Landlords need to be more realistic

IveSeenTheLight

carolt wrote: »

No, can't guess.

What does happen? I can't see why raising the rent for people who'd already have difficulty paying is going to help them pay. But that seems to be your point?

LOL, I took it that he believed rent prices would reduce to lessen the risk of default. Increasing rent would only increase the chance of default
The market will dictate

I guess one of us has got his point wrong

IveSeenTheLight

carolt wrote: »

Great idea. But it doesn't apply in England, does it?

As always, the Scots are guinea pigs or were ahead of the game .
I've no doubt that it will come down there in time.

What is now needed is a tenant register to even it up

Nick_Knock

macaque wrote: »

People get financial problems for lots of reasons and these are often one off events. Under your philosophy a black mark on someone's credit record is grounds for denying them a roof over their head. Your attitude gives me the creeps.

When landlords behave disgracefully and dishonestly towards tenants (as often happens) there is little protection for the tenant and no way for prospective tenants to do a 'landlord check'.

It is not MY philosophy it is the terms set by the rent guarantee insurer and I must say I do think it is sad. I am the first in line to give people a chance.

If I could afford to take the risk of renting the property out privately (it has been rented out privately for the last three years) I would - unfortunately I have a mortgage on the property and due to a long term illness I no longer have disposable income to pay the mortgage if the tenant defaults on the rent - hence why I need the rent guarantee.

So I am sorry if you find that attitude 'creepy' - I think its prudent in this current economic market, especially as they are predicting 70% of tenants to default on their rent!

I agree there are some LL that are not very good, however I have always dealt with any issues tenants have swiftly i.e cooker broke - new one delivered the following day, same with the washing machine and shower. Unfortunately with the last tenants I was not shown the same courteosy - the new washing machine was put out in the garden after a week as grandad bought them one. Surprise, surprise it now does not work - but they had left curtains etc in the house so they got their full deposit back -can't be fairer then that!

lostinrates

IveSeenTheLight wrote: »

It's quite possible rightly or wrongly that the owner found you too much of a risk.

It is possible, but in that situation I would hav thought he'd see how credit checks etc panned out. But no credit checks were done and although we were not seen we have references from two landlords. Our last landlord loves us. I actually have little doubt that our offer was seen as offensive, which is regretful: I would have been quite happy there for 18 months ish and he would have, by now made £9400 or thereabouts in the last 8 months.

Nick_Knock

IveSeenTheLight wrote: »

As always, the Scots are guinea pigs or were ahead of the game .
I've no doubt that it will come down there in time.

What is now needed is a tenant register to even it up

IMO I think its a great idea and as a LL I would welcome it in England - will certainly weed out the bad LL and take the 'risk' factor out for prospective tenants - which for me would be a good thing!

carolt

IveSeenTheLight wrote: »

As always, the Scots are guinea pigs or were ahead of the game .
I've no doubt that it will come down there in time.

What is now needed is a tenant register to even it up

The Scots have loads of eminently sensible policies that sadly never make it down here (free university education for one) - usually subsidized by all UK taxpayers, I believe? :rolleyes:

I have a feeling this may well be one of those.

So how would a tenants' register work then? Would those not on it all be made obligatorily homeless? Or be housed automatically by the state, as the only alternative? Euthenasia? Prison?

Oh no, I get it - they'd all be given free private houses, with mortgages paid by the taxpayer - this country's reward for
fec klessness.

macaque_2

IveSeenTheLight wrote: »

Asking for a credit check is not disgraceful or dishonourable, its professional and responsible.

As a tenant, it should give you confidence that landlords are doing adequate checks prior to agreeing a tenancy. It hopefully should ive you confidence ha he landlord is professional and responsile and be a better LL to have.

as for not being able to check up on the LL, you are incorrect.
I am a registered landlord with the government under the Landlord Registration Scheme.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2006/04/28144943

Its an offence to be otherwise

Its funny how everything is so clean and professional when it comes to judging the tenant. The inland revenue have currently tens of thousands of BTLs under their sights on suspicion of tax evasion. Doubless, these tax evading landlords have waxed indignant over minor indescretions of would be tenants. Talk about double standards.

Research companies set up credit databases and sell these services to letting agents and landlords. They are enormously powerful tools but like all systems of this type, the devil is in the detail. Letting agents and landlords use the information in a very superficial way and in doing so, blight the lives of decent people. To add insult to injury the hapless would be tenant is then forced to pay the bill for these kangaroo courts.

What is also frustrating is that there are no processes for determining the good character of the landlord. Sadly too many landlords are simply not fit and proper people to hold down such responsibilities.

IveSeenTheLight

carolt wrote: »

So how would a tenants' register work then? Would those not on it all be made obligatorily homeless? Or be housed automatically by the state, as the only alternative? Euthenasia? Prison?

Oh no, I get it - they'd all be given free private houses, with mortgages paid by the taxpayer - this country's reward for
fec klessness.

Not quite as sensational as that carol.
Welcome back, but draw the claws in please.

I've not thought too deeply about the tenants register, but off the top of my head, I would believe that registered tenants would be preferential to landlords. Landlords godd add a reference, data about on time rent payments, cleanliness / condition of property left in etc etc etc

I'd be all for a similar register for LL's i.e. was deposit repaid?
Was it in full?
are you in agreement with the deposit return?
How quickly was it returned?
How quickly did the LL respond to any issues?

etc etc etc

Good LL's and tenants have nothing to hide.

IveSeenTheLight

macaque wrote: »

What is also frustrating is that there are no processes for determining the good character of the landlord. Sadly too many landlords are simply not fit and proper people to hold down such responsibilities.

I pointed out a process and registration which I have signed up to as a registered landlord.
I have no concerns about being rated on all the points you made.

If there was a registration for both LL's and tenants, then it would be a very handy tool

Fred1_2

carolt wrote: »

Great idea. But it doesn't apply in England, does it?

We're getting a voluntary version here in Wales http://www.welshlandlords.org.uk/. I'd prefer the Scottish compulsorary system, but this is better than nothing. I'm signed up for the first course in my area.