Sick of this Nanny State

Bossypants

For the record, as a landlord, I have zero issue with the current regulations and associated costs. I notice that your post makes no reference to mandatory gas and electric safety checks, which are also for you to pay. You are planning on getting them done, right?

[Deleted User]

richyj wrote: »

We are looking to rent out our family home. It is a beautiful home, and in great condition after being extended and fully renovated. In the current climate, I would imagine it to be worth approx 700k. Anyway, we are not looking to sell, but rent it out whilst we are abroad for a year or so...Looking to rent for 2.3k per month

I am sick and tired of the way the government is targeting landlords (yes I know there are some rogue landlords - which deserve to be punished, but not every landlord is bad)

In general, I am talking about...

Maximum Deposits - so I can only charge 6 weeks rent by law as a deposit ? Why am I not free to charge 5k or whatever I like. After all this is my property and worth a significant amount. I need to protect myself against the tenant damaging the property. Whats next the government is going to tell car hire firms how much deposit they are allowed to take when you rent a car ?

Protected Deposits... Deposits need to be protected in a government escrow account. I generally dont have an issue with this. Just hope if there is damages to the property that I dont have to jump through hoops to get what I am owed.

Cant charge Tenants other fee's than what they tell we can charge... so we cant charge for referencing, (I have to cover that), cant charge more than the costs for obtaining a duplicate key.... what about the time it takes for me to get a replacement key.... or get locks changed... who pays the bill... ? I feel like telling the tenant (off record) bring 40 quid round for the referencing, if you pass great... If you fail, you have lost 40 quid)

The government seem to be doing everything in their power to make letting a house less appealing to landlords. Why they cant let supply and demand regulate the industry. After all, if you cant afford to live in London, move to Milton Keynes or where you can afford - thats what my friends had to do to buy...

Yes, I agree there are scum landlords, but there are also scum tenants out there that we need to protect ourselves from.

No, I am not landlord with multiple properties... This is the only property I own. Even if I was, what does that matter anyway.... so I invested in property which shot up in price.... I gambled and I won. I could have gambled on the stock market and won also....



Anyway, I just though I would vent my anger - sick and tired of this Nanny State !

Cry me a river. If you think the 'nanny state' is bad in England then you should see the legislation landlords in Scotland have to comply with. Having been a tenant in both Scotland and England I can understand why legislation has been brought in to give further protections for tenants. If you want to point the finger at anyone look at unscrupulous landlords who used to treat deposits as if it were their own money never to be returned to the tenant, letting agents who saw fees as a licence to print money, and landlords who let substandard accommodation. If they hadn't done that there wouldn't be a need for so much red tape.

I'm in a similar position where I have the opportunity to go and work overseas for 12 to 18 months. I'm not going to let my property. Not because of the legislation I would have to comply with as a landlord in Scotland but because from a financial view it's simply not worth the risk and because I don't like the idea of someone else living in my home*. Therefore, letting the property is not the best choice for me, because it is a choice. In other words, if you want to collect a rental income then you'll have to suck it up buttercup.

*Yes my insurer will know and mortgage lender will know.

ACG

The problem is that not just landlords but also agents took the proverbial. You say £40 for referencing, I had to pay £70 when I needed to rent a property and that was about 7-8 years ago.

I agree about the deposit, but the problem is that some landlords will then try to argue for every penny of that deposit and justify by any means - have a read on this forum. I say that as an ex landlord who had a lady that had a cannabis farm in the cellar, ripped up carpets and replaced it with cheap badly fitted laminate flooring without asking and painted the walls - badly. I lost 3 weeks rent by the time we had realised she had moved out and it cost more than 3 weeks rent to put it right. We were out of pocket, but that is the risk of being a landlord.

At the minute the balance of power is in the landlords side in the main and they can (and do) abuse that power by ripping people off with daft made up fees - 6 month tenancy comes to an end? £100 please for a new tenancy agreement or we will issue you a section 21. Ridiculous.

There are bad landlords and bad tenants and not all landlords or tenants are bad. The idea is that this addresses the fact that agents and landlords rip off tenants. Personally, I think landlords should be able to get a bigger deposit but in the main I think it is a step in the right direction.

justjohn

The red tape is why so many landlords are selling up. Just waitng on the rental crisis, no council house and a rise in rogue landlords..(there have also been tax changes for LL's


All self inflicted the renters will loose out in the end.

Andysandy

This is just a trollish attention seeking post.

As a landlord who rents out more than 1 property, I have no issues with 90% of the laws/regulation that govern the business of letting out properties for people to live in. As a tenant in my younger years I have spent many thousands of pounds in unfair fees, deposits swallowed whole by landlords, etc without any practical recourse to protect myself.

Granted, there are aspects like landlord licensing on which councils could give clearer guidance or more consistency but mostly I feel we are in a good place at present.

Cakeguts

I am a landlord and our tenants stay for years and years in our properties. But then as soon as a problem is reported we fix it. The point is though that for many tenants a year in a family home is too short. If you want to do short lets then you need to let to young people who move about a lot more.

grumiofoundation

richyj wrote: »

We are looking to rent out our family home. It is a beautiful home, and in great condition after being extended and fully renovated. In the current climate, I would imagine it to be worth approx 700k. Anyway, we are not looking to sell, but rent it out whilst we are abroad for a year or so...Looking to rent for 2.3k per month

I am sick and tired of the way the government is targeting landlords (yes I know there are some rogue landlords - which deserve to be punished, but not every landlord is bad)

In general, I am talking about...

Maximum Deposits - so I can only charge 6 weeks rent by law as a deposit ? Why am I not free to charge 5k or whatever I like. After all this is my property and worth a significant amount. I need to protect myself against the tenant damaging the property. Whats next the government is going to tell car hire firms how much deposit they are allowed to take when you rent a car ?

Protected Deposits... Deposits need to be protected in a government escrow account. I generally dont have an issue with this. Just hope if there is damages to the property that I dont have to jump through hoops to get what I am owed.

Cant charge Tenants other fee's than what they tell we can charge... so we cant charge for referencing, (I have to cover that), cant charge more than the costs for obtaining a duplicate key.... what about the time it takes for me to get a replacement key.... or get locks changed... who pays the bill... ? I feel like telling the tenant (off record) bring 40 quid round for the referencing, if you pass great... If you fail, you have lost 40 quid)

The government seem to be doing everything in their power to make letting a house less appealing to landlords. Why they cant let supply and demand regulate the industry. After all, if you cant afford to live in London, move to Milton Keynes or where you can afford - thats what my friends had to do to buy...

Yes, I agree there are scum landlords, but there are also scum tenants out there that we need to protect ourselves from.

No, I am not landlord with multiple properties... This is the only property I own. Even if I was, what does that matter anyway.... so I invested in property which shot up in price.... I gambled and I won. I could have gambled on the stock market and won also....



Anyway, I just though I would vent my anger - sick and tired of this Nanny State !

Considering how many things you clearly don’t understand sounds like you are gonna be a great landlord. It’s good that you agree there are some scum landlords, nice to see someone with some self-awareness for once.

Hopefully if you try and charge your tenants referencing fee and 6 weeks deposit and they are clued up and report you!

The reason legislation like this has to be brought is because of people like you.

Murphybear

I suspect if this would be LL were to charge £5k for a deposit he would not find a large queue of tenants waiting.

He obviously does not understand why the maximum deposit rule has been enforced.

Sammypooler

Yeah F off.

MEM62

richyj wrote: »

I am sick and tired of the way the government is targeting landlords (yes I know there are some rogue landlords - which deserve to be punished, but not every landlord is bad)

You are not even a landlord yet and already complaining. Legislation may not be the only frustration that you encounter. Are you sure you are ready to be a landlord?

richyj wrote: »

Protected Deposits... Deposits need to be protected in a government escrow account. I generally dont have an issue with this. Just hope if there is damages to the property that I dont have to jump through hoops to get what I am owed.

A system that works for both parties. Can't see why you would have an issue with that.

richyj wrote: »

Cant charge Tenants other fee's than what they tell we can charge... so we cant charge for referencing, (I have to cover that), cant charge more than the costs for obtaining a duplicate key.... what about the time it takes for me to get a replacement key.... or get locks changed... who pays the bill... ? I feel like telling the tenant (off record) bring 40 quid round for the referencing, if you pass great... If you fail, you have lost 40 quid)

You are running a business. You will have costs like any other business. I am sure that the £40 or so that you have to shell out from time to time is hardly onerous considering the £2.3K income you expect to be seeing from the rent.

richyj wrote: »

The government seem to be doing everything in their power to make letting a house less appealing to landlords.

That is a political decision. The Government are not comfortable with the amount of small BTL-type landlords and are taking steps to reduce that market. Your MP is your staring point in complaining about that.

richyj wrote: »

No, I am not landlord with multiple properties... This is the only property I own. Even if I was, what does that matter anyway....

The number of properties you own is irrelevant. You are a landlord running a business and therefore are, quite rightly, obliged to follow the rules and regulations that go with being a landlord. There is not one rule for you and another for everyone else. (And it's probably just as well)