costs!!

    Might even pay the tenant to live there actually..

    What a total joke these people really are!

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    And they are the ones running the country and deciding what you need to do as a landlord and how and increasingly more IF YOU WILL EVER GET YOUR PROPERTIES BACK. It's all really worrying listening to any of them.

     
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