Tory and Labour big hitters address landlords’ annual conference

I was actually at the Conference and Ben pressed Michael Gove as hard as anyone could imho.

The NRLA is not an advertising partner of Property Tribes, so get your facts straight before casting aspersions please.

We support their work and encourage landlords to join, but that is the extent of the relationship.

He said No to repealing S24 but said they were 'looking at' helping LoL on tax. Don't hold your breath!

I was there and Gove said that they would not be repealing Section 24, but they were looking at other measures to help landlords on the taxation front. Unsurprisingly, he failed to give any details.

Gove, like any politician, was very skilled at answering questions without actually giving an answer, and also pandering to the audience. It was a masterful display!

Personally I think it is necessary to retain the right to offer fixed term tenancies. I wouldn't let indefinitely even if Section 8 were modified.

Me too Ellie. The initial intent should be for a fixed term. I don't need or want 6 months although would be ideal to make a start evicting earlier with a disaster tenant (who will be much more common once they have some much more protection). Otherwise I wouldn't mind a 2-3 year minimum term so long as not in arrears.

I think all tenancies should end by default after their period comes to an end. I did think this was the case. I was surprised how difficult S21 during a periodic tenancy. Hence I am extremely alarmed by all of this meddling going on. Which is just the start from what I can see and hear.

I agree Nick.

Common law tenancies do end by default, I believe. With a Common Law tenancy the landlord is entitled to possession at the end of the fixed-term. In theory the landlord is not required to serve a notice to quit to bring the tenancy to an end as the tenancy ends at the agreed date, but in practice the landlord should serve a notice if he wishes the tenant to vacate. Also, if there are problems during the tenancy, the landlord can bring the common law tenancy to an end where there has been a breach of any of the specified terms in the tenancy agreement. He is not restricted to the prescribed terms (grounds) laid down in Housing Acts

Yes, the NRLA have been ‘sleepwalking for at least the past decade’.

I think if all tenancies were common law tenancies (the terms of the contract and previous case decisions governing the agreement rather than the Housing Act), supply would increase greatly, rents would come down, property standards would improve and tenants would have much more power than they do now. Moreover, families, people with pets and people on benefits would be able to find accommodation.

Housing acts which govern tenancies and punish landlords reduce supply greatly, lead to rents rocketing and tenants being unable to get a roof over their heads.

Ellie and Nick,
The government created AST not so long ago, we are now creating something new. Hence why I am disappointed with NRLA. We can give a person 5 year contract with 6 month break clause. Just because we end S21 doesn’t mean we can’t have checks and balances. Using a payment system will affects their credit ratings and a landlord and tenants register helps the landlords more than the tenant. We know for every bad landlord there may be a 100 bad tenant. So let’s have a system that exposes bad apple and make it easier to evict them than it is today. Why spend 6 months to evict someone when you can do it in 2. But the most important point of the register is that it becomes a deterrent. Having effective deterrent is far more useful than AST.
Today, a tenant can leave you with 50k worth of damage and move somewhere and do it again there. Wouldn’t you rather have a register where you can check the way tenant has behaved in previous tenancies. The current system, any body can write a reference saying they were the previous landlord.
If we have to register by law and if you don’t, you have no rights as a landlord or tenant, I know which side all the good landlords and tenants will choose.

It is very unlikely that there will be a tenant register; only landlords will be required to register.

We had assured tenancies without Section 21 in the past; they were unpopular with landlords. It was only when landlords had the right to get their properties back at the end of a fixed term that the size of the private rental sector greatly increased.

Pat,
As Ellie said there is no proposal for a tenant register? The government and 'charities' etc would never allow the exposure of bad tenants. It's all once sided. There are no proposals to implement what you have suggested.

I am not prepared to move away from the current system to what by all accounts is a far worse system. I think the only good point is S8 amended to stop repeated late payments.

Nick and Ellie,
I agree with you both. The thing that is missing here is a think tank type organisation which takes into consideration the concerns on both side and comes up with a solution. Instead we are left with doggy politicians who are trying to pamper to politics of envy. This is where a good NRLA could make a difference.

The major problem is that the government has WANTED to reduce the size of the private rental sector and push young people into buying rather than renting.

Therefore measures which would increase the size of the private rental sector and drive down rents have not been considered.

Incidentally there aren't many common law tenancies but these are a few:

1. A limited company rents a house from a landlord for their employees;

2. The annual rent is more than £100,000

3. A tenancy where the tenant has a main residence elsewhere and only lives in the flat for certain days per week

4. Holiday lettings

Propertymark? The same Propertymark that rolled over on Tenant Fee ban having written a letter to the Minister saying that they were unhappy??
Plenty of column inches in this publication from the real noise makers shelter, generation rent et al, if they can make a noise why can't the landlord and agent groups?

Jeremy, Because a lot of us don't own student housing. But the NRLA made noise about that? Why? Because Gove 'had better watch out cos Beadle's About' with his student housing.

The NRLA are the biggest landlord association by membership by far and have a strong communications policy.

There are smaller landlord associations like iHowz and also regional landlord associations, but they do not appear to have such a coherent communications strategy.

Yes Michael, I know all about the history of iHowz, being a member, and also working with them on a number of projects including video production and when they re-branded. My comment was regards to numbers.

The NRLA has around 100K members, but iHowz membership is much smaller - that was all my comment was related to - the membership numbers.

I think iHowz do a good job, and I fully support all their campaigns. We regularly catch up with them on Property Tribes TV. You can find numerous interviews with iHowz on the Property Tribes youtube channel. :)

I think some measures to help first time buyers may be announced in the autumn statement.

Of course, you are right that some people will never buy and will continue to rely on the benefit system. The Government wants private sector landlords to be compelled to house them.