Rental Property Standards Seem Low

caprikid1

RHemmings said:

TroubledTarts said:

Maybe some of the reasons

40-50 applicants per rental property in high demand areas.

Lots of BTL Landlords selling up and leaving the market increasing demand further

Rents at an all time high and so far only going one way but then so are BTL rates so less profit so they don't bother with upkeep

None of these are excuses and I agree with comments above that a grotty property in poor repair should be avoided as it should sound alarm bells.

It's just the rental stock is decreasing and demand is increasing so some landlords will make the most out of this.

And this is precisely why the rental market can't be left to run itself. As, if supply and demand puts landlords in the driving seat, some landlords will rent out substandard (if not totally unfit for habitation) properties. 

It is precisely all the intervention that has encouraged Landlords to exit making the situation worse. Regulating private landlords to death is fine so long as the state and the big coorporations pick up the slack with quality affordable rentals. Corporations just charge more than private landlords and local authority's have got no money or inclination to pick up the slack.

Destroyed Rental Sector... Solution more regulation.

Its like the American answer to gun crime.... more guns !

RHemmings

TroubledTarts said:

RHemmings said:

TroubledTarts said:

RHemmings said:

I just wish to point out that I was a long term renter. I spent 15 years in a house that was shabby when we moved in and nothing was redecorated in that entire time. But, the rent was cheap and the landlord did what was needed for safety. 

That's an interesting point do renters expect landlords to redecorate for them every (x) amount of years and replace carpets every (x) amount of years.

I didn't. I would have expected that if I was paying more rent. 

What does that equate to £100-£200 cheaper per month than the average rent an ld you would crack on and do things yourself?

I never bothered doing things myself. We worked on the garden a bit, but I suspect we didn't pay out more than about £100 or so in total over about 15 years. When I moved out (to a nearby and perhaps a little bit better property my rent jumped £350 a month. That was after a £100 rental increase. the only one in 15 years, which had been some years ago. Maybe it was £100 cheaper than the typical rent at the start, but it got to be more. I think I painted one bit where the paint got marked up. Otherwise, not much really.

gazfocus

RHemmings said:

TroubledTarts said:

RHemmings said:

TroubledTarts said:

RHemmings said:

I just wish to point out that I was a long term renter. I spent 15 years in a house that was shabby when we moved in and nothing was redecorated in that entire time. But, the rent was cheap and the landlord did what was needed for safety. 

That's an interesting point do renters expect landlords to redecorate for them every (x) amount of years and replace carpets every (x) amount of years.

I didn't. I would have expected that if I was paying more rent. 

What does that equate to £100-£200 cheaper per month than the average rent an ld you would crack on and do things yourself?

I never bothered doing things myself. We worked on the garden a bit, but I suspect we didn't pay out more than about £100 or so in total over about 15 years. When I moved out (to a nearby and perhaps a little bit better property my rent jumped £350 a month. That was after a £100 rental increase. the only one in 15 years, which had been some years ago. Maybe it was £100 cheaper than the typical rent at the start, but it got to be more. I think I painted one bit where the paint got marked up. Otherwise, not much really.

It’s interesting…since viewing the one house (my wife really likes the house despite it being run down), I have done quite a bit of digging and the house has been rented out for at least 7 years that I can find. The oldest advert I’ve managed to find from 2018 has an asking rent of £100 more than it’s up for now. Obviously the house would have been in a much better condition 7 years ago but still would have been dated even then. Perhaps the landlord is just happy with their rent at the figure it’s at if they don’t have to do any upgrading. 

Murphybear

i_like_cats said:

TroubledTarts said:

RHemmings said:

TroubledTarts said:

RHemmings said:

TroubledTarts said:

Maybe some of the reasons

40-50 applicants per rental property in high demand areas.

Lots of BTL Landlords selling up and leaving the market increasing demand further

Rents at an all time high and so far only going one way but then so are BTL rates so less profit so they don't bother with upkeep

None of these are excuses and I agree with comments above that a grotty property in poor repair should be avoided as it should sound alarm bells.

It's just the rental stock is decreasing and demand is increasing so some landlords will make the most out of this.

And this is precisely why the rental market can't be left to run itself. As, if supply and demand puts landlords in the driving seat, some landlords will rent out substandard (if not totally unfit for habitation) properties. 

And yet professionally run "council" properties are generally even worse and repairs even longer. 

What's your plan

There is no need for a new plan, just hhe enforcement of the laws we have. My point is that those laws are needed. 

Is this just tenants not knowing their rights and feeling trapped as if they annoy their landlord there aren't the properties on the market to move into?

Much bigger issues at play here and it will be interesting how this all goes.

I am not condoning any of this by the way but what are the laws regarding a landlord having an old kitchen or decor in a rental? An electrical test certificate, gas safe cert and service each year and up to date EPC yes but what are the "laws" regarding decor and shabbyness?

There’s no law against a rental having a 30 year old kitchen.  But no kitchen can last 30 years without maintenance.

Over time, the thin strip of kitchen counter between the sink and the wall often rots from years of water exposure.  (Yes I’ve experienced that in a rental).   Sealant around the kitchen counter goes, too.   Walls get filthy if the cooker hood isn’t serviced / replaced.   Tiles crack.

Kitchen cabinet doors come loose or fall off, and the laminate front chips away.  Sometimes the sides of the base units can collapse, too.

Cookers and hobs generally last 5-10 years but still require cleaning.   Some landlords ask for tenants to supply their own fridgefreezers as they can’t be bothered cleaning salad trays between tenants!

5-10 years?  I’d expect them to last much longer.  My parents moved into a post war council house in the 50s.  They bought a new electric cooker.  When my mother died and we gave the house back to the council it was 35 years later and the cooker still worked perfectly. 

The house we live in was built by the British Legion in the 80s.  We still have the same cooker.  

i_like_cats

Murphybear said:

i_like_cats said:

TroubledTarts said:

RHemmings said:

TroubledTarts said:

RHemmings said:

TroubledTarts said:

Maybe some of the reasons

40-50 applicants per rental property in high demand areas.

Lots of BTL Landlords selling up and leaving the market increasing demand further

Rents at an all time high and so far only going one way but then so are BTL rates so less profit so they don't bother with upkeep

None of these are excuses and I agree with comments above that a grotty property in poor repair should be avoided as it should sound alarm bells.

It's just the rental stock is decreasing and demand is increasing so some landlords will make the most out of this.

And this is precisely why the rental market can't be left to run itself. As, if supply and demand puts landlords in the driving seat, some landlords will rent out substandard (if not totally unfit for habitation) properties. 

And yet professionally run "council" properties are generally even worse and repairs even longer. 

What's your plan

There is no need for a new plan, just hhe enforcement of the laws we have. My point is that those laws are needed. 

Is this just tenants not knowing their rights and feeling trapped as if they annoy their landlord there aren't the properties on the market to move into?

Much bigger issues at play here and it will be interesting how this all goes.

I am not condoning any of this by the way but what are the laws regarding a landlord having an old kitchen or decor in a rental? An electrical test certificate, gas safe cert and service each year and up to date EPC yes but what are the "laws" regarding decor and shabbyness?

There’s no law against a rental having a 30 year old kitchen.  But no kitchen can last 30 years without maintenance.

Over time, the thin strip of kitchen counter between the sink and the wall often rots from years of water exposure.  (Yes I’ve experienced that in a rental).   Sealant around the kitchen counter goes, too.   Walls get filthy if the cooker hood isn’t serviced / replaced.   Tiles crack.

Kitchen cabinet doors come loose or fall off, and the laminate front chips away.  Sometimes the sides of the base units can collapse, too.

Cookers and hobs generally last 5-10 years but still require cleaning.   Some landlords ask for tenants to supply their own fridgefreezers as they can’t be bothered cleaning salad trays between tenants!

5-10 years?  I’d expect them to last much longer.  My parents moved into a post war council house in the 50s.  They bought a new electric cooker.  When my mother died and we gave the house back to the council it was 35 years later and the cooker still worked perfectly. 

The house we live in was built by the British Legion in the 80s.  We still have the same cooker.  

Yes, but presumably your hob and oven gets cleaned!  
Sadly there are plenty of rentals where neither the landlord nor the tenant will ever clean the oven or hob.  

The burners on a hob will stop working if overspills congeal in the gas inlets.  The flimsy plastic burner switches are also prone to break.  

And ovens also get pretty disgusting if they’re never cleaned.  The oven door seals go, the door itself gets filthy, and as for the food that burns at the bottom….

dinosaur66

i have never cleaned my white goods when i have a current tenant

when i first buy the property i supply brand new

cooker/fridge freezer/

i do not supply a washing machine

if the cooker/fridge freezer breaks down during there stay then they replace and can take it with them when they leave

i do get my mate to fit the new cookers and washing machines in my local propertys and do not charge tenants for this.

but i am lucky all my current tenants are house proud and keep propertys  cleaner than i would.