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sad landlord
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sad landlord
Problem is, when you come to remortgage, if your rents are too low you have a problem.

From: sad landlord 11 August 2022 08:48 AM

sad landlord
Yes you are right, they should!!

From: sad landlord 06 August 2022 21:30 PM

sad landlord
The strange thing is, my mortgage guy tells me there are plenty of people buying properties to let, even though property prices locally have gone through the roof. I can only assume they haven't heard about the white paper!!

From: sad landlord 06 August 2022 21:27 PM

sad landlord
Totally agree, you can never get rid of that smell of dog even with professional carpet cleaning. Even extra deposit (when it was allowed) didn't cover the cost of new carpets. People suggest having laminate flooring but I had tenants who got a puppy (without permission) and it ruined the laminate flooring, which is even more expensive to replace than carpet.

From: sad landlord 05 August 2022 08:59 AM

sad landlord
I agree its all very well for those with no mortgages. Spare a thought for people with typical BTL deals on 2 year cycle, so every year half of them come up for remortgage. If you can be sure you will keep the properties longer then you can go for 5 year deals, but with the current state of things we might well need to sell up before then, and we don't need a massive early repayment penalty to add insult to injury.

From: sad landlord 04 August 2022 19:32 PM

sad landlord
Yes...and?? Perhaps local authorities should lobby the Government to make some positive changes for landlords, which might then increase the supply of rental properties. Like getting rid of S24, more powers to evict bad tenants more quickly etc etc. Otherwise things will just get even worse...

From: sad landlord 01 August 2022 08:54 AM

sad landlord
To be fair in tourist areas such as Cornwall it is an issue, but I would think most of those properties are or were cash purchases anyway, and there will be plenty of other lenders. It's just a publicity stunt from a lender pretending to have a social conscience.

From: sad landlord 01 August 2022 08:43 AM

sad landlord
Surely mortgage applications are assessed on income? So either they meet the income level required or they don't. Same as if owner occupiers wanted a bigger mortgage, it would be assessed on their income. I've had 2 couples who gave notice in 2020 to buy their own house.

From: sad landlord 01 August 2022 07:57 AM

sad landlord
It's an opportunity for yet more people to take a cut of any profits from BTL ie tax software companies, tax accountants etc. Can't see any way in which this is an opportunity for landlords, other than to shell out more cash and thus make another loss, or potentially put up rents to compensate.

From: sad landlord 30 July 2022 14:55 PM

sad landlord
Total shambles and as things stand proposals in the Gove White Paper will only make things worse.

From: sad landlord 30 July 2022 14:52 PM

sad landlord
Overall I just think Sunak's idea to get inflation down first is the best plan. Giving tax breaks etc will only make inflation worse, not sure Truss has much idea about finance. We need tenants who can afford to pay the rent, and so getting inflation under control seems the better plan out of this mess. Still not sure why businesses can't seem to get the staff they need mind you, when there are so many on benefits, unless they are all unemployable.

From: sad landlord 28 July 2022 20:13 PM

sad landlord
I wonder what they will come up with? Higher CGT or something else?

From: sad landlord 28 July 2022 20:07 PM

sad landlord
Totally agree and similar situation. Great shame for all the good tenants who will struggle to find anywhere to live when we sell up. Just sold a property with tenants in situ, its taken nearly a year, and price approx 8% less than I might have got if it was vacant, so not going to do that again.

From: sad landlord 28 July 2022 20:07 PM

sad landlord
Now is the time for all of us to review all tenancies, before the law changes, and S21 any tenants where there are issues with rent or any other problems.

From: sad landlord 27 July 2022 09:54 AM

sad landlord
I agree a low EPC might deter investors, until there is some certainty about the Govts plans. However for owner occupiers the main issue is surely that prices have shot up, so I'd guess they will still be willing to buy a low EPC property, and the rules of supply and demand will apply. Many people still look for "character" and "period features" rather than energy efficiency. Also a lot of holiday lets are "character cottages" which have a low EPC, so there is still that market available if the property is in the right area.

From: sad landlord 27 July 2022 09:47 AM

sad landlord
You are right, houses seem to have gone up a lot more than flats

From: sad landlord 26 July 2022 08:53 AM

sad landlord
Well best of luck to them, if they are going to be buying up the properties we don't want!! Will be an extra 3000 homes available for renters, which will help a bit with the shortage. Will be interesting to see how affordable the rents are though, once they have invested all that money they will want a decent return on it.

From: sad landlord 26 July 2022 08:51 AM

sad landlord
Yes I have noticed this too. Then I was a FTB I could only afford a studio flat!! Which then was in negative equity for years. Now people think a FTB property is a 3 bed house. Something not quite right there.

From: sad landlord 25 July 2022 18:51 PM

sad landlord
Nothing would persuade me to take this bribe, even if it was offered in my area. I guess if someone had a "hard to rent" property then it might be an option.

From: sad landlord 25 July 2022 18:29 PM

sad landlord
Yes it's an obvious and simple solution, which we can all see, but sadly those making all the decisions can't seem to see it. Makes you wonder.

From: sad landlord 25 July 2022 18:27 PM

sad landlord
The process of being a landlord has its own life cycle. At the start you are keen and you buy properties, then at some point you start selling. For a while you might do both ie sell off some and buy something different, and eventually they will all get sold, or passed on to children. So any survey is going to pick that up and depending who responds, might give a skewed picture. Handelsbanken presumably surveyed its own customers who might not be representative of all landlords.

From: sad landlord 25 July 2022 10:43 AM

sad landlord
Well they will be on benefits, but you will find even if the benefits are paid direct to landlord this will be weeks late, and there will still be a shortfall every month.

From: sad landlord 25 July 2022 09:18 AM

sad landlord
It's called market forces, supply and demand. This applies to all areas of the economy. It's not just landlords, it's all businesses. Just another excuse to trot out the "greedy landlords" phrase.

From: sad landlord 25 July 2022 09:15 AM

sad landlord
Surely it just means the house goes with the job, if they aren't doing the job any more then the house is needed for whoever is.

From: sad landlord 23 July 2022 13:03 PM

sad landlord
Hmmm, so where do Landlords go to complain about the behaviour of tenants, the damage they have inflicted on a property, and the money they owe? Are they going to have to pay up to £25,000 compensation? Thought not. Bit one sided isn't it? I foresee a tsunami of evictions before all this becomes law.

From: sad landlord 23 July 2022 10:27 AM

sad landlord
Well fine, as long as landlords can increase the charges passed on to tenants in line with actual increases in bills, then fair enough to pass on any rebates. However as most landlords won't be doing that, then they are bearing the additional cost, and should therefore receive the rebate.

From: sad landlord 22 July 2022 18:40 PM

sad landlord
The questions are specifically about the white paper proposals, so any comments about all the other previous attacks on landlords would most likely be ignored. Problem is, if the only responses they get are from anti-landlord groups, then they still may not grasp the simple truth that there will be far fewer rental properties, and therefore life will be much more difficult for all tenants.

From: sad landlord 22 July 2022 09:47 AM

sad landlord
Agree they have made it much more difficult. It's a great shame about the library. I am only staying because of the helpline and as a general principle, in the hope they are lobbying for us, but that's looking very dubious these days.

From: sad landlord 22 July 2022 09:20 AM

sad landlord
Hmmm I wonder what the catch is. The one thing you can rely on as a landlord is that everyone you deal with is taking money out of your account, estate agents, solicitors, HMRC, lenders, insurance companies, letting agents, tradesmen etc etc etc. We are like a cash machine.

From: sad landlord 20 July 2022 08:55 AM

sad landlord
I think it just shows that those coming up with these ideas know very little about the PRS and make all sorts of incorrect assumptions. Problem is those assumptions could well make things a whole lot worse, which you would have to hope is not what is intended. They would only need to ask about half a dozen actual landlords to get all the information they need, but clearly that's too difficult.

From: sad landlord 16 July 2022 17:48 PM

sad landlord
Why is it that every survey in the last 10 years shows the same thing, 80% tenants happy, yet we are treated as though 80% were unhappy? Soon they will be unhappy because they won't be able to find anywhere to live, or the only place they can get won't be anything like what they want. Would like to think there might be some changes with Johnson and Gove both gone, but that may be too much to hope for.

From: sad landlord 11 July 2022 10:25 AM

sad landlord
Insurance policies may not pay out, so I think these days the best option is higher rent where there are pets. Basically we match the rent to the risk of damage. The other option is tenants to pay for own floor coverings. I just had tenants with a dog ask me to pay for new carpets, I declined and I told them why.

From: sad landlord 08 July 2022 09:52 AM

sad landlord
Well at least the total disarray might slow up the demise of the PRS. Which would be a good thing for tenants as well as landlords.

From: sad landlord 06 July 2022 22:25 PM

sad landlord
Completely agree. I thought when they elected Bojo as leader, is this really the best you can come up with? And as for Gove. Makes me feel sick.

From: sad landlord 06 July 2022 22:23 PM

sad landlord
The sooner Johnson and Gove go away, the better for the country. Sadly the Conservatives are no longer the party supporting hard working people and businesses.

From: sad landlord 06 July 2022 09:14 AM

sad landlord
Having googled insurance for pet damage in rental properties apparently tenants could get insurance against being taken to court by 3rd parties ie if their dog attacks someone or damages someone else's property (ie landlords). Problem would be even if they took out such insurance at start of tenancy they could presumably cancel it any time, and you'd have to take them to court. Often it's the smell that's the worst thing, and the court won't really get the full effect of that unless they visit the property, and you'd obviously lose months of rent in the meantime. I have found even professional carpet cleaning doesn't get rid of that smell, you have to get rid of the carpets and underlay and replace with new.

From: sad landlord 04 July 2022 21:58 PM

sad landlord
Good idea! I would think you could justify it on the basis of the lower risk of damage where there is no pet, and citing previous examples of cost of repairs after pet damage.

From: sad landlord 04 July 2022 21:30 PM

sad landlord
Quite right, and by the time the chickens come home to roost, Gove and Johnson will be off to pastures new.

From: sad landlord 02 July 2022 17:32 PM

sad landlord
Presumably they are already seeing less properties on their books with landlords selling up, and less turnover as tenants aren't moving. The odd property that makes it to an advert generally says "fully booked for viewings" so dead easy to rent, but their profits must be down already?

From: sad landlord 02 July 2022 16:53 PM

sad landlord
Yes totally understandable, and many other landlords are doing the same. It will be a great shame for all those good tenants who will find it more and more difficult to find a home. How long until the Govt and all the anti landlord groups realise what they have done?

From: sad landlord 02 July 2022 15:58 PM

sad landlord
You can still give notice at 2 months arrears, this is to stop those annoying tenants who, when it gets to the court date, pay off just enough to get below the 2 months arrears. It doesn't mean they can build up 6 months.

From: sad landlord 02 July 2022 15:55 PM

sad landlord
Excellent points on the issue of renting in retirement. Probably not currently a major problem, but may well be in years to come. Typical older people now may well own a property that really needs renovation, so it can hard for them to move as the sort of place they might like to move to might well be more expensive (speaking from experience of friends with elderly parents). The worst situation now is probably for young families with several kids and pets and on benefits as they are really not an attractive proposition to most landlords.

From: sad landlord 28 June 2022 13:53 PM

sad landlord
In the news today: The population of England and Wales has risen to 59,597,300, results of the 2021 census show. It grew by more than 3.5 million (6.3%) since the last census in 2011 and there are more people over 65 than ever. Ideal time to get rid of the PRS, when more people need housing than ever!! Makes you wonder what they are thinking.

From: sad landlord 28 June 2022 13:38 PM

sad landlord
As we have all said before, this is tragic for tenants, and it's unbelievable that those making the rules can't see what is going to happen when it's totally obvious.

From: sad landlord 28 June 2022 09:52 AM

sad landlord
Agree, its absolutely stupid to suggest this and I'm guessing this winter the black mould problem will be much worse than usual. As even more people will be turning heating down and not using the tumble dryer (unless they aren't paying the bills).

From: sad landlord 28 June 2022 09:48 AM

sad landlord
Totally agree. Where do they get the "extra £800 per month" from?? All my rents are less than £800 a month, and that's for 2 and 3 bed houses. If they were paying £800 plus my mortgage plus all maintenance costs their rent would be much higher than it is.

From: sad landlord 28 June 2022 09:44 AM

sad landlord
Oh dear not this old chestnut again. You can't reasonably compare rent payments to mortgage payments, unless you add in all the maintenance costs, which tenants don't have to pay for. I had tenants buy their own place after 9 years of renting from me (yes they managed to save up the deposit) and they told me their mortgage plus all the insurances etc was the same as the rent, and that's before any property maintenance costs. Within a week of moving they asked me for my plumber's number. Welcome to the expensive world of property maintenance. On average tenants earn less than home owners, yes of course they do, that's why they are tenants not home owners! We have a system where if you work hard and save up then you will probably be able to buy a property if you want to.

From: sad landlord 28 June 2022 09:34 AM

sad landlord
Totally agree

From: sad landlord 27 June 2022 09:50 AM

sad landlord
Problem is, this is not proper research. Buildings insurance for rental properties is higher than for equivalent type of properties that are owner occupied. This is not because of the properties themselves, in fact rentals have to have safety checks that owner occupiers don't have to bother with. It's down to tenant behaviour. For example fires are more likely in rental properties due to smoking, electrical faults (with tenant's appliances not the electrical supply), chip pan fires, tenants having disabled smoke alarms, not replaced batteries, rubbish being piled up etc. Tenants are less likely to notice faults like leaks, and where they do, they don't always bother to report them until the ceiling falls in. And as for black mould that tenants insist is caused by damp coming in through the walls, in my experience it is always caused by tenant lifestyle, drying washing indoors, never opening the windows, etc. So it's not the property that is more unsafe, it is the tenants that directly cause those safety issues. This should be a valid reason for giving notice, but of course it won't be in future.

From: sad landlord 27 June 2022 09:49 AM

sad landlord
If you want to sell a property (for any reason) then that will be an acceptable reason for giving notice. They are not (at this stage) going to prevent people selling their properties. If they did try to stop properties being sold, then the BTL mortgage market would collapse as lenders obviously expect to repossess and sell the property if the mortgage is not being paid. So the only rental properties would be those with no mortgage.

From: sad landlord 27 June 2022 09:34 AM

sad landlord
Agree in future we will have to pick and choose even more carefully. However we might have a better pool of applicants to choose from. Problem is what do you say to all the unsuccessful ones, you can't stop them applying unless you say something you won't be allowed to say, like no pets.

From: sad landlord 23 June 2022 18:00 PM

sad landlord
I agree "additional properties" could be anything. Some might be BTL but equally second homes, holiday lets, people moving house who buy before selling existing home etc.

From: sad landlord 23 June 2022 09:38 AM

sad landlord
The biggest issues in the past may be different to the biggest issues in the future. We already have to contend with extra stamp duty, Section 24, rent arrears, damage to property, etc. Biggest problem for tenants will be actually finding anywhere to live, unfortunately. For landlords it will be whether there is any point in continuing in this business, and when to sell up. For those who carry on, being much more selective about who you rent your property to, getting rid of anything which won't meet EPC-C, and grappling with making tax digital. Happy days.

From: sad landlord 23 June 2022 09:29 AM

sad landlord
I meant a vote winner amongst the millions of people who have only one house. They generally think it's a good idea for "richer" people to pay more tax.

From: sad landlord 22 June 2022 18:42 PM

sad landlord
I agree and if I was that desperate for some cash I'd sell a rental property, but for those with the space who can't work extra hours or get a better paid job, its surely an option?

From: sad landlord 22 June 2022 18:40 PM

sad landlord
Maybe this will take off with the "cost of living crisis"? After all its potentially a relatively easy way to make some extra money to cover bills etc, if you have the space.

From: sad landlord 22 June 2022 18:39 PM

sad landlord
Whilst the lower cost and the company might be appealing, I'd guess the annoyance of other people's washing up in the sink, dirty bathrooms, and all those things that sharers complain about might be even more galling to someone not recently out of a student house.

From: sad landlord 22 June 2022 18:21 PM

sad landlord
Interesting. I did wonder whether any of my tenants might do this, but as they are generally paying below market rent for 2/3 bed houses, unless they moved to a flat there would not be much of a saving. And whenever I advertise I always get loads of people desperate to move to a house from a flat.

From: sad landlord 22 June 2022 18:19 PM

sad landlord
It's beneficial to the Treasury, and that's all that seem to matter. Unfortunately it's an easy target and supposedly a vote winner, as of course anyone buying a 2nd property for whatever reason is portrayed as a greedy grasping millionaire not just a normal person trying to make a living or move house. Many of those who don't have one property, for whatever reason, can't see any reason why anyone should have more than one.

From: sad landlord 22 June 2022 18:14 PM

sad landlord
I thought rent guarantee insurance had died a death, due to the pandemic? Has it come back to life?

From: sad landlord 21 June 2022 20:12 PM

sad landlord
Neither does it mention that rent includes buildings insurance and all property maintenance, new boiler, roof repairs, fences, tree work etc. Some tenants have a nasty shock when they buy a place and have to find their own plumber, I have had at least 3 contact me after they have moved wanting contact details of tradesmen....urgently due to leaks, tiles off roof, gutters blocked etc etc. Welcome to the real world of property ownership.

From: sad landlord 21 June 2022 20:07 PM

sad landlord
Never heard of a tenant hiring a professional cleaner!! Have had to replace carpets several times once tenants with dogs have moved out, and guess what, the deposit didn't cover the damage. Also had tenants get thousands in arrears due to vet bills. So really not keen on pets for good reasons. I had cats myself but they trashed the flooring, peed in corners etc, you can't stop them. When prospective tenants say they have a "well behaved cat" I laugh out loud, there is no such thing.

From: sad landlord 21 June 2022 19:57 PM

sad landlord
Clearly they won't be happy until tenants can do whatever they want in a property, and stay as long as they want. Problem is, that's what can happen only when you work hard and buy your own property, not when you rent someone else's property.

From: sad landlord 20 June 2022 08:56 AM

sad landlord
Currently 38%, but whenever I advertise a property the first question is do you take pets? Then, is it a long let? Then, how much is the rent, deposit etc? Despite all this being clearly stated in the advert, if they did but read it.

From: sad landlord 17 June 2022 20:04 PM

sad landlord
You are right about the carpets. No amount of cleaning gets rid of those pet smells. Interesting that the housing association locally lets all properties with no carpets, so tenants have to provide their own, whether there are pets or not.

From: sad landlord 17 June 2022 19:59 PM

sad landlord
I agree this is all really annoying and unfair on decent landlords. However if I was a tenant, especially one on benefits, I'd be even more worried. Shelter can explain to them why rents are so high, and why landlords won't take them on, not greedy landlords, just another failed government policy.

From: sad landlord 16 June 2022 09:35 AM

sad landlord
Can't see how this could be anything other than a disastrous policy for the thousands on waiting lists. Surely housing associations need to be financially viable and if they have to sell off properties cheap and then provide replacements, they will go bankrupt? Even more tenants will then be looking for housing in the PRS, but probably not the sort of tenants most landlords will be interested in.

From: sad landlord 09 June 2022 20:06 PM

sad landlord
Unfortunately we are hard wired to be anxious about everything, and so as Jo says we do need to take positive steps to address this. Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. It doesn't help that the media keeps showing food banks etc, rather than how to access education to manage your life and finances better. Also I agree that landlords already have plenty of reasons to be anxious, including the possibility that their tenants will stop paying the rent.

From: sad landlord 09 June 2022 09:52 AM

sad landlord
Don't see how moving house from time to time ruins anyone's life. Some people choose to do this, to move nearer work or relatives for example. Certainly in the past there were plenty of rental properties available for good tenants. Sadly not the case now, due to landlords selling up etc but no landlord evicts good tenants or sells the property without good reason.

From: sad landlord 07 June 2022 17:57 PM

sad landlord
Well no surprise there. Just so tragic for tenants that the people who are claiming to support them are causing the problem. What will it take for them to wake up and see what they are doing?

From: sad landlord 06 June 2022 09:39 AM

sad landlord
Nothing would persuade me to take up this offer. It's a scandal that councils only want good tenants and they don't want to house anyone with problems. They expect the PRS to do that!! I had nice tenants who decided to move to a rough area to be nearer a relative with health problems. They applied for social housing as very few private lets there and the questionnaire asked them all about rent arrears, drug / alcohol problems etc etc basically any problems and they would not have been accepted!!

From: sad landlord 01 June 2022 09:03 AM

sad landlord
Very unlikely that £400 would cover the increased cost of utilities in the vast majority of shared houses, must be a nightmare for those landlords.

From: sad landlord 30 May 2022 08:49 AM

sad landlord
Also bearing in mind estate agents and solicitors generally advise to sell a property with vacant possession, so its quite hard to persuade them that you want to sell with tenants in situ even if you want to (less potential buyers) and they generally say you will get 10-20% less for the place.

From: sad landlord 26 May 2022 16:28 PM

sad landlord
To be fair its possible that a landlord fully intends to sell but then things go wrong, either with the sale process, their personal situation, or the housing market. eg If it was a repeat of 2007/ 2008 then the price may crash in a short period, and then its not viable to sell as nobody is buying for a year or 2. I had a property in negative equity for about 10 years (bought in 1989).

From: sad landlord 26 May 2022 16:25 PM

sad landlord
In my experience the majority of younger people want to pay as little rent as possible, and keep their money for car, mobile phone, going out, holidays etc etc. There may be a market for this in London and a few other cities and that's fine. I don't think it will offer much competition for the majority of landlords.

From: sad landlord 25 May 2022 16:58 PM

sad landlord
I agree. Very high demand locally for the type of properties I have, so quite happy to see BTR, makes mine look very good value for money!! I had 2 nicely furnished shared houses with kitchen equipment etc provided, and professional tenants who broke everything and could wreck a new frying pan with one use, so not missing that game at all.

From: sad landlord 25 May 2022 16:53 PM

sad landlord
Bugbears are all very well, the challenge is how to predict which tenants will create them. Sometimes it's the ones you don't expect. All tenants will say they will pay the rent, they will keep the place nice and look after the garden. Some claim they will make improvements, but they rarely do. I don't think agents are any better at predicting this than the average landlord. Also I'm not sure there is less turnover when using an agent? In order of annoyance: Not paying the rent Damage to the property including black mould and poor redecorating Leaving the garden in a state Pet damage including carpets having to be replaced Being rude and unpleasant If they don't turn up for the viewing that's fine, I can cross them off the list as time-wasters. I have nice tenants, but I am happy for them to move on as I would be able to increase the rent significantly!! So not that bothered about tenant retention in the current market.

From: sad landlord 24 May 2022 09:06 AM

sad landlord
Surely the solicitor who dealt with your sale would know? Or if they don't know they should find out from HMRC?

From: sad landlord 24 May 2022 08:46 AM

sad landlord
I am pretty sure they will have to allow landlords to give notice in order to sell the property. If for no other reason than lenders won't lend on property that can't be sold, so it would cause the collapse of the sector.

From: sad landlord 14 May 2022 09:33 AM

sad landlord
Previously it has been said that valid grounds for giving notice will include selling the property or needing it back to live in yourself. We will have to wait and see the detail but it has been suggested this will have to be included or the whole sector will collapse. Not just because landlords will sell up, but also mortgage lenders won't lend if they can't repossess the property in the event of default on the mortgage. So mortgage lenders may in fact save the sector inadvertently. There's a thought.

From: sad landlord 11 May 2022 10:04 AM

sad landlord
I am in favour of clamping down on rogue landlords and improvements to properties which are genuinely unsafe. Surely it would be possible to do this without making things impossible for decent landlords with decent properties? There is no point saying 22% of renters did not end their last tenancy by choice without giving the actual reasons. No landlord evicts decent tenants who are paying the rent. In any case, where do they get these figures from? There is currently no credible organisation collecting data from all tenants as to why they left their previous property. Presumably this is data from shelter who only get to meet a small proportion of tenants. Those will be tenants who can't find a new place and who will have been given notice for reasons they may not be honest about. When I gave notice to some nightmare tenants they told their new landlord a load of lies about why they were moving.

From: sad landlord 11 May 2022 10:00 AM

sad landlord
Either they can see it but they don't care or they are so deluded that they really think it a good idea. Presumably they think it's a vote winner.

From: sad landlord 11 May 2022 09:44 AM

sad landlord
“These reforms will help more people own their own homes” according to the government. How can this possibly be the case?? Do they mean there will be less properties available to rent, so people will somehow have to buy? In which case they will have to force mortgage lenders to completely change their criteria to 100% mortgages and no affordability or credit checks.

From: sad landlord 11 May 2022 09:40 AM

sad landlord
Another few nails in the coffin, so sad for all those decent people who want to rent but are going to find it more and more difficult. Why can't these campaigners and the Govt see the blindingly obvious. None of this is actually going to help tenants.

From: sad landlord 11 May 2022 09:35 AM

sad landlord
It is very sad for decent tenants who just need a place to live. It's also a tragedy that landlords seem to be the only people who recognise this problem, and that those who could make a difference ie Govt are totally taken in by the nonsense from Shelter and other anti-landlord groups. I have nice tenants and I will be very sad when I have to give them notice and they have nowhere to go.

From: sad landlord 05 May 2022 10:54 AM

sad landlord
I agree this would be better, also direct payments for gas electricity water and council tax. Problem with any sort of vouchers, there would probably be a black market as they will get traded by some for cash to pay for other things....sad to say

From: sad landlord 02 May 2022 09:12 AM

sad landlord
They always seem to have 3 dogs as well. Its not just dog food, worse arrears situation I had was a couple who spent all their money on vet bills. Also makes you wonder how we, our parents and grand parents all survived years ago when there was no central heating.

From: sad landlord 01 May 2022 22:15 PM

sad landlord
Problem is with property prices as they are, anyone starting out now would soon run out of money without borrowing. Most BTL deals are 75% LTV so the investor takes all the risk and again, soon runs out of money, unless entering into the sort of "joint ventures" advertised by some landlord education.

From: sad landlord 29 April 2022 17:56 PM

sad landlord
I always get a CCJ on point of principle. I believe it hinders them in many ways financially for 6 years, can't get sky TV, mobile phone on contract, loan, mortgage etc etc. Just had bailiffs call me about the latest idiots, they don't answer the door but they have a new car so that's the next step.

From: sad landlord 29 April 2022 17:46 PM

sad landlord
Brian, It is generally said that the worst thing a landlord can do is sell, because they then lose the income from that property. The decision to sell is largely driven by government policy and taxation, or because the landlord needs the money out to pay for repairs at another property or some other crisis. We can see that EPC C is going to have this effect. If a property doesn't stack up financially then it has to be sold. A landlord who is struggling financially will be unable to afford to maintain their properties. I just had to pay out £5000 for roof repairs and £3200 for new fences. The government gives no assistance to landlords and now doesn't even allow mortgage interest payments to be treated as a business expense. So if the government improved things for landlords (less unfair taxation, less regulation etc) then they would be less likely to sell, there would be more rental properties, more people would be investing, and things would also be better for tenants. I should also say the time, stress and expense of being a landlord can be horrendous, especially if you are unlucky enough to have any bad tenants.

From: sad landlord 28 April 2022 09:32 AM

sad landlord
It would be interesting to know whether the treasury's income from landlords has increased or decreased over the last few years. Also the scale of consequences including the effect on the types of rental property and the average rents, and waiting lists for housing of different types. I'm guessing more properties have been shifted from family lets to HMO's or serviced accommodation but not sure there's been any proper research on this.

From: sad landlord 28 April 2022 09:14 AM

sad landlord
I wish they would give up this nonsensical idea that landlords just randomly give notice to tenants for no reason. Why would we? Every change of tenants costs us time and money. We only give notice to tenants where there is a good reason such as rent arrears, damage to property, or anti-social behaviour affecting other tenants or neighbours. Section 21 is often used as a back up to Section 8 just in case for some technical reason the section 8 fails.

From: sad landlord 28 April 2022 09:01 AM

sad landlord
Not sure about this. For home owners it might be nice to know your house is worth more than you paid for it, but unless you remortgage you can't extract any of the equity until you sell. Then unless you move to a cheaper property you are no better off, and you will have the costs of buying and selling to contend with. Tenants have protections that home owners don't, also the costs of moving to cheaper accommodation are far less than buying and selling. Mainly a removals van if you don't have a mate with a van. I do agree if you were a FTB in 2019 you would have got a much better deal than a FTB today.

From: sad landlord 28 April 2022 08:54 AM

sad landlord
A strange headline as most people think in terms of the rent per calendar month (pcm) and not the annual figure. Even mortgage lenders want to know the pcm figure. Also surely its more relevant to know the percentage increase? Yes rents are likely to increase for all the reasons we know ie the squeeze on landlords which can't just be absorbed for year after year.

From: sad landlord 28 April 2022 08:43 AM

sad landlord
I think it is easy to under-estimate the costs of renovation, especially if you don't factor in your own time and the lost rent while you are renovating. Too many people watching homes under the hammer perhaps. If all this is true then investors might cotton on and then it will be impossible to sell shabby houses at such high prices. The only people who will pay over the odds will be people who specifically want to live in that street / area and where improved houses rarely come up.

From: sad landlord 27 April 2022 18:41 PM

sad landlord
Well yes the value of property tends to go up (except if you are really unlucky as I was between 1989 and 2007). It's called inflation. Problem is that doesn't translate into cash in the bank until you sell (when of course you pay CGT) or you remortgage. At that point you can work out whether you got out more than you put in, allowing for inflation. It's all part of the "rich greedy landlords" rhetoric. Tenants and should ask themselves, do you want your landlord to be struggling financially? Because if they are then less chance of repairs being done, and no chance of any flexibility on the rent in the event of a pandemic.

From: sad landlord 26 April 2022 20:10 PM

sad landlord
Totally agree. They can't possibly have this information as there is no register of all rental properties. Nobody has ever checked any of mine (they happen to be all in good repair). I'm not saying there are no properties in need of repair, but Its just a wild guess.

From: sad landlord 21 April 2022 19:32 PM

sad landlord
In terms of "the quality of the private rental sector" I'm unconvinced there is actually any accurate data on this. I am sure there are good and bad and everything in between, and clearly a shortage, judging by the interest in every property advertised. But there is no assessment or even register of all rental properties, so nobody can possibly know the quality.

From: sad landlord 21 April 2022 18:13 PM

sad landlord
Surely there is a difference between unregulated / unaccredited landlords and those who flout the law? It's perfectly legal to rent a property as long as you follow the rules. No accreditation is required as an individual. Not sure about letting agents. I'm guessing more and more tenants are looking on social media, so surely it's up to landlords to decide whether this is a good way to find the right sort of tenants? Not something I would try mind you.

From: sad landlord 20 April 2022 15:51 PM

sad landlord
What a load of nonsense!! I have never let a property on a first come first served basis!! It's not a buyer's market and we all know the reasons for that. I always ask for some information to allow me to decide who to offer viewings to. I don't expect anyone to pay more than the asking price, but I do need to know they can afford it. Worst tenants I ever had were a young family with 3 young children, trashed the place, rent arrears, very rude, never again.

From: sad landlord 14 April 2022 08:35 AM

sad landlord
It's also an uphill struggle for landlords to find reliable contractors to do any work these days. I don't know whether it's brexit, covid or something else but certainly in the south west there is a shortage of tradesmen. If a tenant reports a problem I immediately try to get someone to fix it, but even for urgent problems there can be a long wait until someone can fit it in. And as for non-urgent problems, I had part of a fence blown down in the gales, my fence man was busy with fallen trees for weeks, tenants moaning even though it's not causing them any problems. Tenants get the same service as I do for problems with my own house, but they seem to think everything should be fixed next day.

From: sad landlord 14 April 2022 08:26 AM

sad landlord
More a list of things to consider. As it's not a buyers market then unfortunately most prospective tenants are lucky to get a viewing. I usually get over 40 enquiries in a week, and I might offer 8 viewings. Tenants would definitely need to ask about redecorating and pets. My rents are always fair so if they try to haggle on that then its a big no from me I am afraid.

From: sad landlord 12 April 2022 10:04 AM

sad landlord
You are quite right. Suggesting rents are higher than mortgages is just another way of implying landlords are greedy. As you say, rent doesn't include safety checks, property maintenance including big ticket items like new boilers and roof repairs, or property insurance. Its so annoying.

From: sad landlord 04 April 2022 09:57 AM

sad landlord
Totally agree, there is more help for tenants than homeowners!! Surely tenants are responsible for their own energy use? (except in those HMO's where its included with the monthly rent). So glad I got rid of my HMO's, where tenants would turn the heating up and then just open the windows if it was too hot for them rather than turn it down! And then go out leaving the heating on full blast. Surely this hike in energy costs will make HMO's even less worthwhile?

From: sad landlord 04 April 2022 09:49 AM

sad landlord
I think you have misunderstood what I was saying. The tax system currently favours holiday lets over family rentals in Devon and Cornwall. They even got a payout in the pandemic due to paying business rates not council tax. I was simply stating that there are a lot of student houses in Falmouth, I don't know the details of each one, but I would assume they are mainly more financially viable for the landlord than a family let, or they wouldn't be doing it. The student demand has also pushed up house prices in the area in recent years. I agree the costs of running HMOs are much higher and the hassle factor, which is why I got rid of mine.

From: sad landlord 25 March 2022 19:57 PM

sad landlord
Do you mean HMO's or holiday lets? I already had HMO's thanks.

From: sad landlord 24 March 2022 17:38 PM

sad landlord
Yes you are right, but I don't think the main problem is people with second homes who also rent them out to visitors for part of the year. The main problem is former family home type rentals which are now either student HMO's in Falmouth or holiday lets / air BNB because the tax regime is more generous. All that needs to happen is for the Govt to make longer term lettings more financially attractive and some holiday lets would revert to family homes.

From: sad landlord 24 March 2022 10:11 AM

sad landlord
None of it makes sense. Perhaps they think by freezing benefits then landlords will be forced to freeze rents? Many tenants who are eligible for benefits also won't be able to afford increased energy costs. If they set caps on rent then many landlords will increase their rents up to the cap level. It will only benefit the more well off renters who are in the more expensive rental properties. Landlords might then decide to sell those properties or convert to holiday lets / airBNB. None of these policies will have the desired effect of making rental properties more available or attractive. I guess they are so out of touch with the real world of ordinary people that they can't see any of these obvious things?

From: sad landlord 24 March 2022 10:01 AM

sad landlord
The problem in Falmouth is that the powers that be decided to locate a university campus there without thinking about the massive impact on the local property market. Prices have sky rocketed and many former family homes are now student HMOs. Falmouth/Penryn was already a popular tourist area and so perhaps not really a very good place to locate a university as it's not a large town. Not really the fault of landlords and to be fair, students have to live somewhere!! If there were less students then some of the properties would probably revert to family homes. I'd agree holiday lets make the situation worse, but all the Government has to do is adjust the taxation regimes in favour of family homes and there would be a shift back in that direction.

From: sad landlord 24 March 2022 09:25 AM

sad landlord
So glad I got rid of my HMO's. Occupied by "young professionals" ie the people we are supposed to be saving the planet for. On weekly visits I saved plenty of recyclables from the general waste as they really could not be bothered. I took tons of their empty bottles to the bottle bank. Really don't miss sorting other people's rubbish. My other tenants pay their own council tax so I think the council can send them whatever information they want about recycling.

From: sad landlord 18 March 2022 09:03 AM

sad landlord
Totally agree, the £150 is being offered because of increased energy costs so should go to whoever pays those bills. So glad I got rid of my HMO's because this is going to be a nightmare.

From: sad landlord 07 March 2022 09:24 AM

sad landlord
Best tip - don't buy a property at auction.

From: sad landlord 05 March 2022 16:15 PM

sad landlord
Garden landscaping, that's a laugh, most don't even keep on top of basic gardening, cutting the grass and weeding as stated in the tenancy agreement. At the end of the tenancy instead of the nice garden that was handed over the landlord has a weed infested area with brambles and a lawn that has been killed by what dog has been doing. Lovely.

From: sad landlord 14 December 2021 10:11 AM

sad landlord
Yes in 10 years I have never known tenants to do any decorating that has enhanced the property in any way, generally it counts as damage as its had to be repaired before the place can be rented to anyone else. Garish colours and total lack of skill, when they paint a wall they get paint on ceilings, carpets, woodwork etc. Also painting kitchen cupboards and other doors in an amateurish way. Of course they think its an improvement, but its not!!

From: sad landlord 14 December 2021 10:02 AM

sad landlord
I think it's legal to sell to whoever you want, but they will need to include a restrictive covenant to ensure whoever buys it doesn't just sell it after 6 months at a massive profit. A bit like when they sell off council houses.

From: sad landlord 02 November 2021 08:06 AM

sad landlord
Surely the Capital Gains Tax we all have to pay on the sale of every property is already a windfall tax? How can you tax people on money they don't yet have, bearing in mind property prices could fall by the time a property is sold? My rents haven't gone up in the last 2 years and some tenants have rent arrears, so how was that a windfall?? I'm also selling a property that hasn't gone up much in value and will only break even on what I paid after legal costs etc. So no windfall there either. I know they won't get into power, but it's a worry that anyone could think this would be a good idea. When will they realise that ultimately if you kick landlords then tenants surely will also suffer one way or another, whether higher rents or less property available to rent?

From: sad landlord 25 October 2021 10:17 AM

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