should landlords be licenced?

diystarter7

canaldumidi said:

squizz11 said:

I am currently being evicted again,   ...... I have been in my new house six months and he wants his house back

......and I paid a year up front .

So do you have a fixed term tenancy of 12 months?

What are the start and end dates?

Is there a Break Clause? What does it say (exactly)?

(Is this England....?)

Assuming you've received a S21 Notice what are the dates of service and expiry?

The issue here is not licencing (though there's an argument for that) but security of tenure.

Way back in the past (1970s?) tenants had protection from eviction. Maggie Thatcher removed that in order to encourage landlords to enter the rental market, and open it up to 'market forces'.

The current proposed removal of the S21 process, which may or may not be passed by Parliament, and the precise conditions of which we don't yet know, may return us closer to the old secure tenancy position.

Licencing is a different matter.

Exactly what I was thinking.
OP, how much you paid "front"?
A break clause will often means just that breaks the 12 month agreement and LL can often evict without any reason I think.

Look at it from the LL's perspective and put yourself in their shoes, that might help and take it from there.
Good luck I wish you well.

squizz11

diystarter7 said:

canaldumidi said:

squizz11 said:

I am currently being evicted again,   ...... I have been in my new house six months and he wants his house back

......and I paid a year up front .

So do you have a fixed term tenancy of 12 months?

What are the start and end dates?

Is there a Break Clause? What does it say (exactly)?

(Is this England....?)

Assuming you've received a S21 Notice what are the dates of service and expiry?

The issue here is not licencing (though there's an argument for that) but security of tenure.

Way back in the past (1970s?) tenants had protection from eviction. Maggie Thatcher removed that in order to encourage landlords to enter the rental market, and open it up to 'market forces'.

The current proposed removal of the S21 process, which may or may not be passed by Parliament, and the precise conditions of which we don't yet know, may return us closer to the old secure tenancy position.

Licencing is a different matter.

Exactly what I was thinking.
OP, how much you paid "front"?
A break clause will often means just that breaks the 12 month agreement and LL can often evict without any reason I think.

Look at it from the LL's perspective and put yourself in their shoes, that might help and take it from there.
Good luck I wish you well.

5 and a half months ago he should have factored in mortgage interest rates rises, everyone knew it was coming ,   being  a landlord is a business with people's lives attached.    if I was a couple of years in to a tenancy I could put my self in his shoes,  I can't in this case,  it's bad decision making on his part

diystarter7

squizz11 said:

diystarter7 said:

canaldumidi said:

squizz11 said:

I am currently being evicted again,   ...... I have been in my new house six months and he wants his house back

......and I paid a year up front .

So do you have a fixed term tenancy of 12 months?

What are the start and end dates?

Is there a Break Clause? What does it say (exactly)?

(Is this England....?)

Assuming you've received a S21 Notice what are the dates of service and expiry?

The issue here is not licencing (though there's an argument for that) but security of tenure.

Way back in the past (1970s?) tenants had protection from eviction. Maggie Thatcher removed that in order to encourage landlords to enter the rental market, and open it up to 'market forces'.

The current proposed removal of the S21 process, which may or may not be passed by Parliament, and the precise conditions of which we don't yet know, may return us closer to the old secure tenancy position.

Licencing is a different matter.

Exactly what I was thinking.
OP, how much you paid "front"?
A break clause will often means just that breaks the 12 month agreement and LL can often evict without any reason I think.

Look at it from the LL's perspective and put yourself in their shoes, that might help and take it from there.
Good luck I wish you well.

5 and a half months ago he should have factored in mortgage interest rates rises, everyone knew it was coming ,   being  a landlord is a business with people's lives attached.    if I was a couple of years in to a tenancy I could put my self in his shoes,  I can't in this case,  it's bad decision making on his part

Thanks. Hopefully when/if you become a LL you'll be a very good one. The bloke that rents out a house a couple of doors from us has rented it out cheap and not raised their rent for three years, so there are good LL's out there and I'm sure you will be a good one. It's easy money from property letting or used to be until the additional stamp, less tax relief etc, etc.

caprikid1

"Thanks. Hopefully when/if you become a LL you'll be a very good one. The bloke that rents out a house a couple of doors from us has rented it out cheap and not raised their rent for three years, so there are good LL's out there and I'm sure you will be a good one. It's easy money from property letting or used to be until the additional stamp, less tax relief etc, etc"

I think my record was 10 years for no rent increases, tend to only do it when the tenant moves (Of their own free will normally to buy) not the best business decision but in many respects but it gets a lot of goodwill .

theartfullodger

Of course landlords should be licensed or there should be a landlord register - whatever it is it should be available, for free, 24/7.  So that e.g. prospective tenants can check name of landlord prior to viewing to make sure it's  not one type of scam....

Just like the Scottish landlord register, charges £68/council, £16/ property for 3 years.  see...
https://www.landlordregistrationscotland.gov.uk/search

It's not hard is it folks!

A small step towards helping identify landlords fiddling tax or trying to duck their responsibilities.  A small step, by no means the whole process. 

Come on England, catch up! 

Artful: Landlord in England & Scotland, registered landlord in Scotland since The Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 came into force..

[Deleted User]

caprikid1 said:

[Deleted User] said:

Just ban private landlords.

I think the problem with this is you will end up with a lack of competition and a very vanilla housing stock. Large landlords won't buy quirky country cottages, high spec'd detached houses because the returns are not there.

Kicking private landlords is not the solution , quality social housing at volume so people have a real choice.

Me and my partner let out a few properties we have previously owned and I have to say further legislation will encourage small landlords out of the market but I understand the frustration. The reason the OP is being evicted is not due to a lack of regulation and tax on landlords its the exact opposite. Me and my partner could be mortgage free but chose to run a lettings business and genuinely try and provide nice accommodation without rent increases and have never evicted anyone in 20 years.

If we increase the burden on private landlords we need to make sure social housing is ready to take up the slack , at this point in time it is far from it.

That's what we already have.

caprikid1

[Deleted User] said:

caprikid1 said:

[Deleted User] said:

Just ban private landlords.

I think the problem with this is you will end up with a lack of competition and a very vanilla housing stock. Large landlords won't buy quirky country cottages, high spec'd detached houses because the returns are not there.

Kicking private landlords is not the solution , quality social housing at volume so people have a real choice.

Me and my partner let out a few properties we have previously owned and I have to say further legislation will encourage small landlords out of the market but I understand the frustration. The reason the OP is being evicted is not due to a lack of regulation and tax on landlords its the exact opposite. Me and my partner could be mortgage free but chose to run a lettings business and genuinely try and provide nice accommodation without rent increases and have never evicted anyone in 20 years.

If we increase the burden on private landlords we need to make sure social housing is ready to take up the slack , at this point in time it is far from it.

That's what we already have.

And your plan to fix this is ? All you have suggested will make things worse ? Or is this a problem for the already hammered tax payers to fix ? The horrid sprawling run down council estates of the 70's not a pleasant or safe place to be.

SuseOrm

Yes I believe they should be 

diystarter7

How about licencing prospective  tenants? EG, some sort of passport with insurance cover for when some don't pay rent, sub let and trash a property. This would make it easier all around. It will benefit T's and LL's.

noitsnotme

[Deleted User] said:

Just ban private landlords.

Or just ban ALL BAD landlords.  That includes many councils and housing associations.  My long standing happy tenants of many years have received a far superior service to some of the council and social housing tenants who are regularly treated like human excrement.