What should the politicians do?

Comms69

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

For Landlords: The tenant should have to leave at the end of the notice period if they are being evicted for non-payment of rent, not looking after the property or anti-social behaviour. Why should the landlord have to put up with hassle? - OK, i'll bite - that wouldn't work. How does one enforce it? What's 'not looking after the property' or 'AS behaviour'? How do you prove it?

For tenants: After a year, there should have to be three months notice instead of two. No rent rises above inflation.

Again wouldn't work, it's a free market economy. Cant dictate rents to people. And 3 months vs 2 months wouldn't make any difference, eviction takes 40 weeks on average.

Comms69

crisp wrote: »

Politicians should open up their own homes and at least a room, for rent starting with Labour MPs.


The previous post makes sense too.

Letting agents need to abide by clear set if checking in and checking out processes and all inventories should be independently done.

Impossible. Inventory clerks get their business from the letting agents, they are never independent, as their future income is linked to their reputation with the agent

Comms69

Landlords: The grounds for s.8 eviction need to be tightened. With police or council able to intercede for eviction via the magistrates court for anti-social behaviour.


Remove the 'loophole' for rent arrears - whereby bringing it under 2 months arrears, makes it discretionary.


Tenants: Remove s.21 no fault eviction. Fund local tenancy relations depts. to ensure that they are able to enforce the various provisions against rogue landlords


Letting agents: Enforce a deposit system, whereby to set up a letting agency the company must deposit a set amount into a protected scheme. This will be used to cover claims by tenants and landlords. (mostly landlords to be fair)

WibblyGirly

More security for tenants. When I first started renting we told the agents we wanted a long term rental etc Ended up getting given notice at 4 months in because the landlords wife was pregnant and they needed the house back. The 2nd house we got notice at 6 months as she wanted to sell. I did get pleasure from that one though as it was empty for about 6 months before selling for £10k less than she listed it as. Also with these properties 2 months notice wasn't long enough to save a whole new deposit, we were on minimum wage and lived month to month. Kept having to move back in with parents to get the money together. I didn't know that I could have stayed in the house longer.

Comms69

WibblyGirly wrote: »

More security for tenants. When I first started renting we told the agents we wanted a long term rental etc Ended up getting given notice at 4 months in because the landlords wife was pregnant and they needed the house back. The 2nd house we got notice at 6 months as she wanted to sell. I did get pleasure from that one though as it was empty for about 6 months before selling for £10k less than she listed it as. Also with these properties 2 months notice wasn't long enough to save a whole new deposit, we were on minimum wage and lived month to month. Kept having to move back in with parents to get the money together. I didn't know that I could have stayed in the house longer.

That's an excellent point.


- Should set up basic life classes for teenagers.


topics such as:
employment law
tenancy law
contract law
debt and credit
bills and utilties

CurlySue2017

Comms69 wrote: »

That's an excellent point.


- Should set up basic life classes for teenagers.


topics such as:
employment law
tenancy law
contract law
debt and credit
bills and utilties

I second that!!

Kids leave school now with all kinds of "knowledge" that they will never ever use again, yet they do not know the basic life skills.....your list above, plus things like budgeting and even basic cooking and house-keeping skills!

It's all very well teaching art, drama and the like but what about how to get by in life when you have to live in the real world.

cloo

Deposits do need to be made less ridiculous - I asked my tenant for one month (of a fairly low rent) 12 years ago, but now 3 months is not uncommon, and with people often being moved around frequently, it can be very difficult to move if anything gets taken off of that deposit.

But I do agree life skills teaching would be helpful - it is amazing what we're not taught. Everything I knew I picked up from the background effectively, but I grew up in a pretty savvy family.

I'm not sure about removing no fault eviction - surely one of the reasons is so that the LL can sell up or take the house back if their circumstances change? Or is your point that if you removed no fault evictions, LLs would have to take seriously that they were providing a home, not an investment?

Comms69

cloo wrote: »

Deposits do need to be made less ridiculous - I asked my tenant for one month (of a fairly low rent) 12 years ago, but now 3 months is not uncommon, and with people often being moved around frequently, it can be very difficult to move if anything gets taken off of that deposit.

But I do agree life skills teaching would be helpful - it is amazing what we're not taught. Everything I knew I picked up from the background effectively, but I grew up in a pretty savvy family.

I'm not sure about removing no fault eviction - surely one of the reasons is so that the LL can sell up or take the house back if their circumstances change? Or is your point that if you removed no fault evictions, LLs would have to take seriously that they were providing a home, not an investment?

There's provision in the law for taking the property back for a personal domicile. (notice of this must be served before the tenancy begins - usually as a clause in the tenancy document)


Selling doesn't end a tenancy anyway, and I suppose there could be a provision to offer it to the tenants in the first instance.

leslieknope

longer tenancies and rises only with inflation, as is done in most european cities. you can't live your life year to year, you need more security than that. it's not uncommon for tenancies in mainland europe to run to 10 years which offers more stability for the tenants and the landlords know they have a guaranteed income for that long period. obviously if the tenant is being destructive or not paying rent, there would be an eviction process.

Comms69

leslieknope wrote: »

longer tenancies and rises only with inflation, as is done in most european cities. you can't live your life year to year, you need more security than that. it's not uncommon for tenancies in mainland europe to run to 10 years which offers more stability for the tenants and the landlords know they have a guaranteed income for that long period. obviously if the tenant is being destructive or not paying rent, there would be an eviction process.

It's not uncommon in the UK either. Average tenancy length is 2 years nationally, but in many places it's as high as 4/5 years (that's an average, so there must be quite a few towards 10 years)