A property law specialist wants a national register of tenants to allow landlords to check their history before rental agreements are signed.
Nyree Applegarth, a partner at West Midlands law firm Higgs LLP wants landlords to have the ability to search for previous County Court judgments against prospective tenants.
She claims the idea of a so-called Property Possession Order Register would safeguard landlords against damage to properties and non-payment, and limit disputes and associated litigation costs.
Campaigners have hit the headlines recently by criticising landlords for requesting personal statements and biographies from prospective tenants.
The National Residential Landlords Association agreed that the trend of asking for personal statements had the potential to lead to discrimination.
But Applegarth defends the idea, saying: “I can completely understand why landlords want to do background checks as thoroughly as possible.
“In fact, I would say obtaining references doesn’t go far enough. Just like when you apply for job, you will only ask for a reference from someone you know will respond positively. Even if the reference comes from an employer, they don’t really know how that person acts as a tenant.
“I am campaigning for the introduction of a Property Possession Order Register. That way landlords would be able to see what, if any, orders have been granted against that person in previous properties, either for non-payment or damage.
“This would help protect hardworking, honest landlords against poor tenants.”
To sign the petition, visit https://chng.it/5cPKPZyg
Her comments come against a backdrop of an increasing number of landlords leaving the sector due to tax changes and the imminent end of no-fault evictions.
Research by Savills found a significant number of landlords decided to exit when the sales market was particularly hot, with properties available to rent across the UK consequently falling in Q4 of 2022.
“Buy-to-let is no longer the investment dream it once was and we have a serious problem where more and more landlords are leaving the sector” claims Applegarth.
“The proposed end of no-fault eviction in the next one to two years means landlords will find it much more difficult to remove a tenant.
“The quality of the tenant living under your roof is a complete lottery at the moment. There are serial offenders who know how to play the system and know they can’t be evicted prior to six months of occupation.
“Furthermore, the maximum deposit a landlord can request is five weeks. That is unlikely to cover any significant damage.
“A Property Possession Order Register, administered by the courts, would help alleviate these concerns and could help reassure some landlords sufficiently to stay in the sector.
“Property disputes would also inevitably reduce, along with the costs of lengthy litigation.”
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Which will conveniently end up in a shredder
I don’t think that kind of Register
I don’t think that kind of Register is much use to landlords, very seldom are Tenants given Court Order’s usually if Tenants do wrong they fine the landlords.
The register needs to log rent payments and dates and any deductions made to the deposit.
The chances of getting a tenancy register is pure fantasy. Also it is not hard to get rid of a defaulting tenant. I have evicted over 350 tenants through the courts for nonpayment of rent with 100% success and it takes about two months from start to finish to get the possession order. Getting the bailiffs to remove a tenant can take longer. I’ve written a book on the subject, which shows how you can easily quickly and cheaply and legally evict tenants for nonpayment of rent at least on my experience and covers every problem, I have encountered evicting a tenant.
Unlike when I started, there was no rent guarantee insurance, which would address the concerns of a landlord about a defaulting tenant. It is reasonably cheap, probably cheaper and quicker than going through all the Referencing that many landlords do. A quick and simple answer to the problem.
I agree, there are plenty of serial rent defaulters the one that particularly annoys me is those on universal credit, who can keep the rent aspect of universal credit due to the insane policy of paying rent direct to the claimant. Once the landlord gets the payment safeguarded, which can take months which means that the landlord is paid directly the rent, the tenant moves on to do the same to another landlord. What we have is a whole army of rent Dodgers at the taxpayers expense, which could be solved at the stroke of a pen. Why work when you can earn more by not working, living on universal credit, by keeping the rent aspect tax free without any liability. It is not a crime to keep the rent, which should be paid to the landlord. Throw PIP in, and you’re better off than 70% of the working population.
Jim HaliburtonTheHMODaddy
Two months from start to finish to get the possession order? With our court system? I thought it would take a year just to get to court.
This is like the dreamland sequence in that episode of Dallas where Bobby came back to life 😂😂 Never going to happen.
Or when Fallon in Dynasty drove out to the desert and a UFO landed and took her away.
Signed - Anything to protect ourselves from poor quality tenants
While I agree with this in principle the issue is Shelter, Acorn, Gen Rent etc will jump all over this and say it’s discrimination and blame landlords for damp etc… I see Bealdes About has agreed with this point but why didn’t he offer something different to it?
Why can this not work with all councils, people on UC and the bloody NRLA, instead of personal statements why not traffic lights to show if there is issues.
Personally I don’t want to know about any tenant as long as they pay and respect the property they can do what they want. Green light means I’m renting to them, Red light as the great man once said Spells Danger..!
If Rogue Landlords are going to be Listed on a Government Portal . Why not Rogue tenants ?
I can’t see what difference a Landlord Rogue Register would make, they never refer to us as anything else.
😂😂😂
The government are not going to do anything that will be seen as a possible vote loser.
We all know which way the next election is going to go for the present government.
The next lot in power will hammer PRS LLs and those that haven’t already sold off their properties very quickly will do.
Then they will have no PRS LLs to house families.
There is no such thing as Council Housing any more and the great Ostrich Act of burying their heads in the sand and hoping it will all go away won’t work.
The PRS LLs have homed the vast majority of renters for many years now and the Government and Councils are doing the best they can to oust PRS LLs with no plan as to where or how they will house all these families that have nowhere to go for properties any more.
I’ve said it before and ill say it again.
B&Bs Cheap Budget Hotels and the Streets in that order.
These options are already happening in several Council Areas and will fill up very quickly.
Then What?
Answers on a Postcard to R S 10 Downing Street London
Then portable Cabins in the Sky that’s the whole idea. They are getting them ready in Towns & Cities near you. The big Corporate boys are coming much higher Rents for sure, per as the ones already completed £2’200. pm for one bed Flat in Greenford Quays. Its repeated Country wide look around you.
How about a voluntary register for good tenants? With the increasing competition for renters they could show they are good renters. I'm sure someone could develop a website where good tenants could be recorded. They could have a score for rent payments, feedback from previous landlords etc.
If it meant a prospective tenant had a better chance of securing a property by being on the register they might be keen on the idea.
If it works then it might be the case that landlords will only rent to tenants on the register.
Actually that's a really good idea!
I am happy to sign this not that I think it has a mission of being successful.
It is correct in principle and balanced and fair in a very out of balance PRS.
tenants and government ''Gove'' will be kicking themselves in the teeth in a few years with all these new laws and now interest increases will force 50% of landlords to pay tax on loses, they will force to sell or not enter the buy-to-let market.
wait for astronomical rent rises as supplies dry up well done Gove first rule of thumb dont fix what ant broke
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