Robert Brown ... Landlord Today

I agree. Peer pressure in Scottish student lets tends to keep the annual pattern previously agreed to.

From: Robert Brown 26 November 2021 18:01 PM

From: Robert Brown 26 November 2021 12:41 PM

Paul will always support measures to pay him by robbing Peter. Most second home owners are disenfranchised from voting for Councils which set the rules where they have second homes, same for private residential landlords. I would bet the outcome will be to screw the second home owners. No thought will be given to the benefits of tourism, jobs for locals etc. Those local vendors selling to the highest bidder will also escape the spotlight or any higher costs but if they had taken a lower offer from another local then this "problem" wouldn't exist.

From: Robert Brown 26 November 2021 10:21 AM

Inspections are so important they should be done by the landlord to build up a rapport with the tenant and nip issues in the bud. I don't believe a third party will do either as well as I do. I'm not at all bothered about a couple of broken glasses or even an oven that's so dirty it needs replacing so an accurate inventory is not essential and I have never charged for damaged or missing items. I'm really only concerned about reducing the gap between tenants which means ensuring that the property can be quickly turned around to avoid loss of rent and I am usually successful in this. I very occasionally use a letting agent to ensure that I am still charging as high a rent as the market will bear but I have never paid anyone to deal with the inventory or routine inspections.

From: Robert Brown 26 November 2021 09:53 AM

He's on Planet Earth, where real people with real jobs abilities and responsibilities subsidise those with totally unrealistic expectations, exacerbated by a lack of common sense and willingness to take responsibility for their own actions or lack of them. Why should those who caused property damage not have to pay for it, even if it takes the rest of their pointless miserable lives? This landlord is being accused of "allowing the property to fall into disrepair". Disrepair doesn't just happen and isn't caused by anyone other than residents, usually those who abuse the property. In over 70 years in living in properties, I've never broken any toilet seats, doors, windows or light fittings - but I have lost count of how many I have fixed due to carelessness and abuse by tenants. Incidentally, most of these wasters are not tax payers, unlike the landlords you vilify.

From: Robert Brown 25 November 2021 22:29 PM

And now he's got a pal! See above!

From: Robert Brown 25 November 2021 19:50 PM

Andrew Your time is far too valuable to waste on replying to this guy. Surely you could spend the time better in breaking a few windows or making the roof or gas boiler leak in some of your properties? That's obviously how we spend our time as tenants are blameless!

From: Robert Brown 25 November 2021 19:49 PM

Where did this guy learn his marketing skills? Insulting and alienating your potential customer base is NOT the way to build a successful business!

From: Robert Brown 25 November 2021 10:43 AM

plus they might then stop paying the rent and not returning phone calls etc - just like many non dead tenants!

From: Robert Brown 25 November 2021 10:31 AM

Guys who father 9 kids and can't afford to keep a roof over their heads should have a small operation ASAP - in fact it should have been done seven kids ago!

From: Robert Brown 25 November 2021 10:27 AM

This has been a legal requirement in Scotland for a long time and I have had the batteries nicked at least twice! Now the SNP is forcing me to only use alarms with sealed batteries. It seems that tenants can't be expected to afford the £15 or so to keep their families "safe", assuming the alarms actually helped do so. Even worse, it seems that they can't be trusted not to nick the batteries and thus put their lives "at risk". It's a pity that such irresponsible people are still trusted to vote but as always, responsible landlords will continue to keep our tenants safe, even if we're not always helped or appreciated by tenants and Government alike!

From: Robert Brown 24 November 2021 18:10 PM

Emily What's the difference between that desire and greed? I'm not knocking all forms of greed and support the desire to be better off through hard work, shrewd investment, prudent long term planning etc. The greed I can't stand is that shown by those who don't or won't put in the effort to achieve the same as others but expect to be no worse off and have the same choices, including the choice of where to live.

From: Robert Brown 23 November 2021 14:29 PM

Emma Why not name and shame local vendors who sold out to second home owners? No one is forced to take the highest bid.

From: Robert Brown 23 November 2021 09:00 AM

Since energy companies are capped on what they can charge, they go bust when costs exceed charges. Surviving companies are now refusing new business as it's no longer profitable. Lessons here for those supporting rent caps, but of course they'll just ignore them and press on with screwing up the PRS for landlords and tenants alike.

From: Robert Brown 23 November 2021 08:52 AM

No vendor has to accept a higher offer from a second home owner or landlord. The greed starts with local vendors, not with the buyer who offers the highest price.

From: Robert Brown 22 November 2021 09:27 AM

In Glasgow it's every 3 years, at a cost of nearly £1000 per property, and that's not counting the cost of "improvements " or changes in rules they dream up, like intumescent fire collars on extraction fans, threshold bars on doors, 24 hour lights above the main exit etc. - all in the last six years after over 10 years safe occupation by HMO tenants without them! Incidentally they never come back to check these have been done, so again good landlords are paying more and rogues getting away with it due to Council laziness.

From: Robert Brown 20 November 2021 14:55 PM

With 17 groups after the most recent flat I had available, I don't think I need to improve my reputation, but perhaps the politicians who have heaped so much extra hassle and costs on landlords and tenants alike need to work on their own reputations?

From: Robert Brown 20 November 2021 14:46 PM

Leics There's a far greater risk of a good landlord being fined than a good tenant being evicted. The former generates unjustified cash whereas the latter unjustifiably loses cash - so the latter is far less likely. P.S. I see John Smith agrees with you, which proves you're wrong!

From: Robert Brown 19 November 2021 17:26 PM

I've never heard the Greens being accused of pragmatism before!

From: Robert Brown 19 November 2021 17:19 PM

Plenty of loan deals still available at around half of what they are offering. I think most landlords will ignore THEM and deal with the mainstream lenders who are more than happy to deal with us, given our typical good credit ratings and proven financial acumen.

From: Robert Brown 18 November 2021 13:34 PM

They have NO expertise. They oppose nuclear power, motorways, diesel cars - all of which are greener than the alternatives they promote. They want to shrink the economy and take us back to pre industrial levels of poverty, disease etc.

From: Robert Brown 18 November 2021 13:29 PM

The Greens make the SNP look sensible! The 2017 legislation is to blame for the higher rents in Scotland, so their solution is more legislation!

From: Robert Brown 18 November 2021 09:10 AM

If the Council ever got its act together to build more homes, I think solvent renters would be willing to pay a premium to be as far away as possible from these 12000 subsidised council tenants.

From: Robert Brown 17 November 2021 10:38 AM

I hope the Government is also listening to the vast majority of landlords who don't trust this lot to "represent" them and can talk from bitter personal experience. We should all swamp our own MP with emails pointing out the high levels of satisfaction expressed by the vast majority of tenants, the current frequency of rent increases, average lengths of tenancy, difficulties in gaining possession from rogue tenants etc.

From: Robert Brown 17 November 2021 10:30 AM

Private landlords in Scotland all love Nicola - but we don't want to embarrass her by letting her know!

From: Robert Brown 15 November 2021 15:23 PM

Why should anyone not be allowed rent out any property they own and keep the full proceeds, after paying appropriate costs and tax? Why prevent anyone from renting a property from anyone else, even a relative, if they need one and are allowed to claim for it under current rules ? Provided market rents are charged and all rules obeyed, what is wrong with an MP legitimately investing in any property anywhere and renting out other property as and when needed to perform their duties either in London or their constituency? What is stupid and a waste of public money is that they are allowed to claim market rents on a rental property but not the (probably much) lower mortgage interest on an otherwise suitably located property in London or their constituency. The opposite route should have been taken with MP's encouraged to buy a London property on a repayment mortgage and stop claiming interest when it was fully paid off, with the profit on resale (when they leave Parliament) going back to the tax payer. However that would require public "servants" and envious lefties to think like business people and look at the bigger longer term picture!

From: Robert Brown 15 November 2021 15:19 PM

Your final sentence explains their true motives. They just want to have all landlords' reputations harmed by association. They're not interested in helping tenants or they would start by improving Council properties which are more dangerous than privately rented accommodation.

From: Robert Brown 15 November 2021 10:08 AM

Read the article. It tells you what their business is and thus why they want to push more checks etc. at added cost to landlords and tenants alike.

From: Robert Brown 15 November 2021 10:02 AM

Adrian A reduced Tory majority means an emboldened left wing influence in Parliament which will only help the benefit claimers. I have both holiday let and long term rental properties. I really don't understand why a long term rental is not counted as a business, as the rental stream is its only benefit to me, ignoring capital appreciation which applies to all properties. On the other hand, I can claim full tax relief on all costs associated with a holiday let property including interest costs, avoid Council Tax, use it myself when it's not let and only pay 10% CGT on selling it. I think holiday lets should be taxed on the same basis as long term rentals but any difference should be to the benefit of long-term rental businesses providing long term homes and not to the benefit of furnished holiday lets as at present.

From: Robert Brown 15 November 2021 09:54 AM

Andrew I blame Shelter, Generation Rant etc more than the Government which has been conned by these and other rabble rousing lefties.

From: Robert Brown 15 November 2021 09:39 AM

What seems to be ignored is that the 68.4 week delay in evicting rent dodgers is a 68.4 week delay in a decent tenant finding a home. Shelter, Generation Rant etc only help rogue tenants and harm decent tenants and landlords.

From: Robert Brown 15 November 2021 09:25 AM

If an MP represents a distant constituency then it's legitimate to claim expenses whilst living in London. I always thought it was stupid to ban them from claiming mortgage interest where that was lower than market rents. It's really irrelevant whether they rent out other properties in London or elsewhere - but it might just let some of them understand the issues faced by private landlords which must be a good thing. One thing that the lefties don't understand is that many people have several jobs, because they are willing to work more than 35 hours a week. Personally I would prefer to be represented by an MP who is also deemed to be worth employing in the private sector than a wet behind the ears career politician with no experience of working or living in the real world.

From: Robert Brown 15 November 2021 09:18 AM

Market forces will prevail and Shelter, Generation Rant etc. are largely to blame. When the SNP banned Scottish landlords and tenants from agreeing a mutually acceptable fixed term tenancy in December 2017, market rents for the best properties went up by about 30% and other properties have begun to catch up. The same fate awaits English tenants if the PRS "reforms" ever go ahead.

From: Robert Brown 15 November 2021 09:03 AM

The councils shouldn't have any latitude. Rent arrears should be paid directly to landlords as they belong to them, not to the rent dodgers.

From: Robert Brown 12 November 2021 09:14 AM

Airline passengers don't know exactly what safety checks the airline has to do. We just trust them to keep us safe. Perhaps most tenants just trust their landlords likewise? This is another non story.

From: Robert Brown 12 November 2021 09:09 AM

I got a stroppy letter from Glasgow City Council after a noisy party. I told the Council I would use their letter as proof of breach of the tenancy agreement and evict the tenants. They told me that I was being unreasonable but didn't suggest any alternative action or sanction. The Council had the power to fine them £100 but seemed to think that was also too harsh although hassling me was quite justified.

From: Robert Brown 10 November 2021 10:19 AM

All landlords should check if they are clients of these ambulance chasers and stop dealing with them after telling them why they are taking their business elsewhere.

From: Robert Brown 10 November 2021 10:12 AM

The tenants didn't need to accept the accommodation on offer. Not sure what suffering was involved.

From: Robert Brown 09 November 2021 08:32 AM

Don't see Council advice ever helping landlords.

From: Robert Brown 09 November 2021 08:28 AM

You can't mediate with tenants who just ignore you and listen to all the advice to stay put until the bailiffs arrive. Perhaps if the mediators are well built and can help them put all their stuff in the street?

From: Robert Brown 09 November 2021 08:26 AM

Banks again showing their true colours? Risk of base rate rises, put up interest rates just in case - and then put them up again when rates do actually go up!

From: Robert Brown 08 November 2021 14:28 PM

They'll probably just claim landlords' savings we're wrongly built up by overcharging tenants in the past! Don't they think All Property is Theft anyway?

From: Robert Brown 08 November 2021 14:27 PM

Not defending this guy but surely it would be better for such sums to go into a national fund to compensate decent landlords with unrecoverable rent arrears from rogue tenants aided and abetted by Shelter etc ? Perhaps Shelter can kick off the fund with some of the millions which it gets from the taxpayer for supposedly helping the homeless?

From: Robert Brown 08 November 2021 14:20 PM

Too many votes to be lost if they targeted all properties.

From: Robert Brown 05 November 2021 20:16 PM

As I have said many times before, by protecting rogue tenants, all these loony lefties are simply hurting decent tenants by delaying their opportunities to get into homes which rent dodgers are allowed to remain in rent free and may well trash just before the bailiffs eventually arrive. All claimants of UC etc. should have the Council etc. acting as guarantor, with all arrears, damages etc. paid for and then deducted from future benefits or earnings.

From: Robert Brown 05 November 2021 09:19 AM

Unfortunately these are two qualities never associated with Council employees!

From: Robert Brown 05 November 2021 09:12 AM

TC My properties and their rents are already pretty high end and I prefer to choose from a selection of potential tenants who can afford a pretty high rent than be left with only one who can afford a ridiculously high rent and may well be much more hassle than the current group of solvent but not too priveliged candidates.

From: Robert Brown 04 November 2021 16:34 PM

Agreed. HMO's help alleviate the housing shortage, not exacerbate it. Better to have six singletons in one six bed house than sharing 2 or 3 bed homes which are equally suitable for families.

From: Robert Brown 04 November 2021 11:52 AM

Or report a non compliant one?

From: Robert Brown 04 November 2021 11:44 AM

These do gooders want to protect rogue tenants at the expense of everyone else, especially decent tenants!

From: Robert Brown 04 November 2021 09:21 AM

With 17 potential tenants chasing one of my properties why should I have to change anything I do?

From: Robert Brown 04 November 2021 09:16 AM

Surely the alternative is 100000 more homeless and I don't think cardboard boxes are better insulated than "illegally" let properties. Ask these renters what they would prefer. There are millions more poorly insulated owner occupied properties which get ignored as they represent millions more voters Government and Councils need to get their priorities right!

From: Robert Brown 04 November 2021 09:01 AM

It's a deal!

From: Robert Brown 02 November 2021 14:23 PM

I'll run a housing court for free. I can start tomorrow.

From: Robert Brown 02 November 2021 08:10 AM

Guide to Tenants: Don't even think about it!

From: Robert Brown 02 November 2021 08:08 AM

Exactly! NO ex Council house would be in the possession of a landlord or second home owner if the vendor hadn't gone for the highest offer. Locals have house prices in their own hands and are always free to take a lower price from another local. Don't blame higher bidders as they can't compel the vendor to sell to them.

From: Robert Brown 02 November 2021 08:01 AM

Given the people they're trying to help are those who worked with us before we left them high and dry, I do think this country should help them Why not send a plane load of our own native non productive couch potatoes over to Afghanistan and house the refugees in the homes they vacate, assuming that they are left fit for decent potentially productive people to live in? I'm sure the Taliban would soon instill a work ethic in those whom we have allowed to remain idle for far too long!

From: Robert Brown 01 November 2021 13:33 PM

If UC claimants can't afford their current rent, they should move to a cheaper property or in with family and friends until they have settled all outstanding debts. UC claimants in work can now keep more of their earnings so can begin to repay arrears. UC claimants not in work don't need to stay in a specific area so can move to somewhere affordable and be appreciative of the support they continue to enjoy from the hard pressed tax payer.

From: Robert Brown 30 October 2021 11:18 AM

I don't think I would ever describe these evil anti landlord (and anti decent tenant) mobs as warm hearted or a joke! Their activities HAVE already harmed decent tenants and landlords but I am not sure that is "back fire" as they're only interested in protecting rogue tenants which means hurting decent tenants and landlords in the process. Every eviction delayed or thwarted equates to a decent tenant denied a home which continues to be occupied by rogues and thieves, with the connivance of mobs like Shelter, Generation Rant etc.

From: Robert Brown 28 October 2021 17:48 PM

Good idea. Landlords would therefore be very careful who they allow to stay beyond 24 months, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. For once, good tenants would be suitably rewarded and rogue tenants would be out on their ear - so it will never happen because the rogues have louder supporters!

From: Robert Brown 28 October 2021 15:39 PM

Only a fifth of this very small percentage of private renters felt insecure in their current homes, so 80% of this troubled minority still felt secure. The other issues reported were also only felt by a minority of this minority, so the vast majority of private renters have not felt any of these problems. However we already knew this as every independent survey shows a vast majority of private renters to be totally satisfied with their property and landlord.

From: Robert Brown 27 October 2021 11:17 AM

There are areas of Scotland that I can't afford to buy the kind of house I want. I left London to return to Scotland over 40 years ago due to the house price difference. No one has the right to just live anywhere they want. We were given legs so we could move elsewhere and humans have done so for centuries. However the current generation seem to think they deserve more than previous generations.

From: Robert Brown 26 October 2021 14:06 PM

I have seen zero evidence of this in Scotland.

From: Robert Brown 25 October 2021 11:47 AM

DE Who cares whether thieves are rehoused by Councils or left on the streets? Why not evict them anyway if they're just going to ramp up arrears again? Shops can ban thieves after conviction. Why can't landlords protect themselves against being robbed twice by the same rent dodgers? Every rent dodger evicted means a new home is available for decent tenants willing and able to pay proper rents!

From: Robert Brown 25 October 2021 11:41 AM

One lot of lefties claim £65m isn't enough to help with tenants' arrears. This one claims landlords are making windfall profits. Every tenant in arrears represents a landlord who is out of pocket and for most these losses will never be recouped. I know that politicians always go for the low hanging fruit and landlords are easy targets. Perhaps if every landlord frequently emailed MPs and Councillors they might think there are a lot of votes to be lost by attacking landlord constituents?

From: Robert Brown 25 October 2021 11:31 AM

Watch your back passage! They've got into power in Scotland by the back door and threatening to cause havoc to Landlords and tenants alike.

From: Robert Brown 25 October 2021 11:22 AM

They forgot lesson no. 1. Never listen to Bankers!

From: Robert Brown 22 October 2021 12:07 PM

The Government should forget about grant schemes and simply give all property owners VAT free insulation and other "green" initiatives whilst allowing 50% tax relief to be claimed on self assessment tax returns. This would reduce a £6000 cost to £2500 for all property owners with no administration overhead, no need to used accredited cowboys etc.

From: Robert Brown 22 October 2021 12:00 PM

Agreed but tenants also need to recognise their responsibilities and not just expect everything for free.

From: Robert Brown 21 October 2021 13:25 PM

I don't think any landlord would prevent good reliable long term tenants from paying for the necessary "green" changes themselves. Why doesn't Generation Rant think of suggesting this as an option - or agree that a higher rent would be a fair return - or does it think landlords should always pay for everything, even when only the tenant would gain from the resultant energy savings?

From: Robert Brown 21 October 2021 11:23 AM

In other parts of the country this shed would be called a chalet and Airbnb would get £300 or more per week for it! I suppose the renters willing to pay £160 per week would prefer it to a cardboard box? I'm not condoning the landlord - but really, what is so bad about meeting the demand for such accommodation in a such a way? Is it less safe than a wooden holiday chalet? Perhaps the Council should reflect on how badly they are meeting the needs of the homeless which, if met properly, would remove the demand for such accommodation?

From: Robert Brown 21 October 2021 11:17 AM

George Surely he only had one second home, then a third, then a fourth? Just think....If Corbyn had become PM, McDonnell would have had No. 11 as a fifth home and a country mansion as a sixth! Makes 2 Jags Prescott seem almost parsimonious?

From: Robert Brown 20 October 2021 22:31 PM

David You are wrong. Renters need landlords far more if they can't or won't buy their own home. Landlords can choose to invest in other assets and so have a choice and are not dependent upon renters like renters are on landlords. There are more renters than available quality properties so while all landlords are needed, some renters are surplus to requirements.

From: Robert Brown 20 October 2021 20:40 PM

Market forces will prevail if Government and Lefties stop interfering.

From: Robert Brown 20 October 2021 16:27 PM

Airbnb hosts need to pay their proper share of all taxes and not be subsidised by other taxpayers including landlords and properly regulated hospitality businesses.

From: Robert Brown 20 October 2021 08:48 AM

This will be another case where those investing in property will fund those who just rent

From: Robert Brown 20 October 2021 08:37 AM

Another case of a landlord trying his best only to be thwarted by Council incompetence. He's done his best and just needs to tell the Council his tenants will be homeless on the due date and over to them to sort it out. On the other hand, the tenant has had six months to find somewhere for himself. What effort has the tenant made to help himself?

From: Robert Brown 19 October 2021 09:12 AM

Any moves to compel landlords to spend this will just destroy the prs as the rents will become unaffordable if landlords have to recoup the costs over a reasonable timescale. Perhaps this will become part of the Government game plan in their war against the prs?

From: Robert Brown 19 October 2021 09:07 AM

It's a removal of a temporary increase, not a cut. Do you claim on 26 December that Christmas has been abolished just because its 24 hour duration has ended as predicted? Same logic!

From: Robert Brown 18 October 2021 15:43 PM

Totally agree! Using this Council's logic, Walls, Coca Cola, McDonald's etc. would be prosecuted, not the litter louts!

From: Robert Brown 18 October 2021 11:48 AM

Why not ask tenants to provide bins for their own rubbish? Why is it up to the landlord to facilitate getting rid of tenants' rubbish by providing bins? Did the landlord or the tenant fly tip? We're not told.

From: Robert Brown 18 October 2021 08:58 AM

BTL mortgages are available for around 1.65%. How is over 3% an incentive?

From: Robert Brown 18 October 2021 08:55 AM

Didn't realise talking was an option with this lot. Thought they only texted and grunted!

From: Robert Brown 16 October 2021 17:17 PM

It's the tenants who need prosecuted as it's their rubbish, not the landlord's rubbish.

From: Robert Brown 15 October 2021 08:53 AM

I think the Chancellor, or more accurately, the taxpayer has already been too generous with the 80% furlough scheme going on far too long. Plenty of job vacancies for those willing to work.

From: Robert Brown 15 October 2021 08:46 AM

I'm very happy to see Airbnb landlords taxed properly as we who provide long term homes already are. I would go further and abolish the £7500 tax free income many Airbnb landlords get. This was meant for those providing a long term home for lodgers in a host's own home, not for holiday lets or b&b. Landlords with other properties let out can't even get the £7500 tax free for a genuine lodger in their own home.

From: Robert Brown 15 October 2021 08:42 AM

This sort of scheme is in the same league of high cost as credit card interest. I pay everything on credit card and settle everything on the statement promptly to avoid all interest but have s75 protection and an online list of all outgoings to charge against tax.

From: Robert Brown 13 October 2021 15:13 PM

It's all homes, not just rented properties.

From: Robert Brown 11 October 2021 22:33 PM

It does apply to ALL homes but the SNP aren't publicising it in case it costs them votes, although most of their voters aren't sufficiently financially astute to become property owners.

From: Robert Brown 11 October 2021 22:30 PM

Shelter, Generation Rant etc, are equally thick on cause and effect.

From: Robert Brown 11 October 2021 20:33 PM

14 per 100,000 is hardly a huge proportion!

From: Robert Brown 11 October 2021 08:44 AM

Jim Both grounds are among a tiny handful which Scottish landlords can now use to get rid of bad tenants. There was one case where a woman had bought a ground floor flat for her invalid brother to move into when his illness worsened. In the meantime she rented it to tenants with their assurance that they would vacate it promptly when her brother needed it. They refused to do so and the tribunal refused to support the landlord on the grounds that landlords couldn't insist on such a term and the brother wasn't regarded as her family so none of the limited grounds for repossession applied here. Such is the situation that Scottish landlords now face. Only a 30% rise in rents which accompanied the Dec 2017 legislation makes it worthwhile now. Good tenants now pay more!

From: Robert Brown 01 October 2021 08:39 AM

One less property available for rent, probably thanks to a pair of undesirable tenants who made the landlord decide to sell up. The SNP dictatorship is really harming decent tenants and landlords but continuing to protect and now reward those tenants that no landlord wants.

From: Robert Brown 30 September 2021 22:31 PM

The landlord was entitled to evict this pair to sell his property, which he did. His mistake was to give a different reason to them but both reasons are valid in Scotland, so this pair were not unjustly disadvantaged. The real question is why did the landlord not want these tenants? Clearly this pair have been rewarded for being the type of tenants not wanted by their landlord. I hope thy find it difficult to get a property of the standard of the one they clearly didn't deserve to keep living in.

From: Robert Brown 30 September 2021 22:13 PM

I can't think of a safer home for my life savings that provides any return above inflation but I now only have higher end properties and always have solvent home owner relatives as guarantors. In around 30 years of letting and over 300 tenants, I've only had one bailiff eviction and a few that I didn't allow to stay on after the initial lease term expired. My properties are all in Scotland where the SNP dictatorship has outlawed tenants and landlords from agreeing a mutually acceptable fixed term contract but this was compensated by a 30% rent increase when the new legislation came into force in December 2017. I accept things are different at the bottom end of the market and landlords operating there have a tough time but in my experience there are plenty of decent tenants looking for higher end properties who don't cause too much hassle. I'm certainly not volunteering to pay a huge CGT bill by bailing out and whilst I am trying to minimise IHT implications I won't be around to worry about that .

From: Robert Brown 29 September 2021 11:56 AM

As this article points out, these delays just add further debts on to tenants who will be saddled with them for years. They also prevent other tenants from getting earlier access to a home. Why do Shelter, Generation Rant, Councils etc think they're helping anyone by advising rent defaulters to stay put until the bailiffs arrive? Surely the best advice is to minimise the debt by negotiating with the landlord that any outstanding rent etc not covered by the deposit is waived in return for them immediately vacating the property and moving in with friends or relatives until they get their finances sorted out? Councils who claim this route is the tenant intentionally making themselves homeless just add to the problem and prevent decent tenants from finding homes earlier. Unclaimable rent debts just increase rents for all decent tenants. Wake up and smell the coffee!

From: Robert Brown 29 September 2021 11:45 AM

As has been said in here many times, decent tenants don't need any protection from landlords - they only need protection from the effects of rogue tenants, aided and abetted by their cronies in Shelter, Generation Rant and loony leftie politicians of all parties.

From: Robert Brown 28 September 2021 15:00 PM

By using common sense, initiative, pragmatism and accepting responsibility for their own lives and requirements - all things sadly lacking in those whom Shelter, Generation Rant etc seek to protect at the expense of decent tenants and hard working tax payers in general ( including landlords).

From: Robert Brown 28 September 2021 14:52 PM

Regular reliable payment of rent from decent tenants is our highest priority.

From: Robert Brown 28 September 2021 08:31 AM

Why don't poor tenants go after the million job vacancies that apparently exist out there? Working longer and harder is the best way to escape poverty. Moaning just makes everyone miserable and solves nothing.

From: Robert Brown 28 September 2021 08:28 AM

Totally agree but the other side of the coin is how the successful graduates are screwed as they climb the ladder. My 3 kids were landed with over 70% marginal tax rates (61% income tax on earnings over £100k plus 9% student loan repayment) to subsidise those whose University "education" was a waste of time and tax payers money. They're not complaining but they were struggling for a while, even with 6 figure salaries due to high mortgage payments and these huge deductions.

From: Robert Brown 27 September 2021 10:27 AM

There's an argument for forcing everyone, even low earners, to repay student loans as a disincentive to taking Mickey Mouse degrees. We're short of all kinds of tradesmen, HGV drivers, care workers etc. Yet we subsidise young people for 3 or 4 non productive years to get useless degrees when they could be doing useful apprenticeships, earn £50k or more and have no debt. I hear Tony Blair, who set it up to send 50% of youngsters to University, now wants it increased to over 75%! How many graduates can McDonalds employ?

From: Robert Brown 27 September 2021 10:18 AM

I have found that these student ghettos have raised the rents for normal student flats which many students prefer.

From: Robert Brown 27 September 2021 08:47 AM

Are tenants incapable of applying common sense for their own safety? Close the propped open fire doors and buy some £10 smoke detectors if there are broken ones in the property. Not difficult!

From: Robert Brown 27 September 2021 08:44 AM

Not a cut, just an ending of a temporary increase in benefits which shouldn't come as a surprise.

From: Robert Brown 22 September 2021 07:50 AM

Agreed. Anyway, what is to stop us insisting on rent being paid 2 months ( or more ) in advance. If allowed, and life time deposits become the norm, the tenants willing and able to pay more rent upfront will get my properties - always provided they have a solvent property owning close relative as guarantor. Yet again, the poorer but possibly highly decent potential tenants will lose out. Yet again, this scheme does nothing for anyone other than rogue rent dodgers! Yet again, these loonies show how they harm all decent tenants whilst working to protect rogues and thieves.

From: Robert Brown 21 September 2021 15:28 PM

No pets means just that, whether a rhino or a white mouse. Landlords should decide who or what can be in their properties. No one else!

From: Robert Brown 20 September 2021 16:47 PM

Does this reduction include the rents stolen from landlords by rent dodgers? I would be quite happy for anyone to be given a 100% mortgage provided they could afford the interest payments from either earnings or benefits, with no need for capital repayment if not affordable, but the results would be even higher property prices at the entry level due to market forces. Yet another example of how private landlords help poorer people get affordable homes?

From: Robert Brown 20 September 2021 09:24 AM

Any sell off will be the better rentals sold to better off people, leaving only inferior properties for poorer people who won't ever be able to buy. This is "levelling down" which is what Labour always does, trashing educational standards, the economy, work ethic etc. They, Shelter, GR etc. are the real enemies of the poor. Perhaps private landlords are among their few friends? They're certainly the only group protecting decent tenants!

From: Robert Brown 20 September 2021 09:06 AM

Should have put the Rottweiler in it first!

From: Robert Brown 18 September 2021 21:00 PM

Agreed - but the problem with people like her is they talk but never listen!

From: Robert Brown 17 September 2021 16:33 PM

Next time, leave the doors open but don't tell anyone!

From: Robert Brown 17 September 2021 10:15 AM

Landlords get rent for their purchase costs. Renters get smaller properties to live in but not relevant to landlords provided the rents are unaffected.

From: Robert Brown 17 September 2021 08:52 AM

I've always viewed my properties as a lifetime investment, especially now with huge legal, stamp duty and CGT bills to avoid. Avoiding IHT is an ongoing activity but my heirs won't complain if my estate grows faster than I can give it away. I now view my nice holidays and other spending as being subsidised by 40% from the Government, the only subsidy I have ever had or wanted.

From: Robert Brown 17 September 2021 08:45 AM

It's always a good ploy to buy a commodity that's in high demand but no longer being made.

From: Robert Brown 16 September 2021 16:29 PM

Less than half of Scots want or have ever voted for independence and those "braying" are an even smaller proportion. Removing the influence of Scottish Unionist voters in a UK Government is a quick way to turn many of them towards the SNP and give succour to Sturgeon, Blackford and their loony cronies.

From: Robert Brown 16 September 2021 16:27 PM

Michael You also have a good case but your fears could be allayed if both parties are still allowed to agree a mutually acceptable fixed term tenancy. Do the English plans allow this? Unfortunately in Scotland this right was removed I December 2017 but the resulting drop I availability of rental properties resulted I a 30% rise in rents for the best properties, so some consolation for landlords but yet again higher costs for decent tenants!

From: Robert Brown 11 September 2021 10:36 AM

Jim Excellently put! Yet again this will come back to bite bad tenants as the reason for their evictions will be known and they won't be able to rent decent properties from decent landlords ever again, be forced to rent from rogues and wished they could still hide behind " no fault eviction " claims. On the other hand, once this becomes evident, more tenants might behave to avoid eviction?

From: Robert Brown 11 September 2021 10:28 AM

Politics of envy from the lefties!

From: Robert Brown 11 September 2021 10:19 AM

George Don't apologise. Everyone makes mistakes but some are too thick to realise or accept they do so.

From: Robert Brown 10 September 2021 13:42 PM

Both known as Baroness Kennedy and both champagne socialists. YEAH! Absolutely no excuse in mixing them up!

From: Robert Brown 10 September 2021 13:39 PM

Leics He hadn't done so when you started your conjecture and I didn't say you were wrong - just jumping to conclusions. You've got a short memory. . Look back at an earlier thread where you refused to accept any link between a landlord evicting tenants whilst they were on holiday. Context was equally valid then and the conclusions of other posters equally valid but rejected by you because the article hadn't spelled out the reasons for the landlord's actions. In both cases, context adds to the written word, but you defend its use above and rejected it in the earlier thread. With such an inconsistent approach you should become a politician! P.S. Who mentioned falling behind with rent? A valid assumption which I share but which I had not explicitly put in writing.

From: Robert Brown 10 September 2021 13:30 PM

I've used an algorithm for around 30 years. If property buying and maintenance costs over time are significantly LESS THAN potential rental income = INVEST. If rental income LESS THAN costs = SELL or at least DON'T INVEST ANY MORE. Put a value on hassle from Government, Shelter, Generation Rant etc. to skew the equations to the latter outcome happening sooner. Many landlords are reaching this tipping point and we don't need fancy algorithms to identify the bleeding obvious but perhaps the lefties need them as they seem oblivious to the likely outcome of their actions.

From: Robert Brown 10 September 2021 13:15 PM

Lots more conjecture and assumptions yet again? Both ladies are known as Baroness Kennedy and George didn't clarify which one he meant however I do agree that context can be important in reaching conclusions. That is why I think it was valid to combine evidence of a landlord driven to take the law into his own hands when tenants were on holiday to conclude that these tenants prioritised paying for a holiday over resolving whatever issues they may have had with their landlord. I do not think it was valid to assume those tenants did not contribute to the outcome, which the landlord could not achieve in an acceptable timescale by other means.

From: Robert Brown 10 September 2021 12:56 PM

What annoys this little Hitler is rents are out of HIS control! Hopefully market forces will continue to hold sway?

From: Robert Brown 10 September 2021 09:34 AM

Leics Given your penchant for detail and accuracy, where does George state this is Alicia's home? I thought you didn't approve of jumping to conclusions?

From: Robert Brown 10 September 2021 09:23 AM

Most good local tradesmen avoid these schemes, leaving the way clear for cowboys to do shoddy work and overcharge the unwary grant claimers. Reduce or abolish VAT on insulation products, new boilers etc. and associated installation costs and many more people could benefit without an admin cost of £1000 per property.

From: Robert Brown 08 September 2021 08:06 AM

Also don't forget how the mortgage companies penalise borrowers who don't have big deposits by charging up to 4 times the interest rates charged when there is a 40% deposit. The same companies also charge around 39% on even modest arranged overdrafts. If landlords penalised poorer renters in such a manner there would be a huge outcry. Where are Shelter, Generation Rant etc in these cases? It's not just high rents and property prices that disadvantage potential purchasers. Banks are major culprits. Also landlords have to pay the same high prices plus a 3 or 4% stamp duty penalty if buying new properties.

From: Robert Brown 08 September 2021 07:57 AM

If we can't ensure pets don't make us worse off with the help of legislation then we'll have to fall back on the old maxim: Prevention is better than Cure. I.e. NO PETS in OUR properties!

From: Robert Brown 07 September 2021 14:51 PM

Where does it say the tenant was female? Please don't jump to conclusions. Whilst it's a reasonable assumption that these tenants had not been model tenants, there's no evidence of them being only female and evidence they were a family and therefore most probably of each sex.

From: Robert Brown 07 September 2021 14:39 PM

John S I see the gratuitous insult you had made above has been removed by moderators. I suspect the immediately above post has survived as no one can understand what on earth you are on about.

From: Robert Brown 07 September 2021 14:31 PM

Leics NO landlord evicts a good tenant for no good reason. The fact that the tenant's role in this is unknown is just evidence of the biased anti landlord behaviour of Councils and much of the press, but the fact that the tenant took a holiday when the relationship with the landlord was clearly at rock bottom is highly suspicious.

From: Robert Brown 07 September 2021 08:35 AM

Are you pair of wallies suggesting this poor landlord took this drastic action for no reason? NO landlord evicts good tenants for no reason. Hopefully those evicted will now be well known locally and find it difficult to get decent accommodation.

From: Robert Brown 06 September 2021 22:25 PM

Jahan There are too many amateurs running unregulated airbnb properties. It needs to be regulated as much as other hospitality businesses to safeguard both renters and neighbours. The £7.5k tax free income needs abolished now normal landlords no longer get tax relief on btl mortgages. Providing long term homes to renters should attract more tax advantages than providing holiday accommodation that undercuts professional hospitality businesses.

From: Robert Brown 06 September 2021 08:59 AM

Shane Try living in Edinburgh near these "party flats"! I have one short term let property which I changed to a full time furnished holiday let because of the tax and council tax advantages. It's not too much to ask that I play on a level playing field with hotels etc. and ensure neighbours are not subjected to constant nuisance from unregulated short term renters.

From: Robert Brown 06 September 2021 08:54 AM

Decent tenants are always the victim of the deeds of Shelter, MCLGH, Generation Rant etc who only help rogue tenants at everyone else's expense!

From: Robert Brown 03 September 2021 13:41 PM

I would rather have these people as tenants than lazy benefit claiming workshy British couch potatoes and their feral children.

From: Robert Brown 03 September 2021 08:34 AM

That's what the energy cap was for but it's been a disaster.

From: Robert Brown 02 September 2021 13:00 PM

Styx Why not ask the landlord if you can fix the lawn and then enjoy it? Grass seed and elbow grease are all that's needed.

From: Robert Brown 02 September 2021 12:56 PM

If I am given a maximum limit for annual rent increases then I will always increase rents by that amount. Limits tend to become targets. Look at the minimum wage and energy caps. Look at bank overdraft rates at 39.9% because banks can no longer penalise defaulters so they penalise all borrowers instead! As has been said many times, good tenants don't need protection and protecting rogue tenants only harm decent tenants and landlords instead.

From: Robert Brown 02 September 2021 09:18 AM

I recollect reading that Lisa Cameron owned and rented out a flat which was formerly social housing and bought at a discount. If this and other former social housing properties were still available then private landlords would not need to be caught up in this nonsense. We could then leave problem tenants for the social sector to deal with and focus on providing quality homes for quality tenants. I have always focused on higher end properties and have only had 3 problem tenants out of over 300, with only one eviction ( someone who went off the rails from a good job on to drugs and became a DSS claimant but I never saw his housing benefit).

From: Robert Brown 02 September 2021 09:12 AM

You really don't want any eligible MSP trying to "help" landlords! They are all so incompetent that such "help" would be counterproductive as has most "help" aimed at tenants which has only led to higher rents and fewer properties for rent. To paraphrase a common question "With enemies like these, who needs friends?" I'm quite happy to have Sturgeon, Harvey and their separist zealots "on the side" of tenants as there will only be one winning side, and it won't be the tenants! The funny thing is that all decent landlords and tenants are already on the same (winning) side. Our enemies are the rogue tenants - losers in every way.

From: Robert Brown 01 September 2021 22:40 PM

Perhaps the students should look at why their rents seem so high? Purpose built student ghettos have set a high bar and most students balk at sharing a room ( at least on a platonic basis!). In my days, over 50 years ago, I shared a grotty 4 bed flat with 7 other guys (and often a few girls) and the furniture was so dilapidated it was impossible to identify if we had actually done any damage! Anyway the rent, split 8 ways (we didn't charge the girls!), was dirt cheap but sniffy students and stupid Council overcrowding rules means rents are now much higher per person in real terms. Demanding better quality furniture will lead to even higher rents but many are too stupid to understand Cause and Effect.

From: Robert Brown 01 September 2021 13:40 PM

Looks as if my reference to the new green minister's vertical challenge has been deleted! Just learned of the SNP's latest lunacy. The 2022 Scottish census will allow people to lie about their gender if they so choose to "self identify". Not surprised since facts aren't usually helpful to the aims and objectives of the SNP and their little green helpers.

From: Robert Brown 01 September 2021 10:49 AM

If rents only matched mortgage payments where would the profit be for Landords ? No profit = no landlords and massive homelessness!

From: Robert Brown 01 September 2021 08:35 AM

Another cost for landlords just means higher rents for all tenants everywhere. On second thoughts, plenty of empty homes in Kabul. Happy to pay travel expenses to there for the Baroness and her Generation Rant rabble rousers!

From: Robert Brown 31 August 2021 08:31 AM

John Quite agree but I would go further. Every one over 25 would get the number of votes corresponding to their age, so a 25 year old would get 25 votes, a 50 year old 50 votes and so on. That way, life experience and fiscal contribution over the years would be recognised and rewarded. Votes could be deducted for minor offences and prisoners would get all votes confiscated for twice the length of all sentences given every time they got a new sentence.

From: Robert Brown 27 August 2021 18:34 PM

Richard I've never understood why static caravan parks which close for the winter aren't used for the homeless for the winter months with the Council guaranteeing they will be handed back in pristine condition for holiday use from Easter onwards. Perhaps the Council don't have the same faith in potential tenants which they are asking landlords to have?

From: Robert Brown 27 August 2021 13:28 PM

Steve Totally agree. I have a nice holiday home which we use for family holidays and let out on short lets from April to September. We used to get a six month tenancy from October to March but the SNP banned landlords and tenants from agreeing to such a six month tenancy. We therefore went for short breaks off peak and have found we are now better off and qualify as a furnished holiday let, avoid paying council tax and could qualify for 10% CGT if sold. SNP interference has therefore stopped a family from having a lovely home for six months over winter and stopped the Council from getting any Council Tax whereas before the Council got full council tax whether let or not!

From: Robert Brown 27 August 2021 11:00 AM

My property, only my views count. Plenty of good tenants to choose from without risking pet owners. Become a home owner and then you can become a pet owner. Priorities!

From: Robert Brown 27 August 2021 08:56 AM

Great! These btr ghettos will have huge rents and poor service, so ordinary private landlords' properties will be preferred and higher demand and favourable comparison with the new high rise high rent ghettos will justify us charging higher rents. It's already happened in the student market where normal properties are preferred and rents match the ghetto properties now.

From: Robert Brown 27 August 2021 08:49 AM

Students can make good tenants with suitable solvent responsible guarantors and pay more since the purpose built student ghettos have raised the bar. I expect btr and Lloyds to do the same for the general prs and feel the future remains bright for private landlords not saddled with huge mortgage debt. 30 years ago with a 90% mortgage current events would have frightened me but with less than 25% debt and 10 times rental cover I remain optimistic and that's with the SNP and their little green helpers in charge in Scotland!

From: Robert Brown 26 August 2021 09:16 AM

Public sector is always worse to deal with than private sector and small owner managed businesses better than large corporations. Most sensible people know that but the rabble rousers look to Russia and China as their model societies.

From: Robert Brown 26 August 2021 09:09 AM

All Scots ARE mad. The SNP and Green supporters are insane. The rest of us are blazing mad at their complacent incompetence, saddling us with the highest income tax rates in the UK, up to 61%, and threatening to bankrupt us with their unaffordable independence claptrap!

From: Robert Brown 25 August 2021 08:57 AM

Why not ask residents to clean the graffiti? They live there and might be able or incentivised to stop it or report it if it caused them work or expense.

From: Robert Brown 25 August 2021 08:46 AM

Why not ask residents to clean the graffiti? They live there and might be able or incentivised to stop it or report it if it caused them work or expense.

From: Robert Brown 25 August 2021 08:46 AM

Totally agree. Whilst short term renters are blighting many Edinburgh residential areas, many of these properties used to be long term lets before the SNP changed the law in 2017, banning landlords and tenants from agreeing fix term leases, banning landlords from getting back their own properties other than for specific restricted reasons. The proposed rent controls will only make matters worse. The SNP turkeys keep voting for Christmas!

From: Robert Brown 25 August 2021 08:37 AM

That depends on supply and demand. Fewer properties will mean fewer choices for poorer tenants and better properties will always attract better tenants and higher rents until there are too many better properties which is highly unlikely given current trends. I hate the SNP and especially their little green helpers but I don't fear them as their crazy 2017 prs legislation let me increase rents by 30%, and I expect attempts at rent controls will lead to regular rent increases matching or exceeding inflation to the cost of decent tenants who currently often avoid any rent increases as we want to keep them but we'll have no option to ensure we keep up with open market rents. P.S.. - AJMcM. I won't be selling up, but won't be buying any more properties for prs either!

From: Robert Brown 23 August 2021 18:41 PM

Agreed. A low earning but frugal living potential tenant will be denied a property which can be rented to a higher earner with a profligate lifestyle who will be more likely to default but even then the more deserving poorer applicant will be denied the tenancy. No surprise here as every policy supported by the SNP and their even loonier little green helpers will end up being counter productive and hurt those they think they're helping!

From: Robert Brown 23 August 2021 13:39 PM

Why would any landlord use this guy?

From: Robert Brown 23 August 2021 08:52 AM

Agreed. The highest rents are currently charged for cardboard clad student ghettos and this has allowed me to increase my rents to students by 30% in 2017 and by 400% over the last 15 years, so welcome Lloyds. Do the same for the general prs. My rents will rise but stay a bit under your rents and we,, will both be happy.

From: Robert Brown 20 August 2021 20:14 PM

Agreed. Government meddling never helps. Look at the ridiculous failure of energy caps. The £2k car scrapage scheme just increased new car prices by at least £2k. Every Green Deal scheme has been disastrous. Leave things to market forces. I totally agree that reducing the shortage of rental homes is the only way to reduce market rents. Making the prs unattractive for private landlords just adds to the problem. The NRLA should do what it's paid to do and focus on this last bit!

From: Robert Brown 18 August 2021 09:32 AM

Most remortgaging by landlords is to get the lower interest rates ( many well under 1%) and not to increase debt. Remortgaging is also now a valid alternative to short term borrowing, provided it is repaid over a short term, although buying from savings is still the best approach.

From: Robert Brown 18 August 2021 09:27 AM

Agreed! This is Tony Blair's fault, along with the disastrous Scottish devolution which costs the UK tax payers a fortune and gives the loony SNP a platform to spout their racist hate filled propaganda which the "graduates" from the new plastic "universities" vote for in droves. More madness!

From: Robert Brown 17 August 2021 16:27 PM

I really wish that were true. The SNP and their little green helpers have far too much power and ignore those of us who pay for their crazy schemes through the highest income tax rates in the UK 61% but would never vote for them.

From: Robert Brown 17 August 2021 16:08 PM

There's a huge difference between the Airbnb epidemic blighting many urban residential areas and rural holiday lets that have provided healthy cheap holiday for years with no problems or safety concerns. I'm also willing to bet it's the problem urban lets that benefit from the £7.5k tax free income whilst harming the community and legitimate local hospitality businesses who keep their customers safe and pay their taxes.

From: Robert Brown 16 August 2021 11:56 AM

We need the new coking coal mine in Cumbria to avoid importing it for our remaining steel industry. It's also better to pipe ashore oil from Cambo than ship it in huge oil tankers. Our reliance on these resources won't end any time soon and it's sheer hypocrisy to depend on getting them from elsewhere as the climate crisis is not national but worldwide. If tenants had better insulation many would just open the windows and not cut their consumption. We listen to the ignorant green lobby far too much and not to the real experts who will develop better diesel engines, hydrogen and nuclear power if given the resources we squander to appease the greens.

From: Robert Brown 16 August 2021 08:50 AM

That won't please the trans self identifiers, but that's another reason to use Mr, Mrs and Miss!

From: Robert Brown 14 August 2021 08:35 AM

So most landlords and tenants reached an agreement on arrears which is what we already knew as we don't want to evict good tenants. As previously said, Shelter, Generation Rant etc. only protect bad tenants who prevent deserving tenants from getting better homes. Time the majority of good tenants realised who are their friends- and who are really their enemies!

From: Robert Brown 13 August 2021 09:22 AM

If you delay a process it's only logical that more will be waiting on it happening. Make evictions faster and less people will be waiting on eviction, everyone can get on with things and newly vacated properties can be let to more deserving tenants. Would this make the Baroness happier?

From: Robert Brown 13 August 2021 08:54 AM

I (only once) got a stroppy letter from the Council about students holding a noisy party in a flat of mine. I sent them a formal warning letter, copied to their guarantors asking them to write to all near neighbours to apologise and reminding them that anti social behaviour was prohibited under the terms of their lease and any repetition would make me consider eviction or at least non renewal of the lease. I got a sheepish apology from the tenants, thank you emails from two guarantors and one neighbour and another stroppy letter from the Council complaining I shouldn't have been so harsh! I was tempted to keep the correspondence going to ascertain exactly what action they would suggest and support but I don't have as much spare time as they have so let it drop.

From: Robert Brown 12 August 2021 11:06 AM

Brent Council - rhyming slang surely?

From: Robert Brown 12 August 2021 10:58 AM

Make long term renting more attractive to landlords and the number of airbnb lets will fall drastically. Short term lets are a lot more work but more lucrative currently. Redress the balance of the work/reward ratio in favour of long term renting and the problem will disappear. Why are full time landlords taxed on their rents (not just their profits) but short term rents under £7500 per annum are tax free? In Scotland, especially Edinburgh and Saint Andrews, many former student flats are now full-time short lets since the SNP banned landlords and tenants from agreeing a mutually acceptable fixed term tenancy which provided term time homes for students and summer rentalsfor tourists, so landlords chose to go for the more lucrative short term rentals full time. Who can blame them?

From: Robert Brown 12 August 2021 09:14 AM

Our local counci is using the ECO penalty charges levied on our energy bills to subsidise owners of semi and detached houses in my area with new gas boilers for free! Less affluent neighbours in mid terrace houses or flats are excluded because they use less energy than those in larger more expensive houses. Where's the sense or fairness in such a policy?

From: Robert Brown 12 August 2021 09:06 AM

Most good local tradesmen don't participate in these Grant aided schemes which attract the cowboys who inflate their prices beyond the benefit of any grant given. Market forces should be allowed to work without government interference. My local council is trying to give money away in my local affluent area for new boilers but only to detached and semi detached houses. My daughter is in a mid terrace house in a less affluent area but doesn't qualify because her house doesn't use as much energy as mine does, so the "benefit" of a new boiler would be less to her, despite it being less affordable to her than to me and my well-heeled neighbours. Is this the policy Labour supports nowadays?

From: Robert Brown 12 August 2021 08:49 AM

Dear Government Please continue to load all landlords with further unjustified costs, reduce their tax relief and screw them when they give up and sell my flat, thus making me homeless. I'm sure the inevitable shortage of rental properties won't mean I have to pay more rent. Signed. A Shelter-supporting member of Generation Rant.

From: Robert Brown 11 August 2021 17:26 PM

I noticed that. Perhaps they think the furniture will be totally trashed within the first year? Not wrong in many cases! However an other case of sloppy journalism mixing up annual and longer term costs.

From: Robert Brown 11 August 2021 17:11 PM

I don't disagree but I hate to see incompetent highly paid public servants get off Scot free no matter what mistakes they make. If they win in court, their victims pay. If they lose, the taxpayers foot the bill. They never suffer personally no matter how much public money they squander.

From: Robert Brown 11 August 2021 15:51 PM

TC Fine to do this but don't warn them of your plans - at least not in writing!

From: Robert Brown 10 August 2021 22:18 PM

For landlords without mortgages or small loan to value ratios, the inefficiency of corporate landlords will lead to soaring rents and help us all get richer. This has already happened in the student ghettos which have pushed up rents for all students.

From: Robert Brown 10 August 2021 17:19 PM

All in all, I've found students easier, more reliable and less bother than young professionals. The cleaning and refurbishment costs are built into the rents but they often stay for 2 or more years and occasionally surprise me in how well they leave the flats, so I'm happy to keep going with the status quo. I've never had "ordinary working class" tenants as my properties tend to be too expensive for them. Also the SNP have outlawed fixed term tenancies in Scotland so tenants wanting to out stay their welcome are a real risk, whereas we know student and holiday lets will end usually exactly when we want them to end.

From: Robert Brown 09 August 2021 22:47 PM

Totally agree. Student ghettos have pushed up rents paid by students for normal flats significantly and most students move into normal flats after their first year. I suspect the high rise build to rent ghettos and corporate landlords such as John Lewis and Lloyds Bank will have the same effect on normal domestic rents. Despite all the costs and hurdles put in our way by Local and Central Governments (especially the SNP) I am in the PRS for the long haul and continue to be able to pass on all new costs to new tenants. I won't be volunteering to pay CGT any time soon and am also working hard to avoid IHT and keep living for at least 7 more years.

From: Robert Brown 07 August 2021 11:50 AM

Totally agree. Also the average house sold tends to be better than the average house rented and would command more rent if actually rented out. There is no allowance made for maintenance or other on going costs which render the figures totally unrealistic. On the other hand most astute landlords will have smaller mortgage ratios and pay less than 2% currently, and own an appreciating asset, again making the figures unrealistic but in the opposite direction. Finally, any capital repayments, if made at all, only affect cash flow and not profits. All in all, a totally pointless and potentially misleading article!

From: Robert Brown 07 August 2021 11:24 AM

More egg sucking advice!

From: Robert Brown 05 August 2021 08:03 AM

Happy days!

From: Robert Brown 04 August 2021 08:04 AM

Pass me the eggs and the sucking manual!

From: Robert Brown 04 August 2021 08:01 AM

Don't disagree but why are Councils not similarly criticised for not helping tackle rogue tenants? Rogue tenants harm ALL decent tenants and landlords with very limited means of redress whereas rogue landlords only harm their own tenants who have plenty of avenues of help available to them.

From: Robert Brown 04 August 2021 08:00 AM

Good tenants will always get the help they deserve. They need to learn that Shelter, GR etc. are only there to protect bad tenants at their expense!

From: Robert Brown 03 August 2021 08:49 AM

Totally agree and the situation has been made far worse in Scotland with the SNP's ridiculous anti tenant legislation in December 2017, which they now realise was flawed but their new plans will only make things worse. In Edinburgh, Saint Andrews etc. many properties were refurbished every June and let to tourists until September and then to students over the winter and spring terms. However the students can't be held to a fixed length tenancy or compelled to give more than 28 days notice so many properties are no longer let other than for short term lets, reducing the availability of longer let accommodation and increasing the rents expected for the remaining available properties. However the idiots who support the SNP blame the landlord and not the goons they've voted in to gradually destroy Scotland.

From: Robert Brown 02 August 2021 19:21 PM

I have a very nice holiday home which I used to rent out as holiday lets from April to September and do a six month let for October to March. The SNP banned this fixed length tenancy option so banning a family from having a really nice home for the winter. However I have ended up better off with peak rent achieved for much of October and December/January school holidays and off peak rents over much of the remaining time. All refurbishment can be scheduled for November and February so not reducing availability in higher rent periods. It now counts as a furnished holiday let with better tax breaks, no council tax liability and no rogue tenant threat. Thanks SNP. Keep the PRS "reforms" coming as they have been a great help in increasing landlords' earnings!

From: Robert Brown 02 August 2021 10:47 AM

Very rare for me to have any voids. Can't remember the last time and I always use time between rents to refurbish and so justify the highest rents the market will bear after typically leaving rents unchanged for good tenants throughout their tenancy.

From: Robert Brown 02 August 2021 09:39 AM

Wow! Wonder what the others are like? Think I'll continue to give them all a miss!

From: Robert Brown 02 August 2021 09:25 AM

Grace As Andrew says, the exception proves the rule. As a policy I have never let to benefits claimants. I had one previously OK tenant who went off the rails, lost his job and family and eventually had to be evicted. My only eviction out of over 300 tenants and my only benefit claimant. I won't give another the benefit of the doubt ever again as I was left thousands out of pocket and suffered nearly a year of severe stress in dealing with the whole episode. His mother was his guarantor and she had to take in his three children when he lost his job and stopped providing for them. The council social work department pleaded with me not to pursue the mother to honour the guarantee. I didn't pursue her but feel I have earned the right to refuse future benefits claimants and to ask anyone to leave as soon as they start to accrue rent arrears. Incidentally I have we'll over 20 Glasgow students as tenants and have had for around 20 years. I have never found them afraid to complain but I do encourage them to report small problems before they become big problems.

From: Robert Brown 22 July 2021 10:11 AM

I remember being in a dodgy Glasgow pub. Several other drinkers went up to a guy on crutches and said. "What happened to you? I'll be a witness." It looks like this is what the Council wants in this case. "Witnesses wanted. Full training given." If they need more witnesses then it looks like their current allegations are potentially unfounded.

From: Robert Brown 21 July 2021 09:34 AM

Why not complain about Welsh owners not accepting a lower offer from another Welsh potential owner occupier? Sellers decide who to sell to, so don't blame the buyers who outbid locals.

From: Robert Brown 21 July 2021 09:20 AM

Another mouth wanting to sup from a very shallow trough. We don't need to pay another middle man to do these things at our expense.

From: Robert Brown 16 July 2021 09:46 AM

TC I agree with everything except the little effort bit. Being a successful (and wealthy) BTL landlord takes a lot of effort!

From: Robert Brown 09 July 2021 22:14 PM

I have found ex forces tradesmen to be excellent, getting the job done and no 9 to 5 mentality

From: Robert Brown 09 July 2021 21:02 PM

They have never worked in the past and won't work in the future due to market forces prevailing with a shortage of good rental properties.

From: Robert Brown 09 July 2021 13:07 PM

Grace Most tenants are like you but one bad tenant can negate the profit from many decent tenants and potentially bankrupt a vulnerable landlord just making ends meet. There are many such landlords currently.

From: Robert Brown 09 July 2021 13:04 PM

So probably well able to cope with any financial losses caused by rogue tenants?

From: Robert Brown 09 July 2021 13:00 PM

My Glasgow rents went up by about 30% when the SNP brought its anti tenant legislation in December 2017. NI landlords can expect a similar result but NI tenants should get ready for higher rents and fewer properties to choose from.

From: Robert Brown 09 July 2021 12:56 PM

I have every sympathy with anyone who can't afford to stay exactly where they want. The posh hotels in Park Lane and elsewhere have priced me out of the poshest areas and I am having to think about investing in Cannes or Nice as Monaco is just too expensive for a second home now. I have found that I suffer from chronic fatigue if I even attempt any work and am allergic to my own sweat. I find words like effort, work, strive etc. adversely affect my mental health and make me need to lie down to recover. Why should I have to accept real world economic facts? I thought all parties, red or blue, were promising me unlimited fruits from the magic money tree? Glad I was too indolent to bother to vote for any of them!

From: Robert Brown 09 July 2021 12:47 PM

They are not free, do need to be paid for. Consumers always pay in any free market.

From: Robert Brown 08 July 2021 12:21 PM

MA If you read this regularly you would know that many of us don't increase rents for good tenants but then need to reset to current market rents when new tenants move in. Good tenants are worth retaining and we try to do so by freezing rents for them as long as possible. New tenants are an unknown quantity and increasing rents as much as possible is how we get rid of bad tenants whilst leaving good tenants on the original rents. Contrary to what is claimed by Generation Rant and the misnamed Labour politicians (who only help non workers) there is no such thing as a No Fault eviction.

From: Robert Brown 08 July 2021 12:18 PM

That's blatant insurance fraud and they deserved to be jailed. Fraudulent claims put up insurance premiums for everyone else.

From: Robert Brown 07 July 2021 20:39 PM

Andrew Exactly. I haven't squandered the £30k and could afford to replace the entire contents of any property if necessary, which wouldn't cost anything like £30k.

From: Robert Brown 07 July 2021 20:36 PM

My profits continue to grow as my rents increase every time my costs go up. Tenants always pay for the interference caused by do gooders, Shelter etc.

From: Robert Brown 07 July 2021 13:44 PM

I have never paid for contents insurance, even in my own homes and always opt for big excesses to reduce premiums. I reckon I am up over £30k over the last 40 years in saving premium costs.

From: Robert Brown 07 July 2021 12:17 PM

Same here, with up to 17 groups chasing the best flats in March/April. My first questions were why are you looking and have you honoured your existing obligations to your current landlord who presumably will give you an excellent reference?

From: Robert Brown 07 July 2021 12:13 PM

Since do gooders started to interfere with landlords and tenants reaching mutually beneficial agreement, including higher deposits, landlords have got to play safe and ban pets in flats. Another example of unintended consequences!

From: Robert Brown 07 July 2021 12:07 PM

Tenants ALWAYS pay, like consumers always pay as market forces always prevail. Anything that no one can afford disappears from the market. Sound familiar?

From: Robert Brown 07 July 2021 09:14 AM

Airbnb has blighted the lives of many residential areas in Edinburgh in recent years. This is welcome interference from the Council for once. The real culprits are the SNP and their December 2017 legislation which banned tenants and landlords from agreeing a mutually convenient fixed term tenancy which allowed landlords to rent good flats to students from September until May, refurbish in late May and get higher tourist rentals in June, July and August. Many former student flats are now full time Airbnb lets with inevitable adverse consequences for hapless neighbours.

From: Robert Brown 05 July 2021 13:52 PM

Andrew Send some up to Scotland and I'll send down some of our famous beverage ( Irn Bru).

From: Robert Brown 02 July 2021 22:12 PM

Julian Since landlords own the property, only our side counts. Pet owners can choose to have pets in their own property but we choose for our properties.

From: Robert Brown 02 July 2021 22:08 PM

I consider every request to allow pets before choosing a different tenant who has put his priorities right and decided not to live with or like animals

From: Robert Brown 02 July 2021 21:12 PM

People living with allergies have no choice but people living with animals choose to do so and choose to blight the lives of future allergic tenants. I choose to protect future tenants by banning animals in my properties. Dead animals cooked medium rare with a nice claret are allowed so I am not imposing a blanket ban on all animals.

From: Robert Brown 02 July 2021 21:05 PM

The new timeshare scam, along with investing in purpose built student ghettos?

From: Robert Brown 02 July 2021 14:07 PM

The SNP know that anyone astute enough to become a landlord is very unlikely to support their financially illiterate policies whereas any tenants foolish enough to think that SNP policies are in their interests will almost certainly be an SNP supporter and vote for them - that's if they summon up the energy to bother voting

From: Robert Brown 02 July 2021 14:03 PM

Pet owners need to understand how harmful their animals might be to future tenants. They should buy their own property before buying any animal to live with them. Landlords shouldn't be asked to subsidise the keeping of any animal in properties designed for human occupants and future tenants have a right to a home with no risk of making them ill. Surely disability laws should protect landlords and future tenants from the harm caused by unwelcome animals in a property not owned by the animal's owners.

From: Robert Brown 02 July 2021 13:37 PM

This shows that we don't need Pets to get Lets as letting is by and large a Seller's market currently. My slogan is Pet - No Let or No Pet - Let.

From: Robert Brown 01 July 2021 14:12 PM

Please explain JS?

From: Robert Brown 01 July 2021 14:07 PM

I would rather have a lower rent than half a dozen eggs. With me, they get neither but they do get a safe well maintained home and a stable rent as long as they behave themselves.

From: Robert Brown 01 July 2021 14:05 PM

The headline is misleading. Existing landlords ARE selling up and others are THINKING about becoming new landlords. Thinking and doing are quite different!

From: Robert Brown 01 July 2021 14:01 PM

Hopefully these grants won't go to those who enjoyed an extended holiday on 80% of normal salary courtesy of the tax payer? After tax relief, no commuting expenses and savings on buying clothes for work, many furloughed staff ended up better off than those who continued to work during the pandemic. Such grants should be carefully means tested so that cynical rent dodgers are not unjustly rewarded at tax payers' expense.

From: Robert Brown 01 July 2021 10:52 AM

Great idea but as Andrew says it won't work in practice. Why don't they suggest a similar scheme for rogue tenants, although this would fail for the same reasons. Yet another example of how out of touch our overpaid underworked public sector employees are with the real world!

From: Robert Brown 01 July 2021 09:49 AM

Likewise. Email and spreadsheets work fine for me.

From: Robert Brown 30 June 2021 19:36 PM

I bought them as holiday homes originally and got standard domestic mortgages at normal rates. I think the key point is to show the mortgage can be paid from other earnings and to keep the LTV as low as possible. I don't currently pay over 2% on any mortgage whether BTL, holiday homes or own home.

From: Robert Brown 29 June 2021 13:04 PM

Over the last thirty odd years of being a landlord I've never heard of onboarding, don't know what it is or why this lot think I might need it! Incidentally it's important that the tenants care about not dropping their guarantors in it and guarantors care about their credit ratings and keeping the tenants in the property. A third party company with expensive lawyers on tap would not be a suitable guarantor for my tenants.

From: Robert Brown 29 June 2021 10:04 AM

I have been able to let holiday homes on normal domestic mortgages at normal interest rates for the past thirty years - just let the mortgage and insurance companies know it was being let out on holiday lets. Not sure why anyone needs to pay inflated rates for this?

From: Robert Brown 29 June 2021 10:00 AM

Keeping everyone updated on repair progress can be done easily by a normal e-mail trail. No need for any fancy apps etc. Another solution to a non existent problem?

From: Robert Brown 29 June 2021 09:55 AM

I was very unhappy when the capped energy tariffs were introduced in an attempt to protect the indolent but it still seems possible to save around £300 with 30 minutes effort, so the lazy are still paying through the nose and subsidising the alert and sensible consumers. However the do gooders are now focusing on insurance companies and threatening the savings which sensible drivers and property owners can make by shopping around. Why won't they let market forces and the survival of the fittest principles prevail? Levelling up is impossible and levelling down is the most likely outcome of any attempt to do so. By definition around half the population will be below average unless everyone is exactly average. How does striving to be average help the economy or the country prosper?

From: Robert Brown 28 June 2021 22:04 PM

The more lazy people there are who don't shop around, the cheaper it will be for those who do. I'm quite happy to see any company screw the lazy and willing if it means a better deal for the alert and unwilling.

From: Robert Brown 28 June 2021 16:03 PM

Rogue tenants are decent tenants' worst enemy. How can we get that message across?

From: Robert Brown 28 June 2021 13:12 PM

Claret with the dead animal. Single malt after.

From: Robert Brown 25 June 2021 21:41 PM

He got one of them free, paid for by the taxpayer. He could have set an example to other so called socialists and given away his spare Jag!

From: Robert Brown 25 June 2021 13:36 PM

Damage done to other people's property by animals is no laughing matter. Message to pet owners: Don't buy a pet before you buy your own place to live. No one has the right to impose animal filth on others. PS. I like many animals, usually medium rare with a nice claret.

From: Robert Brown 25 June 2021 13:28 PM

David The real reason we are penalised is petty jealousy. Since many lefties own two cars and many jerseys you won't hear them campaigning for these to be shared more fairly. They only want fairness to apply to those things that won't affect them or where they can benefit from it.

From: Robert Brown 24 June 2021 10:06 AM

Councils actually penalise good landlords who want to bring damaged properties back to a high standard. They then complain about sub standard properties being let out despite their policies being a root cause of this problem!

From: Robert Brown 24 June 2021 08:50 AM

I've never bothered trying to retain any of the deposit, apart from the one DSS tenant whom I had to evict. It's just too much hassle for minimal compensation. I just make sure that I am charging as much rent as the market will bear to the new tenants, but typically won't increase tents for sitting tenants as long as they behave themselves. Problem tenants will find rents increased as much as possible until they get the message and leave.

From: Robert Brown 24 June 2021 08:45 AM

Probably another time share type scam in the making?

From: Robert Brown 22 June 2021 08:29 AM

How many Scottish tenants have taken the SNP loans? The SNP lefty policies end up helping middle class Scots, with free University tuition, free prescriptions for all irrespective of how easily they could be afforded and soaring house prices and rents - all helping the wealthier Scots but harming the poor idiots who support the SNP and think they're on their side! I'm deeply grateful to the SNP who continue to make me wealthier but despise them and their racist anti UK propaganda.

From: Robert Brown 21 June 2021 11:32 AM

If Lloyds Bank be wants to compete with me, then two can play that game. Anyone want to borrow money from me at 39% interest and give me their mum and dad's house as security? Personally I think that's a safer business than PRS right now.

From: Robert Brown 21 June 2021 11:11 AM

I'll happily reduce their guilt and bank balance if they just ask me!

From: Robert Brown 17 June 2021 17:15 PM

Any Government robbing Peter to pay Paul will have the unwavering loyalty of Paul! A quote from someone but I don't remember who. Margaret Thatcher said that the problem with socialism is that eventually they run out of other people's money. This is because there are many more Pauls than Peters but eventually the better off Pauls turn into Peters and find they are now being robbed! I suspect that is what has happened with much of the Northern Red Wall but can't understand the lefty Londoners voting to become Peters!

From: Robert Brown 17 June 2021 10:56 AM

The average house rented out is a different house to the average house sold as they are totally different markets. A Glasgow property selling for the average price shown would rent for around£600 per month. A house getting around £800 rent would sell for more than £200k. Another nonsense article with false meaningless comparisons!

From: Robert Brown 17 June 2021 10:49 AM

Almost every landlord tries to reach an amicable or at least a sustainable settlement first already. Mediation would only have postponed litigation or eviction, not avoided it. Glad it's been dropped for the PRS but won't work in the commercial sector either where businesses are going bust unless landlords continue to show forbearance.

From: Robert Brown 17 June 2021 10:43 AM

DE Why don't you rent a kennel and move in with the animals?

From: Robert Brown 16 June 2021 20:37 PM

DE A renter's house is NEVER their own house and always belongs to the landlord who remains in control. Get over it. It won't ever change in the way you want!

From: Robert Brown 16 June 2021 20:35 PM

TC I doubt he owns any property, not even the one he lives in. Probably doesn't own a car either but has a monthly PCP payment bigger than many mortgages. He'll need a big car to fit in the chip on his shoulder and compensate for the smallness of other body parts!

From: Robert Brown 16 June 2021 20:32 PM

All these comparisons forget the huge effect stamp duty, legal and mortgage arrangement fees etc. add to the costs of owner occupiers. People who move every few years or shorter are considerably cheaper renting. The biggest costs of renting are missing out on capital growth and being potentially exposed to rent increases, greater than potential interest rate increases. Again these factors are ignored in comparisons which only focus on monthly outgoings and ignore factors which may have a much larger effect overall.

From: Robert Brown 16 June 2021 12:09 PM

AQ That's not abuse, simply sensible pragmatism.

From: Robert Brown 16 June 2021 11:51 AM

Alistair I doubt that the SNP would impose an LBGT penalty, although I personally wouldn't disapprove of such a thing! I suspect your auto correct changed LBTT, which is what the SNP now call Stamp Duty - just to be different! To clarify, it's an extra 4% penalty on top of rates already higher than those Stamp Duty rates in the rest of the UK. On the bright side, I've seen 30% rent rises in 2004 when Scotland imposed £2000 licences and over £3000 typical costs for fire doors, alarms etc. on all homes rented to more than 2 unrelated adults, and a further 30% hike in 2017 when the new anti prs legislation came into force. These dogma-inspired "reforms" followed about 15 years when rents had hardly moved, with capital growth being the main reward for property owners. We now enjoy above inflation capital growth and healthy demand for rented accommodation pushing up market rents. The Tories are probably bigger threats to Landlords than any of the loony lefty lot who only end up hurting decent tenants. Tenants should vote Tory to avoid being harmed further but I have no idea who Landlords should vote for now!

From: Robert Brown 25 May 2021 14:41 PM

In Scotland rents went up 30 per cent when the new legislation came in December 2017. You don't actually have to sell to get them out in Scotland, just try to sell but change your mind. Tenants actually have less security as there are no fixed term tenancies any more in Scotland.

From: Robert Brown 25 May 2021 09:41 AM

The SNP gave the vote to 16 year old kids, promised them free laptops and £20 per week, but still failed to get a majority in the recent election. Any Government robbing Peter to pay Paul will have the unwavering support of Paul. Can't remember who said that first.

From: Robert Brown 25 May 2021 09:36 AM

I have a simple barometer. If I think it's something that the SNP would approve of then I know it's the wrong thing to do. I have never done the wrong thing by going the opposite way to what the SNP would approve of.

From: Robert Brown 24 May 2021 13:49 PM

Agreed. Most decent landlords and tenants engage well with each other. Only the rogues have difficulty in this regard but it's interesting that Generation Rant don' t advocate engaging with landlords, in whose hands rests the sole authority to negotiate with tenants. It's nothing to do with Councils unless some requirements are not being met.

From: Robert Brown 24 May 2021 13:39 PM

JE I actually agree with your second point this time! Has someone sensible hacked to use your I'd on this post?

From: Robert Brown 24 May 2021 13:31 PM

JE You're obviously in favour of a communist managed economy, which has been proven to fail. No one, other than the market, has decided property prices and by definition, they must be affordable otherwise they would not be bought and prices would fall to the correct free market level.

From: Robert Brown 24 May 2021 13:29 PM

I'll continue to do things my way - even if I'm wrong! That way I know who to blame and am confident that mistakes will be used as learning opportunities. Gosh! I think I am beginning to sound young and foolish again!

From: Robert Brown 22 May 2021 16:43 PM

Good point! Can't see why that would not work.

From: Robert Brown 20 May 2021 20:25 PM

JS Pay attention! He said it DID include the Labour areas. BTW, that's now an odd name for a party which only supports non workers and despises those who succeed through their own labour and enterprise!

From: Robert Brown 20 May 2021 20:20 PM

There are far more owner occupied properties. If the objective is to be greener then target them first. Wait a minute. Does that mean far more disgruntled voters? Like George, I have NEVER been asked about epc and some of the criteria applied has been ludicrous.

From: Robert Brown 19 May 2021 08:08 AM

AB I'm happy for it to be used for long term lodger who are given a home, but not for short term holiday lets.

From: Robert Brown 17 May 2021 12:46 PM

They say: 1, Quick paint job - says it all! My Rule 1. DON'T DARE paint my property, unless you're a professional and have asked my permission, otherwise you'll be paying for a professional to fix your botched up "quick paint job". In the early days I did allow tenants to paint but quickly learned that no good turn goes unpunished. They say 9. "Spruce up". I say "Thoroughly clean" or again, expect to pay for professionals to do it properly. This mob shows little respect for Landords - but even less for the incoming tenants!

From: Robert Brown 17 May 2021 10:18 AM

Experienced landlords can deal with such situations themselves without paying third parties. I have been offered an inventory service for £60 plus VAT a time, which would have cost me around £15000 over the last 20 odd years. I haven't lost anything like that in replacing damaged or lost inventory. Similarly I reckon I have saved around £30000 by not paying for contents insurance and over £20000 by not paying for appliance breakdown cover, boiler cover etc. Paying to avoid unforeseen costs can be even more costly!

From: Robert Brown 14 May 2021 13:51 PM

No pets is the only way to avoid such risks. Responsible pet owners should blame other pet owners, not sensible landlords.

From: Robert Brown 14 May 2021 13:43 PM

Also because Shelter, Generation Rant etc. make them think they can avoid any sanctions, so they dispute everything. Result is we factor this into our rents, so yet again decent tenants pay for the "support" and "protection" which Shelter etc. claim to provide.

From: Robert Brown 14 May 2021 13:41 PM

Certainly no shortage of potential tenants or quibbling with market rents in Glasgow currently.

From: Robert Brown 14 May 2021 13:34 PM

This 7.5k tax dodge should be banned, or at most kept only where a long term lodger is given a long term home. It should not be used for airbnb tax free earnings which undercut legitimate highly regulated proper hospitality businesses and blight residential areas with noisy unsafe party flats etc.

From: Robert Brown 14 May 2021 13:30 PM

Girlish I don't agree. In the 70's we had to save at least 10% and more like 20% deposits since prices paid usually exceeded surveyor valuations on which the mortgage offer was based. Mortgages were rationed and everyone charged the same (high) interest rate, with no special deals, interest only or beyond 25 year options. Over the intervening 25 years we had to contend with interest rates soaring to over 15%, punitive penalties on missed payments, expensive surveyor and legal fees on all offers we made inckuding unsuccessful bids. The main difference then was that we took responsibility for our own futures, lived within our means, often saving partner's salary in full plus a bit of our own towards our deposit, no fancy cars, holidays, costalot coffees etc. My own children bought their first properties in their very early twenties, letting the bedrooms out to friends and using the lounge as a bed sit. Within 10 years they had also built up over £1 million property portfolios with my only contributions being setting an example in demonstrating hard work and financial common sense. Every generation has challenges but no generation has complained so loudly or so unjustly as the current woke snowflakes.

From: Robert Brown 14 May 2021 13:24 PM

Bill I'm shocked that you charge your wife £60 for that trip! That's 12 times the cost of her haircut! I got my hair cut in London once in 1972 and it cost £5, so I know that's the cost in London. Besides, surely my wife wouldn't lie about it? I still pay £5 now in Glasgow at OAP rates (well actually £4.50 plus a big tip of 10 bob - I would feel the standard 10% tip would be a bit mean now and in any case they never seem to have 5p pieces in the till when I have asked for it).

From: Robert Brown 13 May 2021 16:53 PM

Bill We're both wrong. Michael had 0.01% which is 1/100 of 1%, not 1/10 of 1%. I meant to put .01% but made a typo and put.1% by mistake. Don't know if Michael also just made a typo or got his sums wrong, but I do know many current accounts only pay 0.01% interest, although I have avoided those banks so far.

From: Robert Brown 13 May 2021 16:39 PM

I'm quite happy to see these btr schemes as they will push up market rents for all properties. This comment is based on my experience in competing with purpose built student ghettos, which most first year students move on from into normal domestic student flats and are happy to pay the same level of rent to live nearer the shops and pubs as most new builds are not centrally located.

From: Robert Brown 13 May 2021 14:48 PM

I put a lot of money which HMRC didn't ask for last July into Premium bonds and made £125 in prizes over the rest of 2020. In addition m by not going on holidays, to the pub etc. I didn't need to cash in all the bonds, so still have several thousand chances of £1 million every month. Incidentaly I've also saved about £50 on hair cuts over the last year and I suppose my wife will have saved about the same, although I can't understand how ladies hairdressers can survive, charging only £5 for a 2 hour appointment, but my wife assures me that's all they charge!

From: Robert Brown 13 May 2021 14:27 PM

Michael. You need a different card! I have regular savings accounts paying 2.75% and 3% ( was 5% last year), a credit card paying 1% cash back, a current account paying 2% and other current accounts who paid me over £100 to switch to them along with £5 per month for using the debit card. No need to pay banks or card issuers a penny - and btw, 1% is 100 times 0.1%, not 10 times.

From: Robert Brown 13 May 2021 14:14 PM

As Tricia says above, it's up to people to act sensibly and prioritise how they manage their finances. Government's only responsibility has been in making things harder and more expensive for private landlords, resulting in us making things harder and more expensive for tenants, but no one is forcing them to rent from us and we certainly don't want tenants who can't afford our rents.

From: Robert Brown 13 May 2021 14:04 PM

Hopefully Banyard won't need to pay rent for many years to come and will enjoy the extended security of tenure which Shelter, Generation Rant etc. clamour for!

From: Robert Brown 13 May 2021 13:31 PM

Why should landlords even be down 20%? The Baroness complains the Government still has no plan to clear rent dodgers' debts. What about the dodgers coming up with their own plan - like living within their means, mitigating any further escalation in debt by moving somewhere cheaper or in with friends and relatives? Generation Rant should take its lead from several generations past, who typically lived with friends or relatives until they could afford to buy or rent their own place. I was born in the spare bedroom of my granny's council house, where we lived until I was about 3. Why should this generation be treated differently?

From: Robert Brown 13 May 2021 13:25 PM

Andrew You should have sold the stuff to offset your losses!

From: Robert Brown 12 May 2021 13:17 PM

All landlords in Scotland should already be registered but there are still the same rogues defying the law, along with the same rogue tenants. Theory and practice can differ markedly in real life.

From: Robert Brown 12 May 2021 12:45 PM

TC You sound exactly like an old much missed friend who disappeared from this site recently.

From: Robert Brown 12 May 2021 09:10 AM

I know what smell these schemes have! Tory party rewarding donors and cronies - not bitter, just jealous! Hartlepool was a sign that working people now realise Labour supports non workers - but NO party currently supports working people of all levels. Tenants need to similarly realise that decent landlords are the decent tenants' best friend and Shelter, Generation Rant etc. only protect rent dodgers, like Labour protect skivers.

From: Robert Brown 12 May 2021 09:04 AM

I agree about how vital fixed term rentals are for the student market and shared flats generally. True to form, the SNP, aided by their little green helpers, totally ignored advice when they brought in their ludicrous prs legislation in December 2017, bringing chaos if one joint tenant wants out of the flat or is kicked out of University or College. In theory, in Scotland, one joint tenant could decide to stay in the flat for the rest of their lives and the others would still be liable for their share of rent, utility bills etc. The Scottish legislation has no means of ending a joint tenancy other than by mutual agreement or eviction on a very narrow range of circumstances. Purpose built student accommodation is exempt from the 2017 legislation but not shared or HMO flats with a joint tenancy agreement. The only bright side is that many landlords decided to avoid flat sharing joint tenancies resulting in a shortage of good quality well located flats and the market rents for those went up by about 30% overnight, with the best 4 bed flats near Glasgow University getting around £25k per annum from early 2018 onwards compared to around £19k in mid 2017. Whilst in Glasgow landlords are gaining and students losing because of this ill thought out legislation, in Edinburgh there are NO winners. When fixed term tenancies were allowed, many student rentals were for 8 or 9 months and the flats were quickly refurbished and let to tourists over the summer months. This kept the flats in excellent condition and student rents lower than in Glasgow or Dundee etc. However, because landlords can't plan ahead - and most students don't - these flats can't be booked up well in advance by tourists, so tourists are pushed out to residential areas where many owner occupiers let out rooms or full houses with airbnb at huge rents but no tax is paid and city centre hospitality businesses lose out on evening food and drink revenue. As I said earlier, a lose-lose for practically everyone including HMRC, with only a few tax dodgers winning letting out unlicensed and unregulated potentiality unsafe short term rentals. England could study what has happened in Scotland and learn from it, but somehow I doubt that will happen. The only glimmer of hope I have is that the SNP hates to have anything the same as England, so the SNP might change our legislation if England copies us!

From: Robert Brown 11 May 2021 15:05 PM

Michael I think it depends on your market. I have always been able to pass on increased costs of every kind and market rents for the best properties have always soared on the back of new onerous legislation in Scotland. My rents are now between 3 and 4 times what they were in 2004 before the loony lefties in the Scottish "parliament" started to interfere in the prs.

From: Robert Brown 11 May 2021 10:12 AM

Are they worried she might get some real life first hand experience of life as a landlord and lose the rose tinted specs? This loony claims landlord and tenant interests are fundamentally opposed. This is utter rubbish for the vast majority of decent tenants and landlords who get along just fine. I rarely increase rents for sitting tenants and know most landlords do likewise. Any form of rent control interference, which these loonies want, will guarantee maximum annual rent increases for ALL tenants, again only hurting decent tenants.

From: Robert Brown 11 May 2021 08:33 AM

It works fine for students with guarantors, less so for young professionals who think they're too grown up to need guarantors.

From: Robert Brown 10 May 2021 09:25 AM

A young whippersnaper of 46, only in Parliament since 2012, never in Government - and the headline focuses on her "experience "! Admittedly it's in context to housing ministers who never keep the job for more than a few months.

From: Robert Brown 10 May 2021 09:21 AM

I may be wrong (just once!) but I have a feeling this has happened before in threads with "contributions" by our friend John Smith. Unless some comments have been removed I can't see any justification for further contributions being "no platformed" on that thread.

From: Robert Brown 10 May 2021 09:14 AM

Just more rabble rousing, now supported by a Council!

From: Robert Brown 10 May 2021 09:03 AM

When will decent tenants realise the harm Shelter does to them by protecting rogue tenants from easy eviction which would release homes for decent tenants? BTW. No such thing as a no fault eviction. No business turfs out good customers!

From: Robert Brown 10 May 2021 08:59 AM

J E We want suitable people, not unsuitable animals. We don't need to accept pet owners as there are plenty of other tenants wanting high quality homes and we don't want to expose ourselves to the added expense, hassle and heartache which we would risk by trusting pet owners.

From: Robert Brown 06 May 2021 13:08 PM

Agreed Andrew, but in Scotland even a 3 bedroom house let to 3 unrelated adults needs an HMO licence, costing nearly £2000 initially and £950 every 3 years thereafter. Expensive modifications like fire doors, mains operated interlinked smoke alarms are also mandatory. The same house let to 2 junkie mothers with a herd of feral children needs none of the above! On the bright side, when these requirements were brought into force in 2004, rents rose by around 30%, so the costs were covered in the first two years, but the tenants continue to pay the higher market rents, so I am now gaining from this totally unnecessary over regulation. Shelter, Generation Rant and most tenants are too thick to realise how they have been ripped off by Councils and our SNP dictatorship.

From: Robert Brown 06 May 2021 09:45 AM

Gosh! We hadn't thought of all these things ourselves! However, they haven't advised us if we should walk on the floors, walls or ceilings. Until they tell us this we won't even be able to go into our properties in case we get that bit wrong too! Property owners can manage just fine without this type of "advice". It's a minority of tenants who need told the obvious on how to treat properties and how to leave them in good order when they go.

From: Robert Brown 06 May 2021 09:28 AM

If tenants want or need an alternative to a proper deposit, they need to find an alternative to renting from me. Can't afford the deposit, can't afford the rent. Unwilling to risk your own money? I'm unwilling to risk my expensive property! Deposits are usually returned in full. Such fees are lost forever. Not showing any financial acumen is not the way to secure the best rental properties or build up the necessary deposit to buy any property.

From: Robert Brown 05 May 2021 08:43 AM

JE I've been pretty happy with how over 300 of my tenants have behaved and have got on very well with all but 3 of them over the last 20 odd years. Incidentally if you look at your initial response above, you were first to flex your muscles, suggesting your position as a rent paying tenant gave you rights in what you termed your home. I merely reminded you how limited such rights are in the real world when occupying property owned by others who decide the extent of the rights conferred in return for payment of rent.

From: Robert Brown 04 May 2021 21:32 PM

Andrew We're still on the same wavelength! I'm not sure whom he was addressing anyway, I've never bought cheap properties as I don't want tenants who want cheap properties and low rents. Incidentally the more my bank balance has grown, the scruffier I look - much to my wife's annoyance!

From: Robert Brown 04 May 2021 21:26 PM

You're catching on. No chance of your money hitting our bank accounts!

From: Robert Brown 04 May 2021 18:13 PM

Plenty of tenants to choose from, so no need for pet owning tenants in my properties.

From: Robert Brown 04 May 2021 18:10 PM

Practically every pet owner would claim the same. Experience tells us otherwise.

From: Robert Brown 04 May 2021 18:07 PM

Julian In my properties NO but you're welcome to try elsewhere.

From: Robert Brown 04 May 2021 18:05 PM

We select VERY carefully. No pet owners. Simple. P.S.. Childless tenants also very often preferred but sometimes that is beyond our control, and apparently often beyond tenants' control. By only buying expensive desirable properties I have been usually able to avoid undesirable tenants.

From: Robert Brown 04 May 2021 17:42 PM

JE If you don't own the property, it's NOT yours to set the rules. The clue is in our title - LandLORD. If you obey our rules, we'll get along just fine.... otherwise it's a goodbye from us. My property, bought with my money. Simple.

From: Robert Brown 04 May 2021 17:37 PM

Would you trust them as guarantors? I wouldn't and doubt if many of them have ever worked hard enough to have any decent collateral.

From: Robert Brown 04 May 2021 10:37 AM

Would a tenant have been punished in his absence? Councils haven't opened dumps, cut grass, opened libraries etc. and have kept staff at home on full pay for no work, but they can still pursue landlords without risking the health of anyone!

From: Robert Brown 04 May 2021 09:22 AM

The huge costs of remedying potential pet damage is a risk no landlord should be compelled to take and no compensation scheme would ever cover it. What about future tenants or landlords who might be allergic to such animals? Generation Rant, Shelter etc only help to build barriers between decent tenants and landlords who can co-exist very well exercising common sense and decency. Leave us alone and stop supporting rogue tenants who only harm the decent ones.

From: Robert Brown 04 May 2021 09:17 AM

JS That comment could be a threat. I have reported it.

From: Robert Brown 02 May 2021 20:27 PM

Sorry. Insurance companies can afford fancy lawyers. I can't. Prevention is better than cure, so NO PETS.....ever!

From: Robert Brown 30 April 2021 17:23 PM

Look on the bright side. Every cycle dumped is one less clogging up the roads! I would have fined the landlord far more if he had provided fully working cycles for his tenants. I'm with Jeremy Clarkson on my opinion of free loading cyclists getting in the way of road tax-paying drivers.

From: Robert Brown 28 April 2021 19:19 PM

Pity under 25's are trusted with the vote! I remember how irresponsible I was at under 25, at least for those bits that I remember at all! I certainly wouldn't have rented to me at 20, although our student flat survived 8 of us sharing relatively unscathed, but it was so tatty no further damage would have been evident.

From: Robert Brown 28 April 2021 09:35 AM

Shelter fair renting campaign? They can campaign to rent as many fairs as they want, but I'll decide on the rents for my properties based on market forces, which I think is the fairest method. Incidentally, I thought Shelter supported rent evasion, not rent payment?

From: Robert Brown 28 April 2021 09:30 AM

Agreed. The SNP hate landlords and have outlawed fixed term tenancies, allowed tenants to leave on 28 days notice from day 1 - but banned landlords from getting back their own properties unless in very specific circumstances. I can't understand why 100% of Scottish landlords didn't feel totally unsupported by the SNP. I feel totally victimised and demonised by the SNP and their nasty nationalist cronies always chasing the populist vote and offering unaffordable freebies.

From: Robert Brown 26 April 2021 10:19 AM

The SNP ignored (as usual) advice on shared student and joint tenancy flats when they outlawed fixed term tenancies in December 2017, causing chaos when one joint tenant wants to leave, or gets kicked out of University, and the others want to keep the joint tenancy going. Edinburgh no longer has enough self catering flats for summer visitors, who used to subsidise term time rents for student flats which were also kept in pristine condition for the tourist market. Monthly rents went up by 30% when landlords could no longer rely on higher summer rents paid by tourists. A lose lose all round, which was totally predictable and predicted by those who weren't blinded by political dogma. England is poised to make the same mistakes.

From: Robert Brown 26 April 2021 10:09 AM

Renters forget the huge costs borne by owners moving house, unlikely to be under five figures for every transaction. Shelter, Generation Rant etc. forget the flexibility and huge cost savings which landlords provide to renters early in their careers when mobility is important to take advantage of better job opportunities. I was born in the front room of my granny's council house and we lived there for nearly three years until my parents got their own council house. After a further 10 years crimping and saving my parents became owner occupiers. This was a fairly typical course just after the war. In the 70's, as a young married couple we had to rent for about 3 years to save our first home deposit. Today's young don't have the patience or initiative that previous generations had!

From: Robert Brown 26 April 2021 09:57 AM

Glasgow City Council has gone back to building 4 storey tenement flats, just like the Victorians did. I wonder if they'll last as long? I have 12 Victorian flats in my Glasgow portfolio and the only issues I have are due to the changes enforced for fire security and energy saving regulations, with mould and damp in flats which no longer have adequate natural ventilation and tenants refusing to open windows or dry clothes outside.

From: Robert Brown 26 April 2021 09:34 AM

Being a landlord and building a portfolio worth several million has been very hard work but it has transformed the finances of me and my grown up kids, and hopefully my young grandchildren in time. Had I built the maximum allowed pension fund instead, I would be worse off now in retirement and it would die with me. My portfolio and its six figure rental stream will live on. Bit Coin? No Thanks. Baroness Mone and her current husband are great fans of it. That's enough to convince me that it's a lousy investment for normal investors.

From: Robert Brown 23 April 2021 21:19 PM

Another argument for banning pets.

From: Robert Brown 22 April 2021 13:02 PM

Rubbish. Common sense and a willingness to work hard are all that's needed to provide safe homes - but tenants also need common sense to keep their homes safe.

From: Robert Brown 22 April 2021 13:00 PM

In that case the Council should have sought open market bids to get best value for the tax payer, instead of selling directly to the sitting tenant without inviting other offers. It's widely accepted Council tenants after enjoying years of subsidised rents, were given further huge subsidies to buy their Council houses with nothing preventing them from selling on promptly making huge tax free profits at tax payer expense.

From: Robert Brown 21 April 2021 22:45 PM

Andrew As usual, I think you're not wrong!

From: Robert Brown 21 April 2021 22:33 PM

David Edmunds I have had around 300 tenants over the last 20 odd years and only had to evict one, who was the only DSS claimant I have ever ( and will ever) let to. I have also had 2 other tenants whom I refused to allow to stay on after the initial term. All other tenants and I have got on fine. I suspect your attitude would have put you in the very small minority whom I would have refused to allow to stay on, exactly like 7 of your previous landlords! All the evidence, and the personal experience of landlords posting on here points firmly to the opposing view to your own misguided and very sad allegations. BTW. If you think moving between rental properties is expensive you should check out the costs of moving from one purchased property to another, which is rarely less than five figures. Of course, you may well have massive repair or cleaning costs to pay if you don't meet your obligations on vacating rental properties, no matter how reluctantly!

From: Robert Brown 21 April 2021 22:25 PM

Leics. Until you use your own name, your comments don't deserve serious consideration. BTW, keep your own libel lawyers on speed dial!

From: Robert Brown 21 April 2021 21:20 PM

They need to work for Councils as no commercial business would employ them and they couldn't do real jobs anyway,

From: Robert Brown 21 April 2021 16:19 PM

David Council houses were sold to sitting Council tenants at huge discounts and many were promptly sold on at huge profits, with the tax payer subsidising the greed of such former Council tenants. Blame the Council or their ex tenants but don't blame anyone who paid full market prices for ex Council houses, especially those renting out to tenants that the Councils have decided not to give homes to! BTW, Your current and former landlords have my sympathy!

From: Robert Brown 21 April 2021 16:13 PM

As Andrew says above, avoid Council schemes and the types of tenants they want to palm off on us. Plenty of decent tenants to choose from without entertaining the dross the Council are supporting.

From: Robert Brown 21 April 2021 16:04 PM

Sue them and their guarantors.

From: Robert Brown 20 April 2021 12:51 PM

Prudent students will always plan well ahead to get the best flats. Why encourage the next generation of adults NOT to plan ahead - or expect to ignore legal obligations?

From: Robert Brown 20 April 2021 12:49 PM

One thing these surveys seem to ignore is the average purchase price is based on sales of properties ranging from under £100k to over £1 million, whereas the properties rented and rents charged are in a much narrower range. The yield on particular properties in most popular rental areas is probably nearer 8 to 10%, and in my experience can often exceed 10%. Once capital growth ( typically 300% or more over the last 20 years for my portfolio) is taken into account, there is still no safer home than btl for my life savings, despite the efforts of Shelter, Generation Rant etc.

From: Robert Brown 20 April 2021 08:51 AM

What's a PRad?

From: Robert Brown 20 April 2021 08:41 AM

Perhaps they thought Trash Your Pad would be too near the truth for their target tenants?

From: Robert Brown 20 April 2021 08:40 AM

I have only ever evicted one tenant, a DSS claimant, who left the property totally trashed. Never again! Plenty of decent tenants looking for good properties. Benefit claimants can take the dross properties not wanted by others.

From: Robert Brown 19 April 2021 09:12 AM

Good landlords will be good with or without expensive licence schemes. Bad landlords will continue to ignore every rule and councils by and large are too lazy or stupid to enforce existing legislation, without adding new and expensive schemes. Councils should crack down on both bad landlords and tenants - and leave good landlords and tenants to work together amicably as they have always done, without added costs or interference.

From: Robert Brown 19 April 2021 09:08 AM

Always do. It's what makes student rentals worth doing as it has no other advantages.

From: Robert Brown 15 April 2021 13:38 PM

Theodor Welcome back David! Your unique refreshing style was much missed!

From: Robert Brown 14 April 2021 09:50 AM

Hope London's mayor takes note of the huge reduction in availability of rental property after this interference from Government! Market forces will always prevail!

From: Robert Brown 13 April 2021 09:18 AM

No one knows the level of demand and affordability until they test the market for a particularly desirable property. I have twice successfully imposed 30% rent increases, in 2005 and 2018, and still could pick and choose from several potentially attractive tenants. Many of my rents are 3 to 4 times pre 2005 levels,

From: Robert Brown 09 April 2021 11:32 AM

Does he regard landlords as victims of crime? I doubt it!

From: Robert Brown 09 April 2021 08:58 AM

I have some student flats and have found second year students upwards often prefer normal flats near all amenities to cardboard clad ghettos on brownfield sites which have been Covid incubators over the last year. These overpriced ghettos have, however, set expectations regarding high market rents per room so they have my thanks, along with our SNP masters whose anti prs legislation has also helped rents to soar over their 14 year reign. On balance, their higher rents adequately compensate for frequent redecorating costs and snobby parents. I have found young professionals are very often more bother and less willing to pay the market rents than younger students financially supported and guaranteed by solvent home owner guarantors.

From: Robert Brown 08 April 2021 11:03 AM

We need to see a network of well built mediators set up nationwide, who can help tenants in financial trouble prevent their debts from continuing to escalate, navigate their way through the correct paperwork to give up unaffordable tenancies voluntarily and promptly, waiving any notice period or remaining term of tenancy, and assisting them with removing their belongings at any time of the day or night whilst ensuring they understood their obligations to leave the properties clean and tidy, but most of all, promptly and without fuss. Mediators like that would help both those who can no longer afford the rent and those desperate and financially able to move into recently vacated accommodation.

From: Robert Brown 08 April 2021 10:50 AM

The lefties keep protesting about things that don't exist and giving them emotive names. The Poll Tax and Bedroom Tax never existed. The former was a Community charge fairly levied at every adult able to pay it, but that rightly reduced payments for home owners which the lefties hated. The latter is the removal of the spare room subsidy, designed to free up larger rented homes for families to move into from overcrowded accommodation. Again the lefties attacked the wrong target and tried to prevent decent families from getting more suitable rented homes.

From: Robert Brown 08 April 2021 10:42 AM

Focus on improving owner occupied homes first. There are far more of them, but that'll mean lots of angry voters! If reducing emissions is the key, go for the highest volume emitters first which in the UK would be owner occupiers, not prs tenants. What about social housing?

From: Robert Brown 08 April 2021 09:57 AM

Renters don't pay stamp duty, legal or estate agent fees which are often more than the entire rent paid while renters are in a property.

From: Robert Brown 07 April 2021 08:51 AM

Many landlords rarely raise rents for decent tenants. Schemes like this push rents up for everyone. These loonies only harm decent tenants by protecting rogue rent dodgers.

From: Robert Brown 07 April 2021 08:48 AM

Andrew Missed it. What did ITV say?

From: Robert Brown 05 April 2021 22:11 PM

It would need to be at least £200 per month extra to cover potential damage, cleaning bills etc. but what about the human right of future tenants with allergies, perhaps even unknown allergies? Safety first.... no pets.., PERIOD!

From: Robert Brown 05 April 2021 22:01 PM

Such comments usually made by useless selfish tenants. Most landlords and tenants get along just fine by being decent to each other.

From: Robert Brown 05 April 2021 09:10 AM

It would never work and insurance companies can afford fancy lawyers. Future tenants deserve to be protected against harm from previous pet owning tenants.

From: Robert Brown 01 April 2021 18:30 PM

If you're asking me, not until we get sensible councils - so NO!

From: Robert Brown 01 April 2021 10:20 AM

Andrew. I agree, but if there were enough homes then this property wouldn't have tenants, who presumably preferred it to being homeless? Perhaps the Council could use the £48k to renovate some derelict property? Perhaps the Council should confiscate properties like this and make them social housing?

From: Robert Brown 01 April 2021 09:30 AM

Instead of wondering how to deal with debts tenants have built up through rent dodging, they should focus on minimising opportunities to build up such debts by facilitating early evictions and releasing properties for decent tenants to rent. Early evictions don't increase homelessness. They just make it fairer with the right people made homeless and not the wrong people with homes made available earlier for those deserving a decent home for their families.

From: Robert Brown 31 March 2021 19:05 PM

She might actually pick up lots of Tory votes now? I would think of voting for her!

From: Robert Brown 31 March 2021 13:26 PM

Andrew Sorry to hear of your experience. During the last green deal fiasco I learned that none of our local small reputable tradesmen entertained these schemes due to previous bad experience with earlier schemes. I blame the under 50's for the climate emergency - walking around their homes all winter in summer gear, driving everywhere, heating every room to 25C, multiple foreign holidays every year etc. Incidentally the cloud storage they use on their fancy phones consumes about as much energy as a small country like Norway or the Netherlands. When I was young we wore woolly vests and jumpers inside in winter and only heated the living room, letting the fire die down from about 8 pm onwards.

From: Robert Brown 31 March 2021 13:22 PM

Hope you're trashing their credit ratings at the very least? Inadequate legal repossession options will lead to alternative more effective methods being adopted and Shelter etc. have only themselves to blame!

From: Robert Brown 31 March 2021 13:13 PM

One loony scheme replacing another! No thank you to either.

From: Robert Brown 31 March 2021 10:55 AM

NRLA should tell them to stop victimising the prs. Are our emissions more harmful than social housing or owner occupied properties? Pollution is universal (as Megan might say) so a universal initiative fairly applied is needed.

From: Robert Brown 30 March 2021 09:18 AM

I don't think the SNP dictatorship sttretches as far as the South West yet? If you had paid attention you would have read my winter tenants and Edinburgh students were actually getting great properties at bargain rental rates, subsidised by higher short term rentals. Anyway, my property, my rules. Six months cheap rent in a high quality house, which they would otherwise never be able to afford, was keenly sought by many tenants every time it was available and with total acceptance and understanding of the situation offered. No tenants win after the SNP interference. I didn't ever want the type of tenant anyway who wasn't prepared to accept my rules and I don't have to kowtow to them or their SNP heroes. As for those moaning about having to move on after six months from properties in the South West, the Scottish experience is most tenants would prefer six months to nothing, because that is the alternative, not twelve months or longer. South West tenants know tge reality of living in a tourist hotspot and can either work longer or harder to save up faster or move to areas like the North East where more affordable properties are available. We can't all stay exactly where we would really like to be. The prices in Monaco are just outrageous although I don't exactly fancy living near some of the neighbours anyway, no matter how big their boat and historic tax free dividend payments taken.

From: Robert Brown 29 March 2021 19:50 PM

Jahan Looks like the late riser's "parasite" post has been removed - along with my reply to him!

From: Robert Brown 29 March 2021 10:40 AM

Totally agree! Glasgow Council brought in compulsory HMO licences around 2005 for all properties let to more than 2 unrelated adults, irrespective of size or number of rooms etc. On each flat I had to spend around £2k on a 3 year licence and around £5k on fitting mains operated interlinked smoke and CO alarms, new fire doors, new locks on external doors etc. I also have ongoing annual costs of around £500 for LGSR, boiler servicing, PAT checks and alarm servicing, around £1000 every 3 years for each renewed HMO licence - plus upgrading to meet any changes in regulations, like 6 easily accessible power points per room, intumescent collars on extraction fans etc. However I found I could increase my rents from a bit under £200 per month per bedroom in 2004 to over £250 as soon as the HMO regulations took effect and I had up to 17 groups of four wanting the best located flats. Rents continued to rise steadily to around £375 per room per month in 2017 and since the new loony SNP legislation came into force in December 2017, I can now get £525 per room per month - so £2100 per month for a four bed flat from 2017 onwards that used to get under £800 in 2004! Tenants will always have to pay for the policies of those who claim to be looking after them! PS. When I was a student in Glasgow in the early 70's there were 8 of us sharing a grotty 4 bedroom flat - but we could easily afford the essentials like 8 pints of beer per night and copious quantities of fish and chips from the local chippy. No wonder there's a huge housing shortage when youngsters are banned from doubling up (at least officially!) and thus needing twice as many flats (and paying twice as much rent) compared to earlier generations - who didn't die in their thousands due to house fires, gas explosions, legionella, CO poisoning or electrocution!

From: Robert Brown 29 March 2021 10:34 AM

I have a nice holiday home that I used to rent for short lets from Easter to September and a six month let over the winter. However the SNP banned me and any tenant from agreeing to a six month specified tenancy, so now I let it out as short lets all year round and have discovered I can get peak week rates for October, Christmas and New Year lets, as well as frequent off peak shorter lets. It now also qualifies for Business rates (with nothing to pay) and is exempt from about £2k Council Tax as well. I also have plenty of opportunities to keep it well maintained without tenants getting in the way. As a result I am over £3000 a year better off (after tax) and there is one less high quality home now available for the winter months, which was previously let at a bargain rent from October to March every year. I'm winning - but I'm not sure there is any advantage to any tenants from the SNP's ludicrous 2017 legislation. The same situation is common in Edinburgh where flats let to students for 8 or 9 months per year were kept in pristine condition to attract summer visitors. Now students must pay higher rents 12 months of the year for flats which are kept safe but not as pristine as before when they paid lower rents for only 8 or 9 months of the year. Those claiming to "protect" tenants need to learn some real world common sense!

From: Robert Brown 29 March 2021 10:14 AM

Housing responsible for 22% of green house gases? Fine, so why target only 2.9 million privately rented properties to reduce a very small proportion of this 22%. Why not target ALL properties and reduce this 22% in ALL properties across the entire country? If the benefits outweigh the costs, then everyone wins. Wait a minute. .... Perhaps the costs are too high to justify the measures? Perhaps voters don't want to pay? Perhaps private tenants are regarded as too thick to realise they will foot the bill without gaining lower energy bills? Actually, perhaps the politicians are right on all of the above?

From: Robert Brown 28 March 2021 23:26 PM

Liking your own post Prothero? Not surprised! Many of your type do! Look up the definition of "parasite". It applies to rent dodgers but NOT to honest hard working responsible reputablelandlords, which the vast majority are, and with whom the vast majority of decent tenants are extremely satisfied and enjoy mutually respectful and symbiotic (not parasitic - look it up) relationships. Incidentally I am not unhappy with huge corporate landlords setting market rents and standards, as my rents will go up to match theirs and my standards and service levels will continue to exceed theirs, both as a matter of personal pride and professional practice to retain good reputable long term tenants. Look at how the purpose built high density student ghettos, with Covid 19 available as a no cost extra, has pushed up market rents in student flats. Corporate landlords only benefit landlords - themselves and all other landlords - not tenants - or even big issue employees ( unless paid by them in some way, including dividends). PS. Doesn't the Big Issue guy know that John Lewis Partnership is, or claims to be, a Partnership, not a Corporation? With falling profits and no partners paid bonuses, perhaps new boilers might not be as affordable after all? Most BTW boomers are awash with cash currently since we and our zimmers and mobility scooters haven't had our usual 4 cruises over the last year!

From: Robert Brown 28 March 2021 22:57 PM

But where else can you get such low risk yields? I don't trust the red braces brigade in the City and cash deposits interest is under 1% typically.

From: Robert Brown 25 March 2021 10:09 AM

What's the EPC rating of a cardboard box or railway arches?

From: Robert Brown 25 March 2021 10:00 AM

Repairs tend to be lumpy in cost so annual tax returns make more sense for landlords than more frequent reporting.

From: Robert Brown 24 March 2021 08:23 AM

Will tenants pay higher rents for greener properties?

From: Robert Brown 24 March 2021 08:20 AM

The lease should spell it out. Up to tenants to read it.

From: Robert Brown 23 March 2021 17:18 PM

I have aways only insured against life changing catastrophes and not insured contents etc. for well over 40 years, saving tens of thousands on insurance of contents that could be replaced for less than £10k in any property except my main home. Contents insurance can be a false economy if you can afford not to have it.

From: Robert Brown 23 March 2021 17:17 PM

Level of comments mirrors level of interest in this scheme - which us just another waste of public funds!

From: Robert Brown 22 March 2021 20:23 PM

Echis. Like it or not, this sort of problem is much more prevalent in tenanted properties and other owners are typically much readier to seek available assistance with local authorities more eager to apply sanctions to antisocial owners than to antisocial tenants. If you don't believe me, check out LA's reasons for limiting numbers of rental properties, a key one being to reduce incidences of antisocial behaviour and "improve" a specific locality.

From: Robert Brown 22 March 2021 20:20 PM

The "good and bad co-exist". WHY? Why should the good have to tolerate the bad? Do gooders forget that every single antisocial tenant is probably causing misery for at least a dozen neighbours who are the ones needing consideration and protection. Why do they think the decent majority has to tolerate the behaviour of the small minority causing the problems?

From: Robert Brown 22 March 2021 08:59 AM

That's good to know.......because that's what rent dodging tenants will have to look forward to......nothing.....no home and no prospect of getting any decent home again. How can idiots sleep at night when they are advising tenants in financial trouble to go down this sorry road?

From: Robert Brown 19 March 2021 13:14 PM

I have heard £500 to £1000 cash, accompanied by an offer to provide some well built guys to help remove personal items usually results in rent dodgers freely signing the appropriate paperwork to give up the tenancy.

From: Robert Brown 19 March 2021 10:58 AM

Developers and occupiers are responsible for unsafe properties, not owners whether occupiers or landlords. If developers were forced to build safe properties then occupiers could legitimately be made responsible for keeping them safe but it's Tory policy to protect their big business donors and make property owners pay to fix their shoddy new builds. I would now never buy any new or even post war property. Those built by the Victorians are the best built but will be screwed by the forthcoming epc changes which will only apply to private rental properties.

From: Robert Brown 19 March 2021 10:51 AM

That's only £150 extra on a 6 month tenancy and even £300 over a year won't cover cleaning let alone damage or replacement of soiled carpets etc,

From: Robert Brown 19 March 2021 10:41 AM

Common sense dictates that landlords must be allowed to choose whether to allow or ban any pets as tenants don't own the property, don't stay for ever (even nowadays! ) and thus shouldn't be allowed to limit the number of available properties for let to those with allergies once they move out. Incidentally when did irresponsible pet owners stop renting flats? Have you never seen huge dogs go into multi storey flats? I'm willing to bet that's where the majority of very big dogs actually live!

From: Robert Brown 19 March 2021 10:38 AM

Jonathan I support you keeping the Bentley. ....but shopping in Waitrose? That's just sheer extravagance at any time and very middle-class. Most Bentley drivers wear old patched second hand clothes and get their food from one of the farms on their estates. I suspect you're an imposter and drive a Porsche!

From: Robert Brown 18 March 2021 15:07 PM

Sebastian I see you're back as supporting as ever! Don't worry, most landlords will still have more money than we can spend despite the most fervent hopes of the nay sayers and best efforts of all politicians. Why do I say that? It 's because we're enterprising, resilient, not afraid of hard work and....oh yes.... pretty well off already with consistently apprecating assets in high demand and short supply. P.S.. We'll be lucky no matter what month you select, as we make our own luck through effort and initiative.

From: Robert Brown 18 March 2021 14:59 PM

I put properties into my kids' names as soon as they were 18 and have kept our own net worth under £1 million to avoid IHT. I won't sell anything that I still own, so no CGT payable either. The £1 million being left by my wife and me will go straight to grandchildren and our own kids plan the same strategy as the grandchildren grow up and hopefully continue to grow their own net worths, with our inheritance as seed corn. IHT and CGT are both voluntary taxes, easily avoided by good planning.

From: Robert Brown 17 March 2021 22:47 PM

Avoid the rent, feel the fear. Avoid the fear, pay the rent!

From: Robert Brown 16 March 2021 08:59 AM

Let them protest and avoid social distancing as much as they like, but only until they get vaccinated. One way to alleviate the housing shortage?

From: Robert Brown 16 March 2021 08:57 AM

Since the SNP brought in this loony legislation in December 2017, rents for the best properties have soared 30 to 40% due to shortage of properties and landlords selling or moving to short term rentals. Just desserts!

From: Robert Brown 12 March 2021 13:26 PM

The hard left who once had about six Scottish Socialist Party MSP's in Holyrood have successfully infiltrated the equally loony SNP and the current PRS legislation in Scotland is the result, with bad tenants rewarded and landlords vilified. The landlord clearly wanted a better tenant but had no legal way of getting rid of the sitting tenant who got away with vandalism when he left.

From: Robert Brown 12 March 2021 11:20 AM

All adults buying or owning properties are eligible for the "benefits " she mentions but we shouldn't expect children like her to be bothered by facts like grown ups have to.

From: Robert Brown 12 March 2021 09:06 AM

Agreed. Renters don't need to be frightened. Rent dodgers do!

From: Robert Brown 11 March 2021 11:35 AM

I tried London for a couple of years in the mid 70's, hated it and moved back to Scotland, grateful for the opportunity to pursue a more modest career path and a more balanced lifestyle back home.

From: Robert Brown 10 March 2021 22:33 PM

This is a crazy way to measure demand as students don't want to be spread across cities but concentrate near the University or Colleges. Numbers of enquiries per property is the best guide always.

From: Robert Brown 10 March 2021 11:45 AM

The SNP claim to have these loans available but they try to get tenants to get rent free periods from landlords or extended repayment plans funded by landlords first, reminding everyone of the current eviction bans. Like every SNP claim the reality is quite different.

From: Robert Brown 10 March 2021 11:41 AM

Why are they called activists? There's nothing active or productive about them, just a bunch of lazy jealous rabble rousing malcontents who only harm decent tenants and protect like minded rent dodgers.

From: Robert Brown 10 March 2021 11:36 AM

I like long contracts as I add my own clauses and no one ever reads them.

From: Robert Brown 09 March 2021 11:07 AM

Moving house also costs owners thousands in estate agent, legal fees and stamp duty. The flexibility and cost savings landlords provide to tenants needs greater recognition.

From: Robert Brown 09 March 2021 11:03 AM

Common sense dictates properties have modern wiring and get professionally inspected for gas and electrical safety, whether owned or rented. However most issues are caused by irresponsible behaviour or lack of care.

From: Robert Brown 09 March 2021 09:13 AM

Not everyone can handle the responsibility of property ownership, so responsible landlords will always be needed to house others.

From: Robert Brown 09 March 2021 09:05 AM

Another way to ignore another debt! Why single out banning this at rental properties? This is not mentioned in the article at all.

From: Robert Brown 09 March 2021 09:00 AM

Charging for pets isn't discrimination and if they query the clause choose different tenants.

From: Robert Brown 08 March 2021 10:06 AM

Tenants need the same common sense as owners to stay safe, nothing more.

From: Robert Brown 08 March 2021 09:23 AM

Jahan has the answer above.

From: Robert Brown 08 March 2021 09:21 AM

Selective inbreeding?

From: Robert Brown 05 March 2021 17:41 PM

You won't be surprised that the SNP dictatorship hasn't listened and hasn't abandoned HIPs in Scotland. Our stamp duty equivalent is also much more expensive for all buyers with a 4% penalty for landlords.

From: Robert Brown 05 March 2021 17:35 PM

The Baroness says 715000 don't get enough benefits to cover their rents. What about their sky tv, fancy phones, pcp car monthly payments? Are these considered higher priority payments because defaulting on them has more immediate consequences?

From: Robert Brown 05 March 2021 13:17 PM

I think tenanted properties have proportionately many more fires than owner occupied properties, despite mandatory alarms and electrical checks in rental properties not required in owner occupied properties I have always let flats with everything checked and working, but not always had them returned like that. I suggest the tenants, and not the properties or appliances provided, are responsible for most of the fires through their lifestyles and behaviour. Owner occupiers tend to be more careful and responsible.

From: Robert Brown 05 March 2021 13:11 PM

Jahan Totally agree ((again!). I've also found that more often than not when tenants move out, they haven't made any effort to switch away from the standard tariffs, despite average savings of up to £300 per annum per property. Indeed, with brand new cars leased on the never never, gym memberships, fancy phone contracts and expensive credit card monthly payments, the only monthly payment under scrutiny is the rent payment, with no recognition of the benefits of living in a safe home with no upfront stamp duty, estate agency or legal fees to be paid and no responsibility for dealing with unexpected repair bills and no long term commitment to maintain a six figure asset.

From: Robert Brown 05 March 2021 13:00 PM

Totally agree! Landlords are running businesses and need a return on investment, so I'm prepared to consider eco enhancements in return for higher rents. Tenants would be no worse off as their energy bills would be lower. If savings in energy costs don't match required increases in rents then tenants need to decide how much they're willing to pay for greener homes. Why should landlords foot this bill on behalf of others?

From: Robert Brown 05 March 2021 09:35 AM

Having several solvent property owning guarantors accepting joint and several liability takes a lot of the risk out of student rentals. The massive 30% hike in rents over 2017/2018in Scotland followed the SNP's misguided legislation to outlaw fixed term tenancies and prevent landlords from specifying a tenancy end date. Many of the better student flats in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, St Andrews etc. had winter student rents subsidised by high rents during the tourist seasons. Landlords overnight could not rely on higher tourist short term rents if students didn't leave in time for the tourist season or only gave the minimum 28 days notice now standard in Scotland. We therefore had to choose whether to focus on tourist short term rentals, removing the availability of these flats from the student market, or stick with the student market but at higher rents due to the lack of higher tourist rental income. The resulting shortage of student flats allowed the higher rents to become the market rents and they have continued to go up year on year. Yet again, unforeseen consequences from leftie dogma - only we did foresee and warn the SNP but they ignored us, as they continue to ignore all professionals. Their latest ploy is to threaten rent controls.... Bring it on!

From: Robert Brown 04 March 2021 19:24 PM

I agree and sympathize with those they harm but claim to protect but am pleased to benefit from the higher rents possible due to their misguided dogma reducing supply whilst demand soars.

From: Robert Brown 04 March 2021 13:10 PM

Great! My student rents will be going up again for the fifth year running! 40% up since May 2017 for my best student properties. Don't you just love market forces? Lefties need to understand market forces and cause and effect.

From: Robert Brown 04 March 2021 09:37 AM

Hope they're not thinking of giving this to the tenant who was already housed at public expense? The landlord didn't have a licence but did provide the property which was rented and kept some tenants from being homeless. Also hope that they pursue Council Tax dodgers with the same alacrity!

From: Robert Brown 04 March 2021 09:35 AM

If it's not safe to view, how can it be safe to move in? They actually want to ban in person viewing permanently so Landlords can't use their instincts or interviewing skills to select the best tenants from the various applications.

From: Robert Brown 04 March 2021 09:28 AM

We need our own well built mediators!

From: Robert Brown 03 March 2021 17:18 PM

They have lives - low lives, and hopefully short lives!

From: Robert Brown 03 March 2021 17:16 PM

They talk about working class. They're not!

From: Robert Brown 03 March 2021 09:31 AM

Michael 100% agree! I don't understand why some have liked both your and Jo Jo's posts, although the latter is pretty ambiguous.

From: Robert Brown 02 March 2021 21:05 PM

David Why did you like this post? I interpret it as "deserving the rent arrears, theft, vandalism etc." which much of the benefit taking underclass impose on those hapless landlords who house them. I don't and won't ever touch them and the vitriol spouted by these Unions only helps to deter other landlords from housing them.

From: Robert Brown 02 March 2021 15:29 PM

Steve Their policy to debts is " Defer today, default tomorrow and defraud always". They still believe the Marxist doctrine that " All Property is Theft". This crowd of ragtag agitators is a million miles away from the Labour Party of Keir Hardy and Clement Attlee who helped the WORKERS escape poverty in the first half of the last century. The enterprising descendants of those WORKERS are many of the "privileged" property owners so despised by the Unions and the idle underclass that they claim to support, whilst living in luxury on their undeserved Union subscriptions. The second half of the last century showed the failure of their philosophy which was eventually rejected by the East European Iron Curtain Countries , when eventually given the opportunity to do so. Only those states still ruled by brutal dictators still live under the yoke of the Communism that they aspire to impose on us.

From: Robert Brown 02 March 2021 14:53 PM

Michael The whole point of suggesting big far away places to which to transport offenders is exactly that they're big with plenty of space AND far away so we're NOT there. After all, they're hardly likely to make good neighbours! P.S., I'd be a relatively pleased with your suggestion of banning them from benefits provided it was long enough to compensate their victims fully - but that could be done along with making them work 60 hours a week in blazing sunshine in the Outback or in blizzards in Siberia or Northern Canada.

From: Robert Brown 01 March 2021 19:23 PM

I would be quite happy for prisoners to have unlimited access to any harmful drugs they want, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, heroin.....whatever they want......as long as it didn't interfere with them putting in tomorrow's 10 hour shift. But these recent posts seem to have escaped from the cannabis thread almost next door?

From: Robert Brown 01 March 2021 19:14 PM

Only 10 minutes? PAUPER!

From: Robert Brown 01 March 2021 15:22 PM

David The safe distance is 2 metres! Haven't you been watching any TV over the last year? 5 feet is far too close and you would risk infection from a range of ailments endemic in any Council - such as laziness, intolerance, stupidity, intransigence etc. Hard working people have no immunity against such scourges which we don't encounter in our own herds.

From: Robert Brown 01 March 2021 14:49 PM

Agreed. The Earth might be overpopulated right now despite the best efforts of Nature - male fertility (apparently the sp*rm word is banned on here!) halving over recent years - or Covid mainly targeting the non-productive - but there's still plenty of room in Siberia, Antarctica, Central China, Australian outback or Northern Canada etc. if we brought back transportation - maybe even on the Moon or Mars before too long?

From: Robert Brown 01 March 2021 14:41 PM

One of the reasons prison is a last resort is because it's so expensive for the taxpayer to fund. We should make them profit centres rather than cost centres, by bringing in hard labour, 10 hours per day, six days per week. Mailbags might not be needed in the quantities they once were, but they could generate electricity walking in huge treadmills, get some fresh air working in chain gangs to fix potholes, pick up litter, paint neglected public buildings, dig the way for new roads or HS2 (using only hand tools) etc. - we are only limited by our imagination! I suspect that prisons would quite quickly become much less full (not just due to the fat lazy sods dying of exhaustion) but because they might start respecting the law of the land. Less crowded prisons would mean we could abolish early release or parole but if they remained full then their profits could allow us to reduce (or even abolish) taxes such as LBTT, CGT, IHT etc. all of which disproportionately hit hard working property owners. What's not to like?

From: Robert Brown 01 March 2021 14:30 PM

Jahan You're assuming the agitators understand cause and effect. Sadly the evidence is that they allow nothing to get in the way of them pursuing their dogma and spitting out their hatred for those who have worked hard to be regarded as "privileged". Free markets keep us all free and balance supply and demand. "Regulated" markets, such as Timms dreams of, will make us slaves of the mob. As Mel Gibson once said (although in a bit of pain at the time) "FREEDOM!"

From: Robert Brown 01 March 2021 14:10 PM

If the choice is getting no rent by keeping a property empty or by letting a rent dodger sponge of us with no options for early repossession, then guess what we will choose? No. Don't guess. The evidence is in this article 100,000 times over. Giving landlords decent incentives to provide homes for decent tenants will help solve the housing shortage. Rewarding and encouraging rogue tenant rent dodgers only harms decent tenants. However, for the lefties, dogma always trumps common sense and doing the right thing for the greatest good.

From: Robert Brown 01 March 2021 09:30 AM

Her again!

From: Robert Brown 01 March 2021 09:03 AM

Every case should be considered on its merits, which is what courts should do. Profligate spendthrifts don't deserve being bailed out by the public purse.

From: Robert Brown 01 March 2021 09:02 AM

David Edmunds. Question:: Why do supermarkets have security guards? @ Answer: Precisely to warn bad boys and girls to be good if they want to shop there and thus ensure respectable law abiding paying customers can enjoy their shopping experience safely and in peace, without it being overpriced to compensate for high levels of theft or vandalism etc. Unfortunately the loony lefties have sentenced many decent tenants to a life of higher rents and often sheer misery by protecting their rogue tenant neighbours from fast and easy evictions. Rent dodgers tend to be antisocial and destructive as well as thieves.

From: Robert Brown 26 February 2021 22:53 PM

Ideal renters can ask for a new AST but in any case will usually only be asked to move if essential to the landlord and given as much notice as possible. If it's difficult to find somewhere suitable within two months, then there must be a shortage of sui table properties, which means the rents are too low and there isn't a balanced market. Higher rents will lead to more good properties being available for good tenants when they need them. Everyone wins when supply and demand are balanced, which means lower rents if plenty of properties available and higher rents in a shortage, Incidentally I don't think you understand the legal contracts involved in buying and selling properties. Time pressures can be enormous as it's a longer much more complex procedure than simply signing a new tenancy agreement, and agreed entry and vacation dates are legally binding, with expensive penalties if they are not honoured.

From: Robert Brown 26 February 2021 22:41 PM

David Don't see how it costs renters a few grand to move? On the other hand stamp duty, lawyers fees etc. can often cost owners tens of thousands. Spare a thought for those who work hard to be independent. Incidentally most houses are bought by owners trading up or moving through job requirements etc. Trading up makes a lower cost property available for someone to get on the housing ladder. Surely it's better to make more properties available for new owner occupiers? High CGT liabilities just stagnate the housing market as others have illustrated on here.

From: Robert Brown 26 February 2021 22:07 PM

The loonies end up harming those they claim they're supporting! Decent tenants and landlords get along just fine if left alone to get on with things,

From: Robert Brown 26 February 2021 18:52 PM

DE Rented homes have many more fires, electrical problems, mould, anti social behaviouretc. than owner occupied homes, despite the additional safety features which landlords provide, often beyond what is legally required. Perhaps it's renters who are to blame for these issues despite the best efforts of landlords? P.S.. I have never broken a toilet seat in any flat, house, hotel etc. but must have replaced more than a dozen over the years. Carelessness is dangerous - and expensive!

From: Robert Brown 26 February 2021 18:46 PM

You got there before me! 100% right!

From: Robert Brown 26 February 2021 09:19 AM

Correct! Can't afford the deposit, can't afford the rent! Next please!

From: Robert Brown 26 February 2021 09:17 AM

5 year licence for£2 per month? Fine, no problems for tenants to afford that in addition to what the rent would have been without it, but licences often require expensive alterations like fire doors, upgraded smoke alarms etc. Are these needed and how much extra would they add to rents? Does this Councilor know what he's talking about?

From: Robert Brown 26 February 2021 09:15 AM

Since the SNP made the Scottish system different (i.e. worse , like everything they touch!) I've lost touch with what applies in the rest of the UK. Just be thankful that (at least for now) you can still specify fixed term leases. On the other hand, the exodus of many landlords and moving properties to short lets only has helped rents of the most desirable properties to soar, so it's not all bad up here (yet!).

From: Robert Brown 26 February 2021 00:57 AM

It looks like serial rent dodgers will also be able to dodge such schemes, so ccj's will still be our best weapon,

From: Robert Brown 25 February 2021 19:37 PM

I still think only the lowest risk tenants will use such a system. We need weapons against the rogues, not those aspiring to better things.

From: Robert Brown 25 February 2021 19:34 PM

So could we report a rent dodger to Equifax on the first month's default on ( not ) paying rent when due and to Experian on the second FOC ? Does that count as "either or " as we're only using one at any one time?

From: Robert Brown 25 February 2021 19:31 PM

Then they need to be banned too!

From: Robert Brown 25 February 2021 19:24 PM

OK, so serve the notice after 4 months and offer to withdraw it if they're good boys and girls?

From: Robert Brown 25 February 2021 19:20 PM

Some people watch too many American programmes. Reach out is a physical act involving arms and requiring the 2 metre rule to be broken. On the other hand, "contact" can be both done physically close up, or remotely by phone, emails, zoom etc. or even by Royal Mail in the UK. The Queen's English is precious and shouldn't be bastardised by rebellious former Colonials.

From: Robert Brown 25 February 2021 13:25 PM

It seems to be that this will only help good tenants improve their credit ratings - fine, but I'm more interested in protecting my own credit ratings and revenue streams and an extra means of trashing credit ratings of rent dodgers would be very helpful. Perhaps the people getting free advertising who have responded to some above posts can clarify if their service will help as landlords need, by trashing rent dodgers' credit ratings? If it's only of benefit to good paying tenants, why the free publicity on this site?

From: Robert Brown 25 February 2021 13:15 PM

So rent dodgers won't sign up and pay the monthly fee? That would be like turkeys voting for Christmas. How do rent dodgers get reported if they won't sign up for this scheme?

From: Robert Brown 25 February 2021 10:37 AM

End user consumer always pays.

From: Robert Brown 25 February 2021 09:33 AM

It'll save time just to serve notice at the same time as the tenancy agreement is signed. Notice can always be withdrawn by landords allowing tenants to stay on if they behave themselves. The Welsh Government needs to talk to their SNP cronies, the experts in screwing landlords, as this idea is easily got round. Yet another loony leftie policy that will backfire and only hurt decent tenants.

From: Robert Brown 25 February 2021 09:29 AM

That still means the landlord is down at least 55% of the cost, with the tenant reaping the benefit of lower fuel bills unless the rent is increased to reflect these lower fuel bills. I've still got a load of old light bulbs which I've replaced with LED lights in my own homes, where I pay the energy bills. I put these in rental properties to replace blown bulbs not replaced by tenants - up to them to pay for their own energy savings if they want to!

From: Robert Brown 24 February 2021 23:37 PM

Ban smokers and you ban most benefit claimants (and other potential problem tenants) anyway but without getting any associated hassle.

From: Robert Brown 24 February 2021 23:29 PM

No. A tax on tenants!

From: Robert Brown 24 February 2021 23:05 PM

I have found enough tenants who can and will afford high rents for the best properties due to the imbalance of supply and demand. There are plenty of cheaper properties in the more dodgy areas but I wouldn't touch them or the kind of tenants that are prepared to accept them. My best properties have had zero voids in around 20 years and no property has been empty for more than two or three weeks, with that time being much shorter in recent years since the new SNP legislation. Any loony lefty who thinks they could help English tenants should look at Sweden, Ireland and Scotland and see what happens in real life when they interfere with a balanced market.

From: Robert Brown 24 February 2021 23:04 PM

That's why rents have more than trebled since 2003.

From: Robert Brown 24 February 2021 22:47 PM

Michael The SNP war against Landlords (and by extension, decent tenants ) has led a real shortage of decent properties. I had 17 groups of 4 students chasing one 4 bed flat in June 2019, and only one out of a dozen flats suffered the early termination by tenants last March (allowed in Scotland) when lockdown started, as the others knew they wouldn't get such nice flats again. I have another really nice holiday house in a lovely seaside village which easily rents from April to September every year. I used to take a 6 month let for the winter, basically to avoid the Council Tax and keep it heated, but it still gave a family a nice home, albeit for only six months. SNP legislation now means I can't set a 6 month limit on a winter let, so I stopped doing a winter let. However I have found that with Christmas and New Year weeks let at peak rates, along with off peak short breaks and weekends, I make more than previously from the six month rental. It also now qualifies for tax advantages and council tax exemption as a furnished holiday let. Net result is I am about £3000 per annum better off, would qualify for only 10% CGT if I sold it, and the local market has lost a fantastic value winter 6 month rental opportunity. Many of the former high quality student flats in Edinburgh are no longer rented to students as the short term summer rentals couldn't be booked up in advance until students deigned to give the minimum 4 weeks notice. Purpose built student ghettos charge £500 plus per room and tend to be in more dodgy further out areas, so that sets expectations for rents for the better situated normal 4 bed properties. In addition, local residents want councils to limit the number of HMO licences issued so limiting availability and creating higher demand from the growing numbers of students and other young flat sharers. I don't see anything interfering with this situation in my lifetime. These are some of the reasons good properties are in short supply and in high demand making very high yields in Scotland for the best properties. Incidentally the flats yielding £25k per annum would sell for between £250k to £350k maximum, so yielding around 8 to 10% gross. I never paid over half this amount, with many of my flats being well under a quarter of that 30 to 40 years ago, so I could cope with a serious step change but really can't see it happening in Scotland.

From: Robert Brown 24 February 2021 22:46 PM

Glasgow is around £1950 for the first 3 years and about £950 for subsequent 3 year periods, but payable for every property with more than 2 unrelated adults, irrespective of how large the property is. Initial costs for fire doors, mains operated interconnected alarms etc. are around £5000 per property. On the upside, rents rose by about 30% in 2004 when the new HMO licence schemes came in, kept rising steadily until December 2017 when a further 30% hike followed the new legislation outlawing fixed term tenancies and banning most reasons for the landlord to get rid of pests. Not all bad news as one flat, rented out for£600 per month in 2003 now gets £2100. Tenants always pay for extra cost imposed on rental properties.

From: Robert Brown 24 February 2021 13:21 PM

Allow landlords to charge higher rents for more energy efficient properties on the basis that tenants will pay less for energy. That way the landlord and not the tenant gets a return on the investment and can make a business decision based on economics and market forces. So far I have never ever been asked about EPC rating or energy bills by any tenants.

From: Robert Brown 24 February 2021 00:27 AM

Does this idiot realise the harm she's doing to any tenants on UC, or even any working tenants slightly in arrears? Who is going to pay for writing off arrears. If I can't afford something then I have to do without it. It's called living within my means

From: Robert Brown 24 February 2021 00:21 AM

Gosh! An MP supporting landlords? Maybe there are votes in that after all?

From: Robert Brown 24 February 2021 00:16 AM

Andrew - head of household? I thought you were married? (Post typed by RB under supervision from Mrs RB).

From: Robert Brown 23 February 2021 22:34 PM

I have been at Glasgow HMO Licensing Court when one landlord, who had failed to fix serious issues notified before the previous 3 year HMO licence was issued, was given a further 3 year licence, despite the objections from the Fire Service and Council's own HMO department officials. Makes me wonder why we law abiding landlords put up with things like this. Rigorous enforcement and huge fines and confiscation of properties could make these schemes pretty well self financing and give comfort to those of us who abide by the law.

From: Robert Brown 23 February 2021 22:26 PM

Most such schemes are good in theory but never work in real life , just like those who dream them up!

From: Robert Brown 23 February 2021 15:04 PM

Why a suspended sentence?

From: Robert Brown 23 February 2021 15:01 PM

Council and other public officials also have blood on their hands, but are never held to account.

From: Robert Brown 23 February 2021 14:57 PM

Mark 100% right this time! Are you hoping to match a broken clock and be right once again before midnight?

From: Robert Brown 23 February 2021 14:55 PM

Do you actually read what topic is being discussed?

From: Robert Brown 22 February 2021 20:49 PM

Jahan They seem to think the SNP are on their side and believe the anti landlord propaganda.

From: Robert Brown 22 February 2021 20:43 PM

You keep repeating yourself in different threads. Please make your posts relevant to the subject of the thread.

From: Robert Brown 22 February 2021 16:51 PM

Normal b&b is already regulated but many cowboys dodge the regulations, putting boarders lives at risk. The self catering tourist situation in Edinburgh is unique in the summer and now needs drastic action, or reverting to allowing fixed term lets so tourists can rent student flats in summer. The SNP were warned but dogma comes first for them always.

From: Robert Brown 22 February 2021 16:40 PM

Jahan I speak from local experience. Many student flats used to be let for 9 months and the summer was let to tourists at higher rents. The SNP banned fixed term rental contracts and made a maximum of 4 weeks notice mandatory. Result is student landlords can't plan ahead and take summer tourist bookings, so student rents rose by around 30% for the best flats. Many of the lower quality flats became party flats 52 weeks a year, blighting lives of neighbours. Many normal homes now take tourist bookings which used to go to city centre student flats, again blighting lives of neighbours. Many such properties have no proper fire precautions etc. and undercut professional hotels and short term let's. Edinburgh Council and the SNP "government" rightly planned to tackle this scourge, oblivious to the cause being the prevention of landlords with high quality flats in suitable city centre locations to accept bookings before students deigned to give the minimum notice period permitted and encouraged. For many years, Edinburgh students enjoyed high quality flats subsidised by tourists and kept to high standards as demanded by high paying tourists. Result now is higher rents for students and higher rents for tourists for inferior less safe accommodation. Usual SNP debacle!

From: Robert Brown 22 February 2021 16:36 PM

£1000 fines seem much more lenient than treatment of normal landlords? I rarely agree with SNP but an sorry they have backtracked on plans to curb short let's in residential areas in Edinburgh etc.

From: Robert Brown 22 February 2021 09:13 AM

Waste of money. Local reputable tradesmen don't need to pay to get referrals and cowboys thrive on customers who think they're getting something for nothing. The last green deal was a total failure and I don't expect this scheme to be any better. One Scottish council was recently giving free boilers and insulation to semi detached and detached houses but not to terraced houses or flats, as the "energy saving benefits" were deemed to be less in flats and terraced houses. Affordability didn't come into it and prudent owners and landlords who had already invested in greater energy efficiency got nothing as there was no "incremental benefit" and "scarce public funds" had to go where the benefits were greatest. Quotes are from a Council worker - sorry, Council official.

From: Robert Brown 22 February 2021 09:08 AM

I'll help Councils as much as they have helped me!

From: Robert Brown 19 February 2021 09:21 AM

Footballers seem too thick to follow rules. How do they cope with the offside rule?

From: Robert Brown 19 February 2021 09:19 AM

The first thing our Councils did in the first lockdown was to close all the dumps and then complain about fly tipping!

From: Robert Brown 18 February 2021 11:51 AM

Don't sound so disappointed Mark! History shows that landlords ALWAYS win in the end! EVERY anti-landlord initiative ends up hurting decent tenants but we'll still beat the rogue tenants in the end when they're shunned by every decent landlord and barred from every decent property.

From: Robert Brown 18 February 2021 11:44 AM

David I'm not so sure. Losing the right to get rid of pests after an agreed initial fixed term needs quite a rent hike to compensate for it, which the market s et at 30% or so for the best properties initially and 5 to 10% per annum from then on. We're living with it, but I can see the time coming when some well built guys might be asked to help tenants out with their belongings in return for voluntarily giving notice in writing!

From: Robert Brown 17 February 2021 16:56 PM

Spot on! A key reason for the lack of rental properties is renters being unwilling (or not allowed) to share in the manner they always did in previous generations. I shared a 4 bedroom student flat with 7 other guys (officially) and often also with a few girls (with the "single" guys sofa surfing on a "my turn for the bedroom tomorrow" basis). We had 1. an electrical engineer - who couldn't even by-pass the meter, 2. a mechanical engineer - who couldn't fix anything we broke, 3. a medic - sometimes came in handy, 4. a vet- in case the medic took ill, 5. a law student - useless if we ever needed him - still is! 6. a microbiologist - couldn't even brew decent beer, 7. a chemistry student - nearly blew us up trying to distill home made hooch, 8. an art student - never expected him to be useful anyway. We had thread bare rugs, draughty windows, fire trap sofas, dodgy gas fires and old round pin plugs and frequent rodent visitors - but the biggest risk we had was dying of food or alcohol poisoning or fatal skin diseases through unwashed skin, clothing or bed clothes. The bottom line was we could well afford the rent split 8 ways and higher density sharers only needed half the number of flats than we would need with current day HMO rules, so leaving many more flats available for others to rent. Another case of the "campaigners" shooting themselves in the foot at the expense of other innocent tenants and the homeless who are no longer allowed to share as cheaply like we did ? PS - Never had so much fun (don't tell the wife!)

From: Robert Brown 17 February 2021 14:29 PM

Effectively they now have that in Scotland since December 2017, but this has been accompanied by almost instant rent increases of around 30% on the first renewal after that and 5 to 10% annual increases ever since for the most desirable properties. Fixed term tenancies, freely agreed by both parties have been outlawed and tenants can leave any time on 28 days notice - so effectively they can have a 29 day tenancy and landlords can do nothing about it, other than refuse to rent to those with a history of frequent tenancy changes. Landlords have very limited options for repossession. This also plays havoc with joint tenancy agreements where effectively one joint tenant wanting to stay on can hold the others hostage as all tenants must unanimously agree to end the joint tenancy and there is no compulsory or previously agreed end date. Of course those really paying the penalty are those decent tenants who would otherwise willingly have agreed a reasonable long but fixed term tenancy and stuck to its terms. Yet again, lefties shouting for "tenants' rights" are only protecting the rogues at the expense of the many decent tenants forced to pay the higher market rents due to the higher risk now borne by Scottish landlords.

From: Robert Brown 17 February 2021 14:06 PM

Matthew I rarely attended lectures as a student, but in my defence that was because they were so early in the morning - some starting well before 11.00am! If Human Rights had been such a hot potato then, I might have reported the University for inflicting cruel and unusual punishment - but then again, even as a typical student of that day's sense of entitlement, I think I would have recognised how lucky I really was with my comfortable carefree lifestyle and lack of real life problems and responsibilities.

From: Robert Brown 17 February 2021 13:55 PM

KC, I think LL wrongly thinks you agree with him?

From: Robert Brown 17 February 2021 13:13 PM

Do you mean Shelter - I agree. But the reported rent increases outside of London is genuinely cheery and backed up by our own real life experiences over much of the UK.

From: Robert Brown 17 February 2021 09:44 AM

Mark I am talking from experience, not theory. All of my properties coming up for new rentals soon have multiple enquiries awaiting the opportunity to view when lockdown is finished, despite rents asked being 5 to 10% up on last year. I know you'll be pleased for me!

From: Robert Brown 17 February 2021 09:41 AM

Students already come with many disadvantages, like snobby parents and unfounded sense of entitlement, which mean we can charge them higher rents already. Scotland brought in this break clause in December 2017 and rents for the best properties soared by 30% overnight. English students should be careful what they wish for, but landlords with desirable properties have nothing to fear. Those with poor properties will find students eager to rent them when they're turned down for the better properties they think they deserve.

From: Robert Brown 17 February 2021 09:35 AM

Look on the bright side Mark. Landlords in other areas still enjoy soaring rents which will happen again in London once demand picks up again when people get fed up with home working and zoom meetings.

From: Robert Brown 16 February 2021 16:54 PM

Why not purpose built to live in? Rent or buy, quality should be the same. Purpose built btr and student blocks just create ghettos.

From: Robert Brown 16 February 2021 09:24 AM

I pay my tax and expect everyone to do so too.

From: Robert Brown 16 February 2021 09:16 AM

I agree. I thought the figure was around 3 to 5%, compared to a norm of 2%?

From: Robert Brown 15 February 2021 10:48 AM

That's their problem and their fault, not mine! Perhaps Baroness Kennedy has some spare rooms or even spare properties?

From: Robert Brown 15 February 2021 10:45 AM

Totally agree. Thank God Government sponsored rent dodgers weren't around in the 80's and 90's when rents barely covered my 90% mortgage interest payments but I was banking on long term capital appreciation and rents matching inflation. The first was fine but rents didn't rise at all for about 15 years until anti landlord legislation reduced supply and rents now grow faster than inflation. Long term planning pays dividends Short term thinking is for idiots.

From: Robert Brown 15 February 2021 10:26 AM

Who did the damage?

From: Robert Brown 15 February 2021 09:31 AM

No business bans good customers. By definition customers pay. Thieves take without paying.

From: Robert Brown 15 February 2021 09:25 AM

We need to put up all rents asap and tell tenants it's to cover bad debts and costs due to government interference in protecting rogue tenants.

From: Robert Brown 14 February 2021 09:03 AM

But I don't regard Shelter as a charity. Calling it a housing charity is a double lie.

From: Robert Brown 12 February 2021 12:51 PM

I hope you're not calling Andrew Simple? Far from it! P.S.. You're not either!

From: Robert Brown 12 February 2021 11:07 AM

All for greater transparency as debt dodgers put up costs for honest people , so best to prevent debt dodgers incurring further debts in the first place, like evicting as early as legally possible and issuing ccjs etc.

From: Robert Brown 12 February 2021 11:05 AM

Happy to see this guy fined. It's people like him that have caused all the extra hassle and expense endured by decent landlords and provided ammunition for Shelter and other anti landlord rabble.

From: Robert Brown 12 February 2021 11:00 AM

It calls Ehrlich a charity spokeswoman. Is she not a Shelter spokeswoman then? If not, why mention Shelter? If she is a Shelter spokeswoman then she's not a real charity spokeswoman. I wonder if she's on a six figure gravy train like her boss?

From: Robert Brown 12 February 2021 10:55 AM

Jahan What they did is actually now legal in Scotland but I know of over a dozen Glasgow flats that they have no chance of getting and would enjoy telling them why if our paths were to cross. I wonder if potential employers who recruit in the annual milk round might be interested in their public spirited behaviour?

From: Robert Brown 11 February 2021 13:07 PM

The Scottish deposit regulations actually came in a few years later (once the SNP got truly into their anti-landlord stride) but your point is still valid. No sensible landlord would make such a basic error, especially when it's pretty easy to jump that particular hurdle. The Glasgow student market is big but well connected. This pair might regret their "public spiritedness" as I am sure all Letting Agents will have them on their radar, particularly for bailing out last March at the earliest opportunity as well as screwing the landlord out of an additional £2800 - both quite legal options but not conducive to good future landlord relationships. Many students who did bail out, using the loony SNP 28 day notice clause, found it impossible to get decent flats in September as these were snapped up by the forward thinking students who committed and paid for them from June onwards, leaving only the dregs available in September.

From: Robert Brown 11 February 2021 11:32 AM

Andrew I think it's laudable to send some well built guys to assist outgoing tenants to remove their belongings. Giving £1000 to one tenant in financial trouble is almost saintly, but saints often get persecuted by those who hold opposing (often outdated) views!

From: Robert Brown 11 February 2021 10:22 AM

These two kids will struggle to get a flat next term.

From: Robert Brown 11 February 2021 09:26 AM

The article mentions tenant interest in epc. It is zero in my experience.

From: Robert Brown 11 February 2021 09:21 AM

Jahan Seeing that would mean he understood the economy is not a zero sum or closed system and a reduction can mean an increase. The first IBM PC's cost around £4000, but gross sales revenue and net profits soared when the prices fell to around £400.

From: Robert Brown 10 February 2021 22:43 PM

John S. You're an idiot. There is no single Laffer curve and no single optimum tax rate but all Laffer curves show diminishing returns beyond the optimum point, which received wisdom suggests is almost always below 50%, but is always below what is regarded as punitive rates as self assessment and tax payer compliance and activity all aid tax avoidance if rates are punitive. If there was a single optimum point then every tax take would be set at it! Environments, economies and behaviour are all constantly changing and so will the associated Laffer curves. Incidentally, I have turned a £6000 deposit into over £3 million of equity, generating about £250k gross rentals and about the same of annual capital growth, all underpinned by highly saleable properties. Why would I gamble with bitcoin, based on non existent assets? Andrew - he should certainly have a certificate, signed by 2 doctors!

From: Robert Brown 10 February 2021 21:11 PM

Showing your ignorance again John S. Look up Laffer curve! Both 0 and 100% tax rates yield 0 tax but there is an optimum somewhere below the 50% rate. P.S.. It's nice to be nice. Try it some time!

From: Robert Brown 10 February 2021 16:45 PM

I'm sure an offer from a few well built guys to help rent dodgers remove their belongings and assistance in giving written confirmation that they have voluntarily vacated our properties will be an offer many find hard to resist. The alternative is ever mounting debts, trashed credit ratings and inability to rent good properties from any prudent landlords. Surely any politicians with tenants' interests at heart would recommend the former as the outcome in the tenants' best interests? I'm sure that was why Andrew simply accelerated the achievement of an inevitable and fully justified outcome, even donating £1000 to one former tenant and no doubt writing off accumulated rent arrears as well. The man's practically a Saint, but then many of them were wrongly pilloried and persecuted by those with a misguided view of right and wrong.

From: Robert Brown 09 February 2021 22:40 PM

It's the wrong way round charging only those who make a success of their university education and end up paying up to 69% marginal income tax whilst repaying student loans in full whilst failures get off literally tax free.

From: Robert Brown 09 February 2021 13:51 PM

I DEMAND that Rolls Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin etc. ALL reduce their prices by 80% IMMEDIATELY. It's unfair that buying one would make such a dent in my bank balance that I would be forced to have fewer holidays! Why should I have to live within my means? It seems to be OK for others not to do so. I think I will start voting Labour and pick from the magic money tree.

From: Robert Brown 09 February 2021 10:34 AM

Evicting rent dodgers doesn't increase homelessness as decent tenants can then move in. Making landlords less keen to rent and keep properties empty WILL increase homelessness. Perhaps that's what the lefties really want to increase their votes?

From: Robert Brown 09 February 2021 10:31 AM

Totally agree.

From: Robert Brown 08 February 2021 09:25 AM

The cardboard clad student ghettos are a rip off. Normal domestic flats are let to students at normal market rents, taking into account the need for frequent significant refurbishment between lets. As Andrew said earlier, one of the major disincentives to letting to students are their parents who can be pretty unreasonable and insufferable. Their only saving grace is they tend to understand the importance of maintaining a good credit rating.

From: Robert Brown 08 February 2021 09:24 AM

No wonder the word leftie is nearly always preceded by loony! It makes me ashamed that the Labour party that helped WORKERS escape poverty in the past now harms them to protect NONworkers!

From: Robert Brown 05 February 2021 19:24 PM

Grenfell was a build to rent project before it was called that. Went well with public sector in charge of every element, didn't it? BTW, I don't trust the big plc developers any more than public sector incompetence. Apparently many detached New homes are also fire traps!

From: Robert Brown 05 February 2021 13:06 PM

Ideal opportunity over the next 9 months.

From: Robert Brown 05 February 2021 10:50 AM

Agreed. Far more owner occupied homes, so more climate change benefit to do them first. Wait a minute.... That means far more disgruntled voters! Surely the Government and LA's wouldn't be influenced by that?

From: Robert Brown 04 February 2021 09:31 AM

It's not for profit but funding this from surplus. How do you get s surplus if you don't make profits? Possibly from tax payers?

From: Robert Brown 04 February 2021 09:27 AM

Andrew I agree it's not easy and as Michael says, it's a real dilemma. Let's hope such tenants eventually end up with the rogue landlords as they deserve each other.

From: Robert Brown 03 February 2021 22:23 PM

He's committing fraud and you owe it to the next landlord to be honest with them.

From: Robert Brown 03 February 2021 20:34 PM

With their huge portfolio they would be constantly reminded that no good turn goes unpunished. It's easy to be flexible with a small portfolio but big portfolios need rules consistently applied to avoid unwelcome complications. One of the main reasons for the snowflake generation is teachers not using enough discipline and avoiding upsetting the poor dears.

From: Robert Brown 03 February 2021 19:51 PM

John S. Showing your lack of business acumen yet again! Landlords invest in their own businesses. How else do businesses get financed?

From: Robert Brown 03 February 2021 18:32 PM

You can't link landlords who used rising property values to remortgage and put released equity into further properties, as I did several times - with rogue landlords, which I am not! Indeed in my experience most rogue landlords used cash, probably untaxed earnings, before money laundering precautions made that more difficult (but not impossible even now).

From: Robert Brown 03 February 2021 18:27 PM

My 3 kids have all used their University education as a ladder to six figure salaries and million pound property portfolios. The rewards are there for those who work for them, but they're not just served on a plate as many expect.

From: Robert Brown 03 February 2021 13:17 PM

LL. There's nothing wrong in asking a tenant or guarantor to compensate on a moral basis before invoking the law. It often works with decent middle-class guarantors who want clear consciences.

From: Robert Brown 03 February 2021 08:42 AM

Students will find they are even less desirable tenants if the break clause happens. We already have 28 days notice as standard in Scotland with no help for unpaid rents or early terminations.

From: Robert Brown 03 February 2021 08:33 AM

They need told to grow up and pay their way. There's no magic money tree!

From: Robert Brown 03 February 2021 08:29 AM

John. Sadly idiots do tend to like and laugh at themselves as no one else does! I really hope your bank balance or IQ never gets mixed up with any of the genuine landlords on this site as I'm pretty sure our numbers for each will substantially exceed your own modest ratings.

From: Robert Brown 02 February 2021 22:04 PM

Neither is worth bothering about anyway. Most reputable local tradesmen don't need to pay organisations for leads or fancy meaningless logos or badges and are better value than grant subsidised cowboys.

From: Robert Brown 02 February 2021 17:47 PM

It seems that John Smith is another saddo who likes himself - reminds me of some others who mercifully no longer share their wisdom with us. Well done Jahan! It's important to get compensated by the culprits so that decent tenants don't have to foot the bill. Idiots don't seem to understand how much protecting the rogues hurts the decent tenants and landlords.

From: Robert Brown 02 February 2021 17:41 PM

Mark W Why did that matter? It was supplied in almost perfect condition and trashed by tenants,so should be replaced by the tenants. Where can you buy a fraction of a carpet? Landlords should also be compensated for the time and hassle in replacing damaged property,not compelled to offer a discount!

From: Robert Brown 02 February 2021 09:05 AM

We don't actually need letting agents at all unless there were to be a shortage of tenants. I have found Gumtree quite enough for all my best properties, only using letting agents as a last resort.

From: Robert Brown 01 February 2021 21:19 PM

The rag tag SNP and their Labour cronies are doing their best to turn Scotland into a third world country and this further attack on all landlords is yet further evidence of their extreme left wing views. Anyone on average or above average earnings now pays more Income Tax in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK but many are fooled by the derisory 19% rate which gives a maximum of £20 reduction to lower earners. Only the lowest of the low benefit from this unholy alliance out to destroy anyone they perceive to be better off than them by exploiting every tenuous excuse like this virtualy non existent "threat",

From: Robert Brown 01 February 2021 13:47 PM

Algarve Interesting to see how the pet could prove it would be responsible! Would it give a written assurance or swear an affidavit? What collateral would it provide to protect against an irresponsible owner?

From: Robert Brown 01 February 2021 13:36 PM

Matthew I totally agree with what you think. The trouble is the Government and the rag tag agitators don't think at all!

From: Robert Brown 01 February 2021 13:33 PM

I hope you sued her?

From: Robert Brown 01 February 2021 09:24 AM

I've been told by landlords of 50 plus years experience that £500 incentive to sign appropriate paperwork to relinquish the tenancy, accompanied by offers to provide well built helpers to move out personal belongings is nearly always gratefully accepted by tenants with unaffordable debts elsewhere. £4k would help 8 such tenants, so fairer to spread it around 8 needy tenants and make 8 properties available for others willing and able to pay market rents.

From: Robert Brown 31 January 2021 10:00 AM

I email it to tenants along with all the epc etc. rubbish and just print two copies of the signature page, confirming receipt, understanding and acceptance of the e-mailed agreement and other attachments sent as a PDF document. I have only had one barrack room lawyer print it off and read it since the SNP bought out its new 70 odd page version a few years ago.

From: Robert Brown 29 January 2021 22:47 PM

Joe. You're totally wrong. There is one compelling reason. The properties belong to us and we make the decisions, which can indeed stop tenants keeping pets in properties not belonging to them. They can certainly HAVE a pet, just not in our properties without our permission.

From: Robert Brown 29 January 2021 22:39 PM

The new Scottish Government one is over 70 pages long, but that's good as they never read it and it's then easy to add other clauses, cleaning windows every 4 weeks, no moving of furniture, no sticking up posters etc. which makes it easier to claim for cleaning etc. on departure.

From: Robert Brown 29 January 2021 14:33 PM

John S. Why should anyone other than the pet owner be responsible for it? Landlords diligently meet their responsibilities but other people's pets aren't on the long list and never should be. Incidentally rent payments and capital growth are not "perks" but well deserved and hard earned returns on investment, risk and hard work! Try it some time! No one on here is asking for Mollycoddling or government bail outs. We just want the government to let decent landlords and tenants co-exist, without both having to subsidise the feckless, reckless and hopeless!

From: Robert Brown 29 January 2021 14:25 PM

Agreed. Yet again other tenants have to pay for problems caused by others! Surely Shelter will take up the fight on behalf of the silent majority of tenants and ensure that those who can afford pets don't cause unaffordable additional expense to those who can't?

From: Robert Brown 29 January 2021 14:14 PM

Totally agree. Guarantors need to be home owners who care about protecting their credit ratings. It's the best (only?) argument for letting to students and young "professionals" and I've found any rent shortfalls are quickly sorted as soon as guarantors are contacted. I've had one instance recently of parents suggesting it's unfair to ask students to pay full rent when they can't attend campus for face to face teaching. I agreed immediately not to expect full rent from the students but pointed out that was exactly why guarantors are needed - to avoid unneccessary stress on those who couldn't afford to pay - so I would expect the full rents from the guarantors directly given the current circumstances, and reminded them that in Scotland now they can simply give 28 days notice, provided all joint tenants agree unanimously, but not to expect to get such nice accommodation elsewhere once Universities are back to normal. Rent continues to be paid in full on time.

From: Robert Brown 29 January 2021 14:05 PM

All such leftie dogma hurts decent tenants and protects the rogues. Pity the decent tenants don't realise how much they are harmed by all the leftie claptrap!

From: Robert Brown 29 January 2021 09:01 AM

A good reason not to keep pets is my property, my decision.

From: Robert Brown 29 January 2021 08:55 AM

David W. Why does it matter? Are you looking for a reason why the tenant should have immediately demanded a limo to take her to the Dorchester to escape the intolerable noise? Surely it must be Andrew's fault as the landlord because everything is? If he hadn't provided it, it wouldn't have caused the old lady such inconvenience! I'm astonished the Council hasn't prosecuted him for such lack of care and consideration! As usual, you're missing the point. Whatever the reason, the tenant should have reported it to the landlord and not ignored it. The specific reason is irrelevant as the alarms are there to alert the tenants to potentially lethal dangers but they must take responsibility for their own safety.

From: Robert Brown 27 January 2021 13:39 PM

Nonsense! Common sense should apply and sensible tenants should want to ensure that they and their families are safe, for the sake of under £20. Virtually all landlords provide these in any case but many tenants steal the batteries for their Sky TV remotes. I now fit sealed alarms that can't have batteries stolen. I also spend around £1000 initially, £300 every 5 years and £100 annually for each property to fit, renew and check mains operated fire/smoke alarms - only needed because some tenants can't be trusted to retain or renew batteries in cheaper versions. Another example of the feckless hurting the decent responsible tenants as rents now reflect these additional costs which could have been avoided by all tenants showing the same sort of common sense exhibited by nearly all owner occupiers.

From: Robert Brown 27 January 2021 13:28 PM

Totally agree. Their policy discourages decent landlords from upgrading properties between tenants, harming decent tenants who would look after properties and letting rogues and vandals off Scot free.

From: Robert Brown 27 January 2021 13:18 PM

David W. To be respectful requires more careful reading of posts before replying. Pot and kettle?

From: Robert Brown 27 January 2021 13:14 PM

David W. Perhaps if you read posts more carefully before replying you might gain the same understanding that others seem to gain? The whole point was that Councils are Public Sector and attract those who would never succeed outside of it!

From: Robert Brown 27 January 2021 13:12 PM

CO alarms cost under £20. Surely responsible tenants should buy them to protect their families?

From: Robert Brown 27 January 2021 10:03 AM

Predictable when Public Sector interferes with market forces. I don't want dearer energy but energy saving schemes must save money as well as energy to be viable - market forces. LED bulbs are successful, electric cars and heat pumps etc. not in current market. Insulation panels proven to be lethal. Fix these issues before introducing useless Grant schemes which only push up prices and encourage cowboys.

From: Robert Brown 27 January 2021 09:58 AM

Agreed and it wouldn't be the first time problems with tenants put a strain on landlords' family relationships and probably finances. It all goes back to the sensible conclusion that no landlord wants to replace a known good tenant with an unknown quantity, hence the tendency not to increase rents for good tenants, a feature that the lefties will destroy with rent control ambitions.

From: Robert Brown 26 January 2021 12:19 PM

Exactly.

From: Robert Brown 26 January 2021 10:29 AM

The landlord wanted to refurbish the property - probably damaged by the tenant he wanted out but couldn't end the tenancy for this reason. I bet the eviction was justified under common sense rules but rogue tenants are protected by the SNP and Labour in Scotland.

From: Robert Brown 26 January 2021 10:28 AM

Scottish landlords lost the right to recover their own property around 4 years ago yet this is the first conviction! Hardly a major problem needing even stronger enforcement! As we all know, good tenants don't get evicted but rogues can now prevent other decent tenants from getting decent homes even more easily than before. Loony leftie dogma always harms those it claims to protect and only protects the scum.

From: Robert Brown 26 January 2021 10:24 AM

Oh dear David! Surmising without evidence?

From: Robert Brown 25 January 2021 14:12 PM

David C. Totally agree! David W. Where is the word "own"? Only in your fertile imagination! It should be obvious that I meant landlords putting the money back into the tenants' accounts from whence it came as used to happen before the deposit schemes were forced upon us. The key word is "back". Since the deposits unfortunately never go into landlords' accounts in the first place they couldn't be deposited "back" into landlords' accounts. IF you're a landlord obeying current legislation regarding deposits you should have known that and not misinterpreted my sentences. In case of doubt, my third sentence was meant sarcastically and referred to "workload" imposed on tenants by bureaucracy. Landlords are by contrast used to such work and usually undertake it diligently. Please read posts more carefully to avoid making inappropriate responses in future.

From: Robert Brown 25 January 2021 13:39 PM

Shelter is already doing its best to make landlords homeless! I doubt if it's ever actually helped any deserving homeless family as its focus seems to be to help rogue tenants stay put and prevent decent tenants from finding decent homes. What I meant was Shelter subsidising rents where landlords can't operate at a profit , which could well lead to repossession and homelessness but I wasn't seriously expecting help for landlords from anyone, especially Shelter, in case you thought otherwise.

From: Robert Brown 25 January 2021 13:26 PM

Shane Have you made your MP and MSP aware of your plans? If both are SNP zealots then let Douglas Ross and Ruth Davidson know. They need all the helpful intelligence they can get.

From: Robert Brown 25 January 2021 13:20 PM

Too much trouble for some tenants to send a short acceptance email! Before landlords could have deposited the money back into their bank accounts. The extra workload put on some tenants now is verging on inhumane!

From: Robert Brown 25 January 2021 09:10 AM

Presumably Shelter will step in to help loss making landlords?

From: Robert Brown 25 January 2021 09:06 AM

For once I'm on the Council's side, but the SNP are to blame for taking all control away from landlords who would previously have been happy to provide long term rental properties. No fixed term leases, No simple way to get rid of problem tenants, problems with joint tenancies unless all joint tenants agree to end the joint tenancy, compulsory registration for all landlords and expensive licences for more than two unrelated adults sharing. If English landlords want to see the future, Look at Scotland since 2017. Only bright point was rents rising by around 30% for high demand properties in 2018 and still rising by over 5% per annum.

From: Robert Brown 25 January 2021 09:03 AM

Likewise although I was only signature number 25!

From: Robert Brown 23 January 2021 11:44 AM

I agree. Look at what has happened with minimum wage legislation where many firms who would previously have paid more now realise they were at a competitive disadvantage and stick to the letter of the law. Standards drop as better employees can't get paid more without Unions shouting DISCRIMINATION! which it would be - justifyably so! Look at the energy cap, where all energy companies ' standard tariffs are nearly identical whereas it's possible to get energy significantly cheaper by shopping around. The do gooders pushing such policies only hurt those who deserve better treatment and protect the feckless, reckless and hopeless. They probably recognise kindred spirits!

From: Robert Brown 23 January 2021 11:34 AM

I agree with Robert. I used to use British Gas to service boilers (expensive mistake!) and issue LGSR. They would plaster NOT TO CURRENT SPECIFICATIONS all over the reports and tell tenants that the boiler was only xx% efficient so that barrack room lawyer tenants would complain that things weren't totally safe and too expensive to use. I now only use self employed sole trader tradesmen m ideally not VAT registered, and go on every inspection with them to ensure accurate and not misleading information is given and recorded. Every recommendation is queried as to whether mandatory, advised on enhanced efficiency or safety grounds etc.

From: Robert Brown 23 January 2021 11:23 AM

Michael I think rent dodgers are criminal scum - don't know why you got an opposite impression?

From: Robert Brown 22 January 2021 16:57 PM

Agreed and like Communism it hurts those whom it claims to help.

From: Robert Brown 22 January 2021 16:51 PM

What other thing can you get and keep without paying for it and not be committing a crime? Landlords on here are usually willing to work with tenants with unexpected problems and willing to work with us, but too many are now encouraged to fleece landlords, knowing they'll get off Scot free. Incidentally I would support both landlord and family by encouraging family to move out of unaffordable accommodation and avoid escalating debt.

From: Robert Brown 22 January 2021 12:48 PM

His posts are improving though!

From: Robert Brown 22 January 2021 11:21 AM

Time the SNP rag tag supporters woke up to reality that things need to be paid for by the people using them! Also time some idiots stopped emulating Trump in ignoring reality and his supporters in chasing the impossible!

From: Robert Brown 22 January 2021 10:52 AM

I thought tenants wanted more security. What's more secure than a bank vault?

From: Robert Brown 21 January 2021 22:25 PM

I've experienced it last November. It's jealousy! Owners or tenants sitting out a lockdown in a second home don't pose double the risk as they're not in their principal home, but locals still don't like it, although they like us spending our cash locally and taking our higher offers when they're selling their own properties.

From: Robert Brown 21 January 2021 20:15 PM

I agree. When I was young we wore vests, shirts and jumpers inside in winter and only heated the living room. Current youngsters dress as if they're in the tropics but have every room at 23C all day long. Put 20% VAT on fuel and 0 on woolly jumpers and reduce energy consumption overnight. Ban wives from touching the thermostat and halve energy consumption until husband is dead.

From: Robert Brown 21 January 2021 20:05 PM

This is the first occurrence after the New rules came in 4 years ago - hardly a pressing problem to be dealt with then! The landlord has been fined for evicting a tenant who stood in the way of the property being improved and let to tenants wanting or needing such an improved property! The Scottish housing stock will deteriorate if landlords are prevented from upgrading them by such tenants. Yet another example of unintended consequences from SNP dogma! I heard an example a few weeks ago of a lady who bought a 2 bedroom ground floor flat for her invalid brother to move into (from care) with a live in carer. She let it out short term on the basis that the tenant would move out when her brother was able to leave the care home. The tenant now refuses and the lady cannot evict him, so the brother continues to live in care at the taxpayer's expense. The lady has decided to sell the flat and the tenant will need to get out then, but it's illegal for her to cancel the sale and let her brother occupy it! This is the reality in SNP Scotland where fixed term tenancies are now banned - coming to somewhere near you soon!

From: Robert Brown 21 January 2021 14:52 PM

Too many votes to lose in forcing all owner occupiers to do this, and the outcry would expose epc ratings for the sham they actually are. Better to screw private landlords who have no allies in government and tenants who don't even realise they're being screwed and will pay in the long run. I wonder how much the insulation companies have donated to get such schemes promoted and avoid prosecution for the Grenfell Tower deaths?

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