Homeless figures treble amongst private rental tenants

Bantex_2

BillJones wrote: »

No, because fortunately being born "not very bright" is no bar to doing well in the UK.

Or are you one of those who looks down on the less academically able, and thinks that they have no ability?

I do some voluntary work with people with learning disabilities and therefore know a lot of people who work in the care sector. Most work very hard doing a job that nobody wants to do. This includes shift work and antisocial hours. The commitment by many is huge. Due to the wage levels most of these people will never be able to buy despite "doing all the right things", soi are at the mercy of private landlords.
Is it right that they have to live constantly under the threat of eviction?
Your "let them eat cake" attitude is not always the case.

Jason74

GeorgeHowell wrote: »

It was concerns about this sort of thing that led to the controlled tenancy policy of the 1950s and 60s, that virtually killed off the private rental sector. If landlords can't get people out even with reasonable notice, or maintain rents at economic levels then the considerable majority won't be landlords any more. We can't have it all ways.

This is all true. But the issue I have, is with the idea that people exiting the landlord "business" is somehow a bad thing. It really isn't. One of the biggest problems in UK Housing at present, is that two many people are in private rented. They're there in large part because their aren't enough homes (as Hamish regularly and rightly points out). But they're also there because too many existing homes are held as profit making investments, rather than for the benefit of those who live in them (be that via home ownership or social housing).

If fewer homes were in the private sector, fewer people would be living in that kind of accomodation. The idea that we shouldn't improve tenant protection too much because landlords might exit the market is kind of indicative of the kind of thinking that has got UK housing policy in such a mess imho.

wotsthat

Graham_Devon wrote: »

The system just isn't working for tenants.

The system needs action, and fast.

I'd imagine that becoming homeless at the end of a tenancy is indicative of other issues other than the landlord just wanting his house back. A shortage of housing and the impact of previous life choices spring to mind.

Just remember when you see the examples chosen by Panorama that these are the absolute best people the BBC could find to sell their narrative.

antrobus

Jason74 wrote: »

This is all true. But the issue I have, is with the idea that people exiting the landlord "business" is somehow a bad thing. It really isn't. One of the biggest problems in UK Housing at present, is that two many people are in private rented. They're there in large part because their aren't enough homes (as Hamish regularly and rightly points out). But they're also there because too many existing homes are held as profit making investments, rather than for the benefit of those who live in them (be that via home ownership or social housing). ....

On the other hand, Germany seems to have an awful lot of privately rented homes. This does not appear to have resulted in a shortage of property. Quite the reverse in fact.

Jason74 wrote: »

...If fewer homes were in the private sector, fewer people would be living in that kind of accomodation. ...

There are times when stating the blinkin' obvious can be of some value. Sadly, this is not one of them.

Jason74 wrote: »

...The idea that we shouldn't improve tenant protection too much because landlords might exit the market is kind of indicative of the kind of thinking that has got UK housing policy in such a mess imho.

The idea that improving tenant protection will somehow magically solve the problem is another.

Jason74

antrobus wrote: »

On the other hand, Germany seems to have an awful lot of privately rented homes. This does not appear to have resulted in a shortage of property. Quite the reverse in fact.
.

The irony being, that Germany has exactly the kind of protected tenancy market that people are saying shouldn't be in place here. If we had proper tenant protection in this country (which we don't), then there would be no issue with the private rented sector.

Bantex_2

antrobus wrote: »

On the other hand, Germany seems to have an awful lot of privately rented homes. This does not appear to have resulted in a shortage of property. Quite the reverse in fact.



There are times when stating the blinkin' obvious can be of some value. Sadly, this is not one of them.



The idea that improving tenant protection will somehow magically solve the problem is another.

I believe the levels of tenant protection in Germany are way higher than here. 10 years agreements are common with rents regulated for the period.

6 month tenancies in the UK must be hell to live with (unless you are young and mobile or a student)

whodathunkit

I really can't see what would be so difficult in introducing longer tenancies (5 years perhaps) and, at the same time, making it easier to evict non payers.

SailorSam

I can see a lot more being made homeless as this Universal Credit takes hold. At the moment anyone that gets their rent paid as part of their benefits the money gets sent to the landlords, but with UC it's the tenants who are going to get the cash. You don't have to be to bright to see that some people are going to find it more tempting to spend it on something else and get into arrears.

Bantex_2

whodathunkit wrote: »

I really can't see what would be so difficult in introducing longer tenancies (5 years perhaps) and, at the same time, making it easier to evict non payers.

#

Banks in the UK will not lend on tenancies over 6 months. This would take most of the "amateur" BTL landlords out of the market.

IveSeenTheLight

Graham_Devon wrote: »

The system just isn't working for tenants.

The system needs action, and fast.

The government recognises that there is a need to grow the private rental market

Private rented sector

The government wants to see a bigger and better private rented sector and believes that the most effective way to make rents more affordable is to increase the supply of new homes.

You'll find that they have tried to support this via a "Build To Rent Scheme"