Following the decision to extend the tenant eviction ban until 20 September, apropos is calling on the government to show the same support for landlords as it has for tenants.
The property management firm welcomed the delay in tenant evictions but believes that landlords should be offered the same level of support from the government during these difficult times.
David Alexander, joint managing director of apropos, commented: “The government’s month-long delay in re-introducing tenant evictions is the right thing to do and welcome. However, there needs to be comparable, more visible, and active support for landlords during this time.
“If it is right to support tenants’ in financial difficulties, then it must be right to financially support landlords who will be impacted by this move.”
Many BTL landlords urgently require financial support as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, and this come in the form of grants, favourable bank lending and encouragement from lenders to be sympathetic and supportive, according to Alexander.
He continued: “It is essential that the UK government do all that they can to maintain stability in the private rented sector which is the second largest provider of homes in the country.
“Many landlords are rightly concerned about their incomes and the viability of their properties and ensuring that they are supported as fully as possible is essential to maintain the security of the PRS.”
There is often a danger of polarisation in the PRS with tenants on one side and landlords on the other, but Alexander believes that “both sides need each other”, and they all require the support of the state to get through this difficult period.
He added: “Landlords need tenants and tenants need landlords. There must be greater support for landlords now and in the future. Without landlords there is no PRS and without the PRS there is a serious shortage of homes for tenants.”
“It is in everyone’s interest to ensure that the PRS remains secure, supported and viable. This means supporting tenants to remain in their homes and supporting landlords to be able to keep their properties.
“The government must act to maintain the stability and security of the private rented sector during these unprecedented times.”
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Definitely government should support landlords for loss of money regarding huge arrears and non rents payments by tenants because of further and further eviction ban extensions
When will those like Alexander not realise that Govt has absolutely no interest in the viability of LL.
It seeks the destruction of LL especially mortgaged ones.
Govt has no interest at all in provision of private rental accommodation.
It is not the slightest bit interested if there is a reduction in available rental accommodation.
This idiot Govt is simply not interested in what happens to tenants if LL sell up.
It wishes for large corporate LL to become the main provider of rental accommodation.
Of course entirely unrealistic but then that is the idiot Govt for you.
LL need to adjust their business models in light of the fact that they wish to eradicate leveraged LL.
There will NEVER be any assistance for small private LL.
You are on your own.
Suck it up and if you DON'T like it get out of AST lettings in particular.
This Govt is hell-bent on eradicating small LL.
LL should have realised that with S24 being announced in 2015.
A Landlord group urges Government to support Landlords at this time!
Who thinks up these ideas?
Property speculation goes wrong, please help me out?
You're an idiot. Any help would let tenants have better security. Any businessman knows that the best way for the business to prosper is to look after the customers. Leftie idiots don't realise how customer and supplier interests usually co-incide.
Like I said Robert some people just don't get it. If it wasnt for us LL's he would be out of a job
Renting a flat is not a business for most it is a speculation. Don't worry about what Government will do if mum and pop landlords sell up. They don't want this sector to exist.
Like Robert said earlier you really are one. What is the matter with you. Its not a f**ggin hobby is it and if it was it would be the most expensive one to do.
Its an investment, a pension, a first home for children for when they grow up, an income for some. Not everyone wants to or can be a homeowner. "Mom & Pop" Some of the biggest businesses in the world started as a Mom & Pop
I didn't say it was a hobby, and i agree with BTL is an investment , a speculation for growth and on the mum and pops, so what, times change, and you seem to be ignoring the reality of the situation.
The easy money has been made so if you want to stick this out, put up and shut up because no one is listening or cares other than the dreamers on this site.
Er excuse me. We issue a tenancy contract that is ment to stand up in a court of law & the gov has interfered by kicking the can down the road again. The clear message should have been if you cannot afford the rent then its time to go back to your relatives. The students couldn't wait to leave their shared properties and run back to Mum & Dad and everyone is saying they dont have to pay. The working tenants were given 80% furlough told to stay in so no reason not to pay. A load of them didn't they took advantage & we knew it would happen.
You say we should just 'put up and shut up' when our contracts are just trampled over by gov & tenants. Some of us are doing something about this to protect our business & the paying tenants homes. We as LL's have a right to put our views across thats what this forum is for. Its you that needs to get in the real world. What exactly is your contribution in the PRS?
Say what you want this is a forum for it, but don't set the bar off the ground as no one will protect private Landlords. I expect rent controls are next . And, on my contribution, it is not insignificant on both valuation and property letting and management. I am not anti anything I just think there is a reality check missing.
So basically your business would be reduced considerably if there was no LL's. Management really? Thank God you are not managing any of my portfolio. I couldn't expect you to stand up against tenants for us the LL that give you a letting percentage. Wheres your backbone. Have you let these tenants walk all over you doing this job. Have some pride
Valuer oh that explains it all. Using a Hometrack and checking comparables - Have I missed anything.
Rent control - Well like I've said in the past bring it on. Cant wait to weigh the brown envelopes coming.
I take exception to you making snide comments about Landlords being dreamers. They are the ones saving the deposits putting a roof over someones head for a fair exchange in rent taking all the risk & then giving you a cut of the deal & you slag us off.
I'm embarrassed for you.
I can't hear the truth amongst so many dogs barking in one room...
Why don't you all take a deep breath, get a grip on reality, smell the coffee and pop a pretzel or something ?
All business and trade activities are a speculation. You invest time and resources and get return. Even working is a speculation .you invest your energy to better your self
Only time it is not is when you expect someone else to provide for you I.e your parents, government, or social service and expect freebies and try to prove that any one who does not help you are amped kind of scammers.
Yep. We’re all alone for this one folks. And yes Paul I agree. Like all the other small businesses that ordinary folks have run in the past they want this sector for the big boys.
Adrian
It looks as if you liked the idiot's initial post objecting to the idea of help for tenants by helping landlords. Did you mean to do so?
No Robert. Didn’t read it correctly. 👍
Good to see that whatever you were thinking Adrian, we have managed to correct your attitude so that you can remain a valuable member of this forum, otherwise...
Thanks Adrian. I wouldn't have wanted to see you among his idiot supporters!
No seriously Adrian... good save !
In a time of massively increasing job losses, a major health pandemic, economic crisis, record borrowing (£2 trillion) that somehow will have to be paid back, a landlord group now suggests that landlords be helped financially by the government ? Am I reading this correctly? So those on minimum incomes with little or no savings will now pay tax to help those who own more than one property? And I thought 'those with the broadest shoulders should bear the greatest burden' was the fair mantra of many politicians. What next? Help for millionaires who are no longer quite millionaires?
If the government helped the tenants by paying their rents then landlords wouldn't need help. Don't you think big business has been helped too when their staff are furloughed? Why should landlord businesses be denied help when multi national companies have had help?
Honestly Robert Brown dont bother with him. Some people just dont get it mate
That was a really nasty post, Mr Wirth. Well, I for one only have one property, and there are thousands of others like me. It was my home but my state pension was insufficient to cover my basic needs. So I moved in with family and rented out my former home, which bolstered my pension and allowed me to enjoy what little life I have left.
Unfortunately, my tenants left in February and the Covid lockdown has left me with an empty property for the last 6 months. And I have to pay 100% Council Tax on that empty property as well as the mortgage. My pension doesn't cover those payments so now I am eating into the savings I had set aside for my dotage. I am no longer enjoying life.
Sir, the government has helped employed, self-employed, companies BUT NOT LANDLORDS. I ask you . . . is that fair?
Im afraid Landlords just dont get it, they are not liked and many renters have no choice but to rent though lack of gov built social homes, they think its fine that they can kick someone out using sec 21 with 2 months notice even if they are model tennants, the only person that likes a landlord is another landlord
incidentally, my shares (in P&O cruises) have gone down in value - anyone fancy bumping them back up to pre-COVID levels for me ?
David E.
Landlords don't kick out model tenants. They want them to stay long term. Idiots like you support the dross who prevent other decent tenants from getting into better properties.
David Edmunds. Give me three real life examples that you personally know of when a LL has given a 'model tenant' a section 21 for a reason other than because he is moving his family back in or he is wishing to sell?
Can I assume, Jahan, that you already know of 2 such circumstances... and so therefore, David would require 3 minimum to counteract your narrative ?
Nice thought .. but government would rather a few more landlords went bust and the majority pay for tenants saving their monies from supporting the poor
The gov doesnt have to support LL's but it should if they are going to interfere with our business's with additional taxes and tying our hands behind our back with new obstructive legislation.
Remember everyone if we sell up to the owner occupier where does the tenant that doesnt qualify for a mortgage, hasnt got the credit rating, simply hasnt got the discipline to save the deposit, on benefits even. WHERE DO THEY GO? Where are they going to live? Hasnt anyone from the agitator groups Shelter Gen Rent Acorn & I include the Government especially realised that they will suffer the most.
You do realise that for many in work the wages & high cost of rent means they can not buy, when I shop a Aldi its because I want to, for many renters they have to rent because they have no option and since millions of social homes have been flogged off and not replaced it allows landlords to have to atitude you either rent from us or go homeless, I blame not making BTL illegal and the gov not building new homes
Thank you for presuming all my tenants economic positions using your own model as a guide. How is it many many other people who has rented at one time go on to become homeowners. Could we presume they tightened their belts saved a deposit perhaps?
'Millions of social homes flogged off' You're looking for someone to blame what about the ex council tenant who got the discount and cashed in at the taxpayers expense? You blaming them eh?
You're blaming that BTL should be made illegal & you are blaming the government. I'm sure you mean all the past governments of the last 30 years or so for not building more 'sink' estates. Yeah remember them cos that's what you are effectively advocating. Sounds like you blaming everyone but yourself
How can this article ( in a landlord publication ) profess that delaying landlords from securing lawful possession of their property, for Any reason, especially Non-Covid - is a ' good thing ' ???
Even f Covid-related arrears, its the Govt responsibility to provide welfare assistance, not private individuals - Landlords.
I have had an empty property for 6 months now and having to pay 100% Council Tax. My only income is my state pension from which I also have to pay the mortgage.
Employed people received help; self-employed people received help; companies received help: where is the help for me and other landlords like me? The council refuses to help saying it's the government's job.
Simon - Try going back to the council and quoting "Class G exemption -Unoccupied by law" 26.03.20 - 12.05.20 & they should discount the bill or owe you the money back. The council tried to deny this was in existence and that I had to pay but insist on this remind them its the law and you will find that part of the bill isnt chargeable. Good Luck
Dont forget either the quality of the training and sometimes also the people in the council tax departments is pretty poor in my experience, in spite of the fact they would like you to believe they are experts. An authoritative tone doesn't mean they know what they are doing. I had a row with a council last month after a very officious lady tried to tell me that possession of property always legally takes place at 23:59:59 and as such one days council tax is always payable by a landlord at the end of each tenancy as a result of that one second. It was only when I threatened to start charging her for wasting my time and she sought advice from a more knowledgeable colleague who no doubt told her she was talking rubbish that she backed down.
Yes Matthew, Ive had the same answer from the council re council tax. (Personally I've never moved anyone in at a second before midnight). I've learnt that it is actually best to email them as there is at least a paper trail & then a weblink demonstrating the law normally gets the issue resolved.
I don't want help from the government, the government should be paying the rent of those that cannot pay direct to the landlords, we should be able to evict the tenants that are able to pay their rent but chose not to.
Well said Andrew.
Surely the situation here is not that LL want assistance from anyone.
They all understand the market dynamics.
The problem is that LL are being prevented from operating in a market.
Pandemic or otherwise if a LL is faced with rent defaulting tenants they should be permitted to attempt to repossess the property.
Once achieved then LL will have the market problem of sourcing new occupants.
Many LL in light of the prevailing market difficulties wouldn't bother repossessing.
But of course that is for them to decide.
All LL are requiring is the ability to operate their business.
They CANNOT do this if they are effectively prevented from repossessing their properties by Govt.
Many other businesses are receiving Govt assistance having been shut down by Govt edict.
LL should have received equal assistance or some mechanisms to ensure contractual rent was paid.
Effectively Govt has deprived LL of their property rights which I believe is a breach of the UN Charter on Human Rights conditions.
Govt is penalising 2 million LL with illegal legislation as isn't the UK signed up to the UN Charter!!??
and the human rights also states a person has a right to peaceful enjoyment, heres the thing I say pay all my rent model tennant but my landlords can issue me a sec 21, do you think that is right of fair ?
David E.
Landlords don't evict model tenants. People like you are model tenants' worst enemies as your ill-informed propaganda just helps rent dodgers defraud decent landlords and prevent decent properties from being let to decent tenants. Rogue landlords have their own highly effective ways of ensuring rents are up to date as the feckless rent dodgers you protect will eventually learn when they are eventually evicted and no sensible landlord will touch them - but the rogue landlords will be happy to do so, confident that they will learn the error of their ways - and the ccj will live with them for the next six years - probably longer if they continue to renege on their financial obligations.
Mark are you feeling ok. Private rented Sector is a business and provides quality homes for millions. whether it can remain affordable is a different matter due to Gov' & every local Authority loading costs, taxes, regulations , penalties,licensing at every opportunity bleeding the sector dry then complain about affordability of private rented sector. I have always classed it as a business and not speculation, if I had been a speculator I would have scores or properties by now after 42 years a LL and your comments about the soft money we had, please tell me when did I get this ? I certainly never seen it, if the lender didn't take it the the Tax man did or local Authority did or anyone else as long as I didn't end up with it it was fine. The billions of £'s we pay in taxes to the revenue needs to be taken on board which keeps the Benefit Claimants afloat + the benefit LL's many of both despise us but if none of you are putting in the pot what will happen when we are gone. Supposing the Gov' cuts or refuses to pay Benefit will you be first in the queue Mark to keep Tenants for free like many of us are doing now. Some people live in cloud cuckoo land.
If only Boris shared your opinion ?.. and if your Aunty had balls she'd be your Uncle ?
God bless you kind sir
If we take the Govt's ideological war against LL to it's logical extent we would have no private LL.
There would presumably be a few large corporations letting properties.
Does Govt really believe that the tax take from a few large corporations would be the same as from the millions of small LL.
I could assure Govt that the taxes they would receive from corporations would massively reduce.
They are expert at avoiding paying tax.
They use all sorts of devices to achieve this.
They load up with debt which of course they can offset against income.
No S24 for them!
They would also not use so many other trades that small LL do.
In short if small LL disappeared there would be a massive hole in Govt finances.
The current PRS with all those who feed off it contributes billions in taxes.
govt wants donations from the big operators
Id rather rent a property from say Tesco than from you, so indeed lets push for giant well governed corporate landlords with life long contracts, glad you agree
@dave edmunds
I partially agree with what you suggest.
I would retain S21 for rent defaulting tenants.
All other reasons for repossession would transfer to S8.
This would be enhanced.
The problem for tenants then occurs when LL increase rent to a level they know a tenant can't afford.
Then you have rent control rear it's very ugly head.
Currently LL may increase rent by a new AST every 6 months or an annual S13 notice.
I only ever increase rents annually.
I am now reducing some!
As long as I wish to remain letting then I have no reason to use S21 unless a tenant fails to comply with tenancy conditions.
As for your proposal of mass social housing I totally agree.
But many existing tenants wouldn't qualify for social housing.
So where are they supposed to live!?
I would like to see ALL those in receipt of HB to be in social housing.
But of course then the problem occurs that if and when the tenants come off HB should they still be allowed to remain in subsidised housing.
I say NO.
The problem then occurs that few will wish to work as it would invariably mean losing social housing to go to more expensive private lettings.
As you can see it isn't so easy to decide who gets cheap social housing.
I would also like to see ALL those in receipt o...
Cut off in mid flow? Hopefully permanently?
@daveedmunds
Oh! Dear do you seriously believe that corporates would issue life long contracts and keep rents low!?
You are very naive.
Do you believe the corporates would contribute the same tax take and contribute to GDP that small LL do?
If you do you are very naive
As for peaceful enjoyment.
Totally agree but that may only continue if the FULL CONTRACTUAL RENT is being paid.
If not the tenant has no right to peaceful enjoyment.
He should offer to vacate immediately.
Leave it for the LL to decide whether he wishes to assist the tenant not have it forced on the LL
It would be useful in this debate to look across the Irish Sea to assess what is happening in the Irish PRS.
Currently there is a housing crisis mostly caused by the Irish version of S24 introduced several years ago and now being abolished.
This resulted in many LL selling up.
So as can be seen the impact of bonkers attacks on LL just results in fewer properties being available for tenants.
Paying rent DOESN'T prevent tenants from buying.
It is their inability to save a deposit and to earn sufficient income. To meet lender requirements.
The inference never overtly mentioned is that if there were fewer rental properties that magically tenants etc would be able to afford them!
This shows extreme naivety on the part of those that believe this.
For such properties to become affordable property prices would need to reduce by 50%.
If that occurred it would lead to economic collapse in the UK.
I'm afraid like it or not the economy depends on residential property values.
No way would banks lend if properties reduced by 50%.
Most of them would cease lending if they haven't been bankrupted.
Those who wish to buy can still do so.
But they need to choose cheaper areas.
If the 10 million immigrants that have arrived in the past 10 years were deported magically there would be millions of available properties.
It is MASS UNCONTROLLED IMMIGRATION that is to blame for the woes of GR etc.
It is simply IMPOSSIBLE to build sufficient properties to meet the demands of the existing population and immigrants.
Controlling immigration would alleviate the pressure on the housing market.
It is most GR that advocates mass immigration.
Then they wonder why property is expensive and scarce?
Talk about thick or what!
Interesting, as landlord myself, my tenant refused to pay since March, because being furloughed made him impossible to pay anything at all. So in the end, I'm paying his council tax, bills and service charge, I am just wondering how many other landlord are doing the same thing. When I sent a kind reminder to this person his rent is missing, I got hateful, abusive emails all over the places, and now I can't get my own flat back because the government want to only protect renters, without considering some renters are abusing this policy. I think helping renter is reasonable, but in my case, I feel it's really unfair.
Now you have experienced a hateful tenant.
You should advise that you will be seeking his removal at the earliest opportunity whether or not he pays rent arrears etc.
No way would I retain such a nasty piece of work.
It is about time the government realised that without PRS far more families would be homeless. They do not have enough housing stock to home them all. They should be grateful that LL provide a service to keep families off the streets but this government is hell bent on shutting down b2l they bring in as.much.legidlation as they can yo make b2l less profitable. They have only themselves to blame when LL decidr enough is enough and sell up. I am considering doing this but it would make 6 families with children homeless.
You should not and must NOT consider the effects of your selling up.
You owe no responsibility to your current tenants.
Your prime responsibility is to viability of your business.
If Govt policies render your business unviable then it is your duty to preserve your capital for other things perhaps in the PRS.
If that means you need to repossess your properties to sell then so be it.
You only bother housing people if you have a viable business.
As you so pertinently point out this Govt is making the PRS unviable for many.
I have sympathy for all BUT:
If there is help for landlords and tenants there will be a perfect chance for fraud on the government in a big way. Landlords will be able to ensconce family (distant cousins?) as tenants in their properties and between them play the authorities for every penny they can get and the law will enorce the fraud.
That fraud as you suggest would only happen in certain communities.
Lets just say it wouldn't generally occur in your average traditional British areas from 60 years ago!
Few tenants would bother with any loan as they know they can live for free until EVENTUALLY evicted.
They know few LL will bother with Civil Recovery.
Though as every LL knows it will take years to evict why not apply for a CCJ now even if 1 month in arrears on rent?
If the tenants refuse to vacate at least HCEO could escalate to recover.
It might motivate such feckless rent defaulting tenants to vacate.
Very few landlords would stoop that low.
Government should help landlords? i.e. Government should help those who currently own two or more homes? Sorry, but at a time of national health emergency and economic collapse with huge numbers of job losses, the priority should be to help those with no home, no income, no job, no money. (Why not give help to millionnaires too? Billionnaires too maybe?).
Don't be an idiot!!
Stopping tenants from being homeless without paying rent for the tenants just means Govt expects tenants to ponce off LL who can do nothing about as Govt has prevented LL from repossessing their properties.
So you advocate mass sequestration of LL income for tenant gain.
What an idiot you are.
It has just been fortunste that many LL have struggled to use their savings and income to subsidise feckless tenants.
Funny how LL have saved to cover sudden income loss but tenants haven't bothered.
Wonder why!?
Wouldn't be anything to do with fact that tenants know it takes ages to get rid of them and that few LL bother with Civil Recovery action!?
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