We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Hello Forumites! In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non-MoneySaving matters are not permitted per the Forum rules. While we understand that mentioning house prices may sometimes be relevant to a user's specific MoneySaving situation, we ask that you please avoid veering into broad, general debates about the market, the economy and politics, as these can unfortunately lead to abusive or hateful behaviour. Threads that are found to have derailed into wider discussions may be removed. Users who repeatedly disregard this may have their Forum account banned. Please also avoid posting personally identifiable information, including links to your own online property listing which may reveal your address. Thank you for your understanding.
We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Tenant Deposit Schemes - What are alternatives?
Options
Comments
-
How do I know who is a good landlord & who is not? The landlady who took the longest to return my deposit was a member of staff at the organisation I work for who had taken up a job elsewhere & was letting out her house. On the face of it, a respectable person, a friend of a friend, but put off returning my deposit for months until I followed the advice here & wrote a strongly worded letter threatening legal action. Another landlord who lived next door to the house I rented took weeks to do a "check out inspection" before returning my deposit.Most aren't like that. I think tenants should do what my tenants did and make sure to pick a good landlord. They have a choice where to live too. My tenants said they like me in addition to the house and thats an important factor.
Perhaps you would prefer a landlord licence scheme requiring registration & an exam or series of exams prior to being allowed to let properties.The point is I dont need or want their service. Why should I pay for something I dont need or want and am forced into using. It makes no sense for me to do this as its free money for other people.
Well thats just silly isn't it."Mrs. Pench, you've won the car contest, would you like a triumph spitfire or 3000 in cash?" He smiled.
Mrs. Pench took the money. "What will you do with it all? Not that it's any of my business," he giggled.
"I think I'll become an alcoholic," said Betty.0 -
OP - you're paying for the egregious practices of others in your industry. It's unfortunate but it's a part of business, sadly.
Very true. Of course this is another example of making honest people pay for the acts of the dishonest as they are too difficult to catch. Poor landlords will continue to play fast and loose with the system and honest landlords will find it even more difficult to compete. The Government will be happy as they gain yet more control over peoples freedoms and a wealth of information that they can exploit in the future.
The majority of landlords and tenants are honest people who act in good faith. Like all things the majority get constrained in their actions as a Government use the actions of the few to grab more control."I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." — Confucius0 -
No, I disagree with this comparison. In all the above cases there is a chance I need the insurance and I actually have no problem with insurances. But there's no possibility of me deciding to withhold a tenants bond for no good reason.You may not want 3rd party insurance for your car. After all, you don't go around running people down. However, you need it because the law tells you you need it. It's the same with your gas safety cert., employers' liability insurance if you're an employer... There are all sorts of things that somone in business is compelled to buy. It's a cost of doing business and if your business can't support that cost then it's not a viable business.
Also, its not a business for me. I only have 2 houses and make no money from them after maintenance etc. I want to sell them in the future so the proft can go to retirement. With all the bad press on pensions I am trying to find an alternative pension. But this is making that even more difficult.
P.S. An additional reason to try to save this money is the council told me the other day I have to make some adjustments (replace ALL windows on one house as they dont mee the regs - they were new windows when I bought the house). I find this reg disurbing because if I rented it to a family I dont need to worry about the regs so much and the windows can stay! Can't believe less importance is placed on the lives of a family.0 -
Exactly! I bet you the dodgy landlords will be the ones who dont register and carry on as they are. They'll find other ways to make as much money as they can from the tenants, while the honest ones have increased costs for nothing.Poor landlords will continue to play fast and loose with the system and honest landlords will find it even more difficult to compete.0 -
Also, its not a business for me. I only have 2 houses and make no money from them after maintenance etc. I want to sell them in the future so the proft can go to retirement. With all the bad press on pensions I am trying to find an alternative pension. But this is making that even more difficult.
There's your mistake - you need to view this as a business & accept the regulations that come with it."Mrs. Pench, you've won the car contest, would you like a triumph spitfire or 3000 in cash?" He smiled.
Mrs. Pench took the money. "What will you do with it all? Not that it's any of my business," he giggled.
"I think I'll become an alcoholic," said Betty.0 -
Exactly! I bet you the dodgy landlords will be the ones who dont register and carry on as they are. They'll find other ways to make as much money as they can from the tenants, while the honest ones have increased costs for nothing.
& they'll get fined 3x the deposit they take when the tenants work it out.:money:"Mrs. Pench, you've won the car contest, would you like a triumph spitfire or 3000 in cash?" He smiled.
Mrs. Pench took the money. "What will you do with it all? Not that it's any of my business," he giggled.
"I think I'll become an alcoholic," said Betty.0 -
Like all things the majority get constrained in their actions as a Government use the actions of the few to grab more control.
Not strictly true.
Organisations like the CAB and shelter campaigned for this as they get thousands of complaints a year about tenants deposits being withheld. (Check their websites) In addition the courts, MPs, council housing officers, student accommodation officers, law centres etc had/have to spend time, effort and money dealing with tenants who lost significant sums of money (to them) as a LL refused to give the deposit back normally for no, vague or made up reasons. Instead these people/organisations can now spend their time dealing with people who have poor housing or no housing.
As a side affect revenue and customs get to know more tax evading landlords.
BTW there is more to being a dodgy landlord then keeping a deposit i.e. letting out housing that they have been banned from letting out, not doing structural repairs, intimidating tenants - all these and more are on threads on this boardI'm not cynical I'm realistic
(If a link I give opens pop ups I won't know I don't use windows)0 -
But the dodgy landlords will continue to be dodgy and the honest landlords will have increased expense and bureaucracy and for some of them it may be the last straw."I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." — Confucius0
-
But the dodgy landlords will continue to be dodgy and the honest landlords will have increased expense and bureaucracy and for some of them it may be the last straw.
But it'll make it a bit harder to be a dodgy landlord & that, surely, is a good thing."Mrs. Pench, you've won the car contest, would you like a triumph spitfire or 3000 in cash?" He smiled.
Mrs. Pench took the money. "What will you do with it all? Not that it's any of my business," he giggled.
"I think I'll become an alcoholic," said Betty.0 -
There is only one reason this has been brought in - to enable the government to build a database of landlords and their properties in order to gather taxes.0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453.5K Spending & Discounts
- 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
- 598.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 176.9K Life & Family
- 257.1K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards