Ime they most of the time will want to meet face to face to show the prospective tenant around the property. Legally I think they can't say an outright no to someone just because they are on benefits, so almost always a viewing is granted. But they'll always mention other people are looking at it too (which they will be of course). They won't let u know if you've been unsuccessful so if I don't receive a call, I know that's that. Tbh I have been accepted twice while on benefits within the last 14 years for nice homes, but was unsuccessful more than twice with others.
There's no law saying a landlord can't say, 'No benefits'… yet AFAIK. However, there is case law saying it can be illegal if you do, isn't the law fun.
It's the same with the vaping/smoking thing mentioned earlier, the only law is no smoking in communal areas, I have heard of HMO licences requiring completely smoke-free buildings but i've never seen it.
Back to the point, a landlord will fail you on affordability checks, not whether you claim benefits..... officially.
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Associate
For over 15 years I had to rent due to being on a low income with gaps between contracts (academic research scientist). I saved up and bought a suitable house and now share it with lodgers to pay off the mortgage. After saving up for many years I had to complete in a rush because the local rules were suddenly changed (Article 4 declaration by the Council); that means that after a certain date you could not set up a new HMO without planning permission (which you will never get in my area - NIMBYs). I got the HMO set up with tenants in place 3 days before the deadline passed and afterwards got a certificate of lawful use to prove that it has C4 status. I was told at the time that doing that had added about £50,000 on to the value of the house.
I have followed all the numerous rules regarding HMOs since the start: fire doors, 30 minute fireboard enclosures as required, mains powered inter-linked smoke/heat detection system with battery backup, emergency lights, fire extinguishers/fire blanket, fire alarm inspections, gas safety inspections, PAT testing, electrical safety testing, HMO license (the last now costs >£2,000 for 5 years).
My tenants are glad to be there as they save thousands of pounds compared to the alternatives. The cheapest university accommodation costs around double what I charge. So no, I'm not going to sell up without a fight and certainly not when the housing market is in the toilet.
Soldato
One of my tenants is on benefits. Never been a problem and has communicated well if there is ever an issue or anything she would like to do with the house. I'm not particularly precious about the houses so by and large, I let them get on with it.
However, this appears to be a contributory issue now that I've asked for possession of the house. The tenant has a little under 5 weeks left to leave the property (it's 6 months in Wales) and there is no sign of her moving out. I'm conscious of not over-contacting to see how she is getting on but the last message has gone unanswered so communication appears to have stopped.
There is a problem with the rental market here - there largely isn't one. Or those properties that do come up for rent are 60%+ more than what I was renting the property for. I guess it's probably harder for someone on benefits to relocate compared to those who work - I assume this as you have to get the local authority involved - honestly not sure, perhaps it's just as difficult whether you're working or not.
It's a big shame if I have to go down the eviction route, I don't want to of course, but the property needs to be sold.
She's probably contacted the local council, maybe CAB etc and they'll be telling her to sit tight and not move until the very last moment she can. Seen it with a friend of mums, she made no effort to find anywhere and at the last moment got a good quality council flat in the city centre.
Unfortunately (or fortunately) it didn’t happen.
The agents said there was something very “off” about the couple and refused the rental.
So it looks like I’m going to sell up when the lease extension is done and just lob the cash into S&P or whatever for 7 years then (hopefully) retire at 60.
This doesn’t inspire me one bit..
Soldato
To be fair, she did apply to a local trust that offers houses to local born people under market average. I wrote a rather gushing letter and, as the estate agents I'm using to sell the houses is also the administator of the trust, I thought that might help grease the wheels, as it were. Sadly, I don't think she was offered the place.
The rental market is dead where we are in West Wales. I don't know how the state homes system works where the houses become available and people bid on them - I've never understood it but I do know recently, the council hasn't had any properties available. When the refineries were actually refining or when the power station was built, there were plenty of rental properties but that's dried up now. I don't really have an issue with the additional hoops you have to jump through being a landlord in Wales. It's just time for me to make some changes and I never really set out to be a landlord, it just happened. It didn't sit well with me asking the tenants to leave so in one way, I'm glad I'm getting out. Just hopefully, we don't end up in court.
Honestly, the rule changes are likely to be those similar to Wales and not really the end of the world. Most of it is just common sense. Gas safety cert is standard, the electrical certificate is a bit of a pain, initially anyway as you'll almost certainly have to fork out on remedial work. The effeciency rating might be difficult for an old house. The big issue is CGT. It's not going to get any better. The threshold drop has taken a huge chunk of capital out of the houses. One of the houses I'm selling used to be our home so the time it was our residence can be taken off. I've also done a bit of a fiddle with my EV car - sold it to my Ltd Co then given the money back to Ltd Co. Means I'll be paying basic rate on the liability.
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Caporegime
The problem with capital gains tax is that its a blanket tax for a massively asset class which ranges from "you are an idiot to bet on this but it worked out somehow" all the way to "safe as houses". Disincentivising people from investing isn't a good thing in a lot of cases.
What wont be helping matters is the council will tell her to stay right until someone arrives to enforce the eviction. If she doesnt do that, they wont accept she is homeless, as from what you describe of the local market, I wouldnt be surprised if thats where she ends up.
Soldato
The tax bit is probably too far but further regulations are needed
There are far too many landlords that think they can shirk their legal responsibilities towards tenants.
Personally I'd like to see a licencing system, with the penalty of losing it being you forfeit all your properties, excluding your own home, to social housing.
Harsh, yes. Would it mean that rogues would sit up and do what's right, for the most part. There would be those that don't and they'd lose their properties.
LoL.
The government would NEVER be able to make such a stupid system work.
Stealing peoples assets because they fall below the req of some randomly made licence system?
You must be absolutely deluded to think such a thing could ever exist. Same league as a flat earth fanatic.
Soldato
Ah OK, that makes sense. I spoke to one of the mums at school and she said her sister had to wait until the final week of the notice period for the council to do anything about re-housing her. If that's how it has to go, I don't mind going through the process with her. I'd rather help make the process less traumatic as possible. I would message to say I'll help even if we have to start the eviction process but I'm conscious of any accusation of harassing her if it goes nasty and end up in court etc.
The forfeit of properties simply wouldn't work. Does the council pay the outstanding mortgage?
However, there already is a licencing system in Wales - Rent Smart Wales. You have to registered as a landlord - there's even regular CPD which is a bit tedious but there is some decent information there. As much as people complained to begin with, it is fair to force landlords to keep the properties in good order. If you don't, the tenant goes to the council, and the landlord and just says I'm not paying the rent until you sort it out.
One thing that I do find irksome with Rent Smart Wales is there is pages and pages and pages of help for tenants. You'll be lucky to find anything relating to if the landlord has a bad tenant.
My daughter rents in England and the landlord is poor at keeping things in good order. I had to buy gas alarms and I had to get involved when the landlord couldn't be bothered to get the boiler tested. It's one of the main reasons I'm selling the rentals so I can help her buy her own home.
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Caporegime
And what would you like to see happen to tenants that treat places like ****, cost the landlords thousands of pounds and don't pay their rent? Someone equally as draconian I assume?
You should have to be licensed to be a landlord IMO but its such a potential mess on both sides of the coin that its very hard to have a remotely fair system without massive (and expensive) oversight.
Our neighbours after 20 years moved out of house as it was too big for their family after kids married and leaving etc, we've had nightmare of tenants in there for last 4 months.
Absolutely no self awareness or lack of respect for anyone around them. Loud music blasting daily 10am-midnight to the point it overthrows any conversations you try to have in my house. Furthermore it was initially a family of 3 but now looks to be about 10-15 people in there so must be subletting.
Have asked almost a dozen times if they can keep the noise down only for it to be back to full blast 10 minutes later.
Few other things:
- have setup a tent in the garden that's been there for over a month
- using the store garage as a bedroom
- keeping rubbish bags in the garden as bins are overstacked
Already have spoken to the landlord as we still keep in touch with them and they are apparently not happy at all with how these tenants have treated the place - told us they want them gone. Apparently said they'll speak to the letting agent to get them to give them a warning about the noise/music.
Past week or so not heard much music so let's see.
Are they able to get rid of them within the year on such grounds?
Absolutely no self awareness or lack of respect for anyone around them. Loud music blasting daily 10am-midnight to the point it overthrows any conversations you try to have in my house. Furthermore it was initially a family of 3 but now looks to be about 10-15 people in there so must be subletting.
Have asked almost a dozen times if they can keep the noise down only for it to be back to full blast 10 minutes later.
Few other things:
- have setup a tent in the garden that's been there for over a month
- using the store garage as a bedroom
- keeping rubbish bags in the garden as bins are overstacked
Already have spoken to the landlord as we still keep in touch with them and they are apparently not happy at all with how these tenants have treated the place - told us they want them gone. Apparently said they'll speak to the letting agent to get them to give them a warning about the noise/music.
Past week or so not heard much music so let's see.
Are they able to get rid of them within the year on such grounds?
Already done, was asked to fill in the noise app and they just disregarded it.
Depends how long the tenancy is.
The biggest weakness of S8 as I understand it is getting people out for anti social behaviour (which is going to be buffed up when they drop S21), so usually S21 gets used instead, but S21 date cannot be during a tenancy period.
If you lucky it might just be a 6 month tenancy or rolling tenancy, if its the latter S21 2 months notice can be given.
Couple of years back I had a real messy tenant move in to the flat behind mine at back of house, constant uber eats at my door for them, several bags of rubbish left on pavement all week, after a few weeks of that, someone from council turned up, and issued a fine, I explained which property it was and it went to the LL, suffice to say that pretty much assured they were not getting renewed so gone within a year thankfully.
Just noticed the post about sub letting might be used as a reason for S8, agree with that as well.
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Caporegime
Because living in a horrible house is unsurprisingly grim. There are scumbag landlords out there who happily let people get seriously ill through neglect of their properties and there should be a requirement that properties are kept to a reasonable standard or the landlord is banned from being one.
The fact you have an agent isn't really relevant. Everything that is regulated isn't to stop the good people, its to stop the bad people.