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Paul Holmes
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Hi Jo Sense as usual! I have two holiday lets in Cornwall which provide accommodation for money spending visitors and jobs for many in the area. Neither was originally built for holiday letting but bacame that for not only the avoidance of section 24 and favourable tax treatment but also for the fact that there was no problem with anti social tenants or having to evict them, very little damage, usually totally accidental, and no problems with having to comply with all the mandatory, penalty potential in the paperwork involved in normal PRS letting. I also let them on a fxed term 6 month AST in winter which accomodates those who have just moved to a new job or are on a work short term contracr etc. This will be impossible when fixed term tenancies are banned, as how can I take bookings in Dec and Jan for the following spring if I cannot guarantee the winter tenant will leave in March or April and I have no means of evicting them. This deprives me of 6 months income and takes a useful propeety off the market. Once again do I sell as the new regulations make the business model unworkable?
From:
Paul Holmes
08 March 2024 09:58 AM
£500 would be a good investment to have strong representation which would put our strong but constructive comments out to all including the media, which is sadly lacking at the moment.
From:
Paul Holmes
05 March 2024 09:40 AM
I agree. Jacob Rees-Mogg is one of the few conservative MP's who holds true Consevative values left in this government. I have read the Reform party's manifesto fairly comprehensively and they seem to hold beliefs more like the Conservative party of old. They state in it that they will repeal the Renters Reform Bill and also reform the punitive tax disincentives currently in place. They state that they will also review the current Council licensing schemes as they feel the local councils already heve sufficient powers to regulate the sector. As Labour appear to be likely to win the next election then I don't agree with the belief that a vote for Reform is a vote for Labour. Perhaps it is time to vote for a third party more allied to conservative values and give both major parties a severe jolt to their confidence like George Galloway has done in Rochdale.
From:
Paul Holmes
04 March 2024 10:56 AM
It suits them to rant against landlords as it increases donations to their ( personal ) charity. They are perfectly aware of what they are doing and the consequences of their actions. Working with landlords wouls promote an aura of peace nd unity and this would not suit their aims or their finances.
From:
Paul Holmes
01 March 2024 11:54 AM
You will notice that there is no mention of consulting or even including landlords in this report! Not only are we reviled, we are considered as insignificant in regards to the Housing Crisis! Maybe it is time to give up
From:
Paul Holmes
13 January 2024 10:10 AM
Why do none of these organisations including Govt ever look at what causes rents to rise, and then go on to investigate these causes and what needs to be done to improve the situation. Probably wouldn't show them in a good light or reduce their donation income!
From:
Paul Holmes
14 December 2023 11:17 AM
I thought the licence fee was supposed to cover the admin of the scheme incl "officer time" What will they think of next? Secretary time, receptioist time , how about a slice for the CEO?
From:
Paul Holmes
13 December 2023 10:18 AM
Polly knows perfectly well what the results of her bleating are are but it suits her narrative because it helps to portray it this way as it increases the donations to Shelter enormously!
From:
Paul Holmes
11 December 2023 19:21 PM
Great to hear all went well! Look after yourself and be patient. All will come good in time
From:
Paul Holmes
03 December 2023 21:35 PM
I agree with Emily. If councils are prepared to look at reality instead of adopting the official " heads in the sand " line and are prepared to talk to landlords and not attempt to bully them with ever larger penalties for minor transf=gressions then that should be encouraged. Perhaps a sensible and realistic approach might alter the current anti landlord dialogue!
From:
Paul Holmes
22 November 2023 09:43 AM
The Govt wants us to be professional Then treat us like professionals not criminals and recognise that we are businesses, not landed gentry who have inherited vast estates.
From:
Paul Holmes
06 November 2023 09:50 AM
As always Jo. Total commonsense proposals which will benefit all including Govt ( who aren't listening )
From:
Paul Holmes
06 November 2023 09:46 AM
I too write regularly to my MP, who passes it on to the dept for Levelling The PRS To The Ground and I get an identical letter to Catherine's from Rachel Maclean making exactly the same spurious claims, so it's probably a standard letter which she doesn't read in order remain blind to the truth!
From:
Paul Holmes
13 August 2023 12:02 PM
I wrote to my MP and received an almost identical letter back from Rachel Maclean, spouting the same platitudes and incorrect facts and assumptions. Must be a standard letter they use for everyone .
From:
Paul Holmes
25 July 2023 14:27 PM
The main reason Gove is backtracking on his green agenda is becausr the Tories have realised the only reason they didn't lose all three by-elections is that ULEZ ibtroduced by the labour mayor in Uxbridge is extremely unpopular and cost Labour many votes. However the introduction of requiring an EPC of C is not the one causing the most unrest and uncertainly amongst landlords. Apart from the totally unfair taxation of landlords, the loss of section 21 when nothing definate has been proposed, never mind implemented about the streamlining or revamp of the current court situation. The legal profession is warning that it is already overloaded, and will certainly not be able to cope with the added workload. I have said before that repealing section 21 before the new system for section 8 is installed and proved to be working is suicidal for landlords.
From:
Paul Holmes
24 July 2023 14:02 PM
Capital gains are not a true gain, merely inflation, so CGT is a tax on inflation and as such is an unfair and unwarranted tav. It won't be repealed but some sort of concessions like there used to be and still are in France whereby the CDT liability reduces by a percentage every year til it is zero after say 20 years. Then a landlord could sell and retire without being penalised. The money realised from the sale will still be subject to Inheritance tax when he dies, currently meaning he is double taxed on that asset.
From:
Paul Holmes
18 July 2023 11:49 AM
Andy There are structures and smart Ltd Co's where you avoid both CGT and SDLT when incorporating and the properties are adopted by the Ltd Co at today's values not at the price you paid for them. Check out the reviews and info on Property 118 / Cotswold Barristers ( Mark Smith, head of Chambers ) for more info. Their advice etc and legal proceduires are guaranteed by Cotswold Barristers to comply with all HMRC requirements and are all perfectly legal
From:
Paul Holmes
18 July 2023 11:09 AM
Wholeheartedly agree with you Robert. The whole of life cost needs to be taken into consideration and if things were repairable instead of throwaway the true environmental impact would be much less again.
From:
Paul Holmes
07 July 2023 10:51 AM
Hi Jo. I am attaching my letter to my MP to which I attached your response to the comment from Ben Twomey. I hope you don't mind me using your letter. Dear Cherilyn ( MacKrory ) I send this response from Jo Westlake, a lady with very sensible and balanced views, as it describes very well the situation many landlords find themselves in, with many more to come as fixed term mortgages expire and require remortgaging over the next couple of years . I have always been a staunch Conservative voter but I have to admit that what I admired in the party and it's treatment of those people who were prepared to get off their behinds and try to better themselves has been swept away and they have become more left leaning than Labour. Making decisions regarding property without soliciting the views of those actively providing the housing and ignoring the obvious impractical inconsistencies, and attempting to bulldoze the Private Rented Sector into becoming a replacement for Social housing will not work, especially with the Housing Benefit being well below any current market rents. Glossing over with platitudes and ignoring the realities of the current housing crisis will lead to disaster. What is needed is a consistent policy of encouraging investment into the housing sector by fair taxation policies and less restrictions as to what control the landlord has over his own property. It has worked well for many years before it was messed with over the last 8 years with the resultant " unintended consequences". This sort of enlightened policy will result in more investment, more property available to rent, reduced rental costs and more tax revenue to HMRC. One factor largely ignored is that "No fault "evictions rarely happen. "No reasons given" is a more apt description. Section 21 is used because it is a better and mandatory way of regaining your property when the tenant has breached the tenancy agreement than section 8 and having to undergo the lengthy. frustrating and costly court and bailiff processes. If it must be repealed then the promised court reforms and accelerated procedures must be in place and thoroughly tested before the removal of section 21. I hope the above explains the feelings of being let down, ignored and vilified many landlords feel at the present time. Kind regards Paul Holmes
From:
Paul Holmes
20 June 2023 13:46 PM
I too am in total agreement except for the part where the "property should be sold with the tenant in situ whether affects the property value or not". The only pdrson who would buy that propwerty would be another landlord and he would dwfiately wanr to buy BMV. I go back far enough to remember that tenanted properties were only saleable at massive discounts to marlet value with sitting tenants. I also add to what Andrew has said about the loss of section 21 is that another concern is, what constitutes proof of anti social behaviour? Obtainig proof is very difficult as no one, even those making the complanit want to get involved.
From:
Paul Holmes
28 May 2023 10:20 AM
I could re-write their templates which don't stress many of the important points, and could do with being condensed into one letter as no MP is going to read all of them individually. They are still limp and apologetic where they should be hard hitting and factual with sources of information quoted..
From:
Paul Holmes
11 May 2023 11:52 AM
If they have ended the use of 25 homes and secured the demolition of 68 more that is 93 extra homeless famiies! Have they built any more social houses or encouraged any landlords to supply more homes? I thought not! Perhaps landlords should always take lots of photos at the start of a tenancy to prove the house was not in a squalid state when the tenant moved in!
From:
Paul Holmes
03 April 2023 12:12 PM
This current government is totally dysfuinctional. There is no cohesive joined up plan for anything. EPC's being a prime example.
From:
Paul Holmes
15 March 2023 10:04 AM
Hi Jo I have commented before that you normally present a balanced view of any topic and I agree with most of what you say on this forum. However I would like to make the point that the government themselves are largely to blame for the increase in holiday lets. I have a holiday let in Cornwall as well as an HMO, flats and normal semi detached house so I do have relevant experience of most types of properties. In the holiday let, which incidentally is normally let on a 6 month AST in the winter so is occupied all year round, I enjoy claiming my morgage interest as a normal expense, I do get preferential treatment ( so far!) on Council tax, I don't have to serve any of the Govt required paperwork to each tenant, I get paid in advance, any damage is checked after every tenant and charged if appropriate and all my guests leave when they are supposed to do. I also get one and a half monthe rent every week in high season. If the playing field in the PRS had not been so hostile to landlords on all fronts a lot of these holiday lets would be let on AST's to normal tenants so as usual the blame can be laid at the government's door. We are a business, not a charity and it is up to us how we operate to our best advantage.
From:
Paul Holmes
08 March 2023 10:57 AM
I and my family have already signed. Please can all you landlords out there who have not signed please do it and encourage your family and friends to sign. This is your future at stake!
From:
Paul Holmes
28 February 2023 23:02 PM
And then blame everyone else!
From:
Paul Holmes
23 February 2023 11:59 AM
Market forces will always prevail! Govts shouldn't meddle! They always manage to do something which causes " Unforeseen circumstances".
From:
Paul Holmes
23 February 2023 11:58 AM
A bit like China or Russia then!
From:
Paul Holmes
16 February 2023 10:02 AM
As we have already made clear! Counils are using licencing as a cash cow to replace council taxes that they hven't been able to charge due to caps on the increases they can make. I see in another article that Manchester are proposing to charge a 100% surcharge on council tax for empty houses, even between tenancies. Talk about kicking landlords when they are down! No rent coming in? There used to be a council tax holiday for landlords of 1 month while changing tenants to allow for this. Now we are to be penalised for taking the time to refresh properties ready for the next tenant!
From:
Paul Holmes
01 February 2023 11:21 AM
I have a student HMO which has been operating perfectly since long before there was such a thing as an HMO with no problems whatsoever, but have been trying to highlight this problem since the proposals by the govt became known. My student HMO is usually fully booked and agreements signed for the next student year by February. This will be impossible if this new legislation is implemented. There is another problem which it will cause for the same reason. I have a holiday let which operates from around April to October, and is then let on a 6 month AST. I already have quite a few bookings for this coming summer as usual, but without a fixed term tenancy I would not be able to take those bookings until my winter tenant had left in April. This aspect doesn't seem to have been generally recognised yet.
From:
Paul Holmes
26 January 2023 09:39 AM
Why aren't the NRLA making loud noises about this to get the message across to the millions of landlords out there who haven't signed yet. Are they afraid it might upset the government!!!!!! I have had all my family including Daughters in law and their mother signied up!
From:
Paul Holmes
20 January 2023 20:31 PM
The NRLA can't hold a candle to Shelter etc when it comes to publicising their slant on the situation and making the wider public ( and Govt ) aware of the true situation with real facts and figures, thus disputing the misleading selected facts spewed out by Selter, Gen Rent ay al
From:
Paul Holmes
11 January 2023 12:54 PM
Hi Andrew I too am sorry to hear of your experience. Regrettably as a landlord I have found on previous schemes that this is what is likely to happen. The Govt never give enough time for the scheme to begin to get rolling before they pull the plug. I have found that the criteria they impose never fits my situation and several contractors in the past have said they won't get involved in these govt schemes as they are a waste of time from their point of view. The govt don't seem to have a joined up policy on anything but I fear that a Labour govt will be even worse from a landlords point of view.
From:
Paul Holmes
11 January 2023 12:37 PM
It needs ll of us to promote this petition with our families and as mny other landlords as widely as we can. It has grown by nearly 300 in the last two hours but it needs to grow by 1000 per day between now and May.. This is your best chance of getting your voices heard by the Govt. Where are all the 2.9 million landlords supposedly out there?
From:
Paul Holmes
11 January 2023 12:12 PM
That is the point exactly. I will have a busy month in January as soon as the students come back from the Xmas break. It will be let by February at the latest. In the future I will have to do as suggested earlier in this thread and get them to sign a letter stating they uinderstand that tenancy will not be confirmed until the existing tenants leave at the end of June and tell them why this has come about!
From:
Paul Holmes
29 December 2022 12:12 PM
Hear hear! Can we persuade the NRLA and all other landlord bodies to publicise this petition! ( "Re-instate tax relief on Mortgages " will find it ) Do most landlords live in a vacuum and don't know what is going on in their own industry. It literally takes a couple of minutes and could save many landlords £thousands if it causes a rethink by the government. Time for all landlords to get off their ar++s and join in!
From:
Paul Holmes
23 December 2022 11:30 AM
Like I have put in another post you don't need a link. Just put " Re-instate Tax Relief on mortgages " into google or any search engine and the petition will come up. As petitions run for six months we have until May to stir up support from other landlords and agents. I have encouraged my family to sign also as they stand to gain in the end
From:
Paul Holmes
23 December 2022 11:04 AM
Particularly so now that mortgage interest rates have escalated and most tracker mortgages and those whose fixed terms have come to an end and have re-mortgaged at the new rates will have doubled their monthly payments, pushing many more landlords into the higher rate tax band. There will be some who are actually making a loss but will still be paying tax on their supposed "income" when you include interest payments.
From:
Paul Holmes
21 December 2022 16:05 PM
Just put "reinstate tax relief for mortgages" in your search engine to find the petition
From:
Paul Holmes
21 December 2022 08:42 AM
I would be very careful in a consensual sex situation. You would be leaving yourself wide open to claims of sexual exploitation should anything go wrong with the relationship!
From:
Paul Holmes
06 December 2022 10:16 AM
Perhaps it is time for a concerted and united push to convince govt that we will, in our 10's of thousands, serve section 21 noltices as a matter of principle if it is scheduled to be removed before section 8 changes and court streamlining have been put in place and operated for long enough to see they are working properly, for at least 2 years as Jo suggested earlier!
From:
Paul Holmes
30 November 2022 09:59 AM
Totally agree Kevin and Jo. I have already made these points in a previous post. So far there has been no mention of how section 8 and more importantly the court systems are going to be streamlined, and like you say, we need to have those in place and proven to be working before secrtion 21 is removed. Cart before the horse again!
From:
Paul Holmes
29 November 2022 10:41 AM
It is good for Shelter to promote the evil landlord scenario as it increases donations to them as a "charity"
From:
Paul Holmes
25 November 2022 09:37 AM
Because the interest helps to pay the insurance premium we have to pay to protect it- by government decree.
From:
Paul Holmes
09 November 2022 09:26 AM
Totally agree. Pity nobody is lstening in the halls of power! Or we are not bending their ears til it hurts.
From:
Paul Holmes
03 November 2022 12:10 PM
That was the norm in my day too, although I have to say some of my current set of students are working as well They do seem to more self sufficient than many previous groups, bought up to not expect everything giving to them !
From:
Paul Holmes
01 November 2022 11:25 AM
Once again, spot on Jo They are already so far committed to abolishing Section 21 that they won't dare backtrack on that. The noise from Shelter et al would be horrendous! As I said before we need clarification and action on the section 8 proposals and court speed up proposals before they remove srction 21 not after.
From:
Paul Holmes
31 October 2022 13:49 PM
It is a pity neither the Fed in America nor the Bank of England wait long enough for the effects of interest rate rises to work through before they conclude it is not working and put rates up again, then wonder why they have a galloping recession on their hands so have to start reducing rates again! It will certainly impact house purchasers and BTL as surveyors have been very cautious with valuations and lenders are applying higher stress test criteria due to the predictions of very high interest rates next year so many will not pass the test.
From:
Paul Holmes
31 October 2022 12:36 PM
As usual Jo, a balanced view with msny advantages. I would emphasize however that sensible revisions to section 8 and the court systems must be in place and be seen to be working before section 21 is repealed or you have a cart before the horse situation and the PRS collapsing around the everyones ears.
From:
Paul Holmes
27 October 2022 09:58 AM
Absolutely right Robert! They use their undoubted marketing skills to spread totally unfounded facts to promote unrest and encourage donations to increase their income and thereby their salaries whilst actually acheiving nothing to help tenants. I only wish we had a landlords alliance to actively and fiercely disprove all their rhetoric and we could go into attack mode rather than defensive. In this current world it is always he who shouts loudest who gets heard.
From:
Paul Holmes
10 October 2022 19:33 PM
I have already writen a long letter to my MP hoping this signals a return to true Conservative values and reforms to all the bad legislatioon causing the present housing crisis.
From:
Paul Holmes
08 September 2022 12:29 PM
Hi Richard I can also recommend brian dot proctor at mmmortgages dot co dot uk or 07850435220. He is always talking to someone so leave a message and he will get back to you. Have been using him for about 15 years and he always comes up with the goods. Tell him Paul Holmes recommended him.
From:
Paul Holmes
04 September 2022 18:05 PM
Mandy I too have had a similar problem. I have been a landlord for over 20 years and this is a new develpment to me! House prices are high in Cornwall and rents are not! House worth £250K+, rent £800, Max advance only £125k as rents don't support higher borrowing. I will have to write to my MP again. Perhaps if enough of us put our points of view some semblance of reality might percolate through. No one seems to be putting the landlords case forcibly enough.
From:
Paul Holmes
17 August 2022 10:14 AM
I hope I will be here in 20 years tim when I will be 97 and hopefully still compos mentis enough to chat with anyone!!!!!
From:
Paul Holmes
07 July 2022 12:51 PM
That's fine if the parents live anywhere nearby. Most of my students seem to live hundreds of miles away so their parents only come at the beginning and the end of tenancies and then grumble to me because the other students have already left ,leaving them to assist their daughter/ son clean up the other's mess, and why didn't I make sure the others pulled their weight!
From:
Paul Holmes
29 June 2022 10:33 AM
Hi Edwin I am still in the process of completing a new build project for two new dwellings so have to go on and complete them. Too much invested now not to complete it.
From:
Paul Holmes
22 June 2022 17:58 PM
I am in a similar situation with an ex RAF house, similar construction to council house of the era concrete beams etc which had to be completely rebuilt with new footings and cavity walls, steel beams etc. Rent £750 per month , value now in excess of £250k but can't remortgage as rent not high enough to support further lending! Current lending less than 45% LTV. Cornish problem as same house in other parts of the country could probably be bought for £150k Local agents value current rental value at £850-875. So rents have to rise! Tenants have only been in just over 12 months, rent on the dot every month but what can I do? I need more and more finance to continue going forward due to inflationary costs for mortgages and both materials and building labour costs, to say nothing of purchase prices for suitable properties.
From:
Paul Holmes
22 June 2022 11:01 AM
Jo. Spot on as always with a balanced and sensible view. You wouldn't consider being our voice with the government would you? I have two problems, one with the aforementioned student HMO where the house is normally let to a new group by February for the following Sept. How can I do that now until this year's tenants leave. I also in the past have allowed some of the current tenants to stay on longer for part of the summer period which defrays some of the mortgage and council tax expenses. Now I am barred from doing that! Secondly I have a Holiday let which I normally let on a short winter let for 6 months from Oct to March each year. How can I take bookings for the summer before the winter let leaves at the end of March? More unintended consequences. Oh for an independant goverment working for the good of all, not playing political games and using some joined up thinking instead of pandering to the loudest voices all the time. Like you I have accomodated students who wanted to leave early during the pandemic, worked my backside ( won't allow me to use B*tt! ) off finding new short term working tenants to replace them so their tenancy could be cancelled and dealt with the complexities of council taxfor a house part ocuupied by students and part by council tax paying tenants. I also supported tenants on an AST during the lockdown by deferring more than 50% of their rent because of their particular circumstances only for them to run up an arrears billof over £3500 over the next 2 years and leave without payment and a severely sub standard house and two settees and a carpet, new when they went in 2 and a half years ago, covered in dog hairs from a non-existant dog. Took my wife and myself a month of hard work to bring it back to rentable condition with a full redecoration, several new doors and many holes and dents to be repaired alomg with a new barhroom floor where it had been allowed to rot through an unreported leak.
From:
Paul Holmes
19 June 2022 12:56 PM
This has been rumbling on since 2017 when the council first proposed a licencing scheme. It was strenuously opposed by the local landlords association. Enough of the local councillors listened and commented that the proactive approach by the landlords and also 100's of letters received opposing the scheme plus the fact that the council had not actively used the powers that they already had to root out the rogue landlords led to them opposing the scheme and replacing it with a "Landlord and Tenant Support Package" with a Support Co-ordinator . They also propose to replace the swingeing civil penalties with Training and Education programmes for "low level and first time housing offences by landlords. Treat us like responsible adults who prefer the carrot to the stick and the majority will respond! This is a refreshing change from the antagonistic approach pursued by government and local councils in recent years. Hopefully it will rub off on many other councils that the majority of landlords are responsible adults whose main aim is to provide good quality housing for equally responsible adult tenants and will happily work with councils who are prepared to take a balanced non political view to improve the private rented sector for both landlords and tenants. They must also support landlords where a genuine problem has occurred with a misbehaving tenant. There are far more rogue tenants than rogue landlords!
From:
Paul Holmes
23 May 2022 10:37 AM
Hi Beryl If your house is a current D rating and you have not as yet done any significant improvements it should not prove too difficult or expensive to acheive a C rating. Bear in mind that the legislation has not been passed yet so it may not happen or there may be significant changes before it does! Hang on in there and hopefully the Govt. will let us know what is expected from us before they fine us for not complying!
From:
Paul Holmes
15 May 2022 16:03 PM
As usual Tricia you have hit the nail sqarely on the head! At the moment EPC assessors are making assumptions which are at the discretion of the individual assessor with regard to insulation etc and cannot tell us how many points any improvement will be worth. Until the process is accurate and consistent and assessors can give a points value to each and any improvement we are working in the dark.
From:
Paul Holmes
13 May 2022 08:58 AM
I have a student HMO which is sometimes mouldy and sometimes not. It depends on the group of students I have that year. Often I go down and find several drying racks for different occupants in the living room because they don't like spending money on using the drying facility on the washer dryer because it costs money. I do not have a mould problem in any of my other BTL's let to working tenants which proves the point!
From:
Paul Holmes
12 May 2022 09:55 AM
Totally agree. No one seems to even bother to ask the landlords themselves what the problems are!
From:
Paul Holmes
22 April 2022 11:09 AM
Over 50% of privately rented properties are in need of significant repair! Define "significant repair" Where do they pluck these figures from? Our "significantly funded" lobby should be taking these people to task and and asking them to substantiate their claims, quoting their sources of information to stop these wild figures being used as if they were facts.
From:
Paul Holmes
20 April 2022 08:49 AM
Hi. I agree with everything Jo says. As one of the Cornish landlords affected I have a holiday let in the area. It was originally not planned to be a holiday let but when the build was completed last year and in view of the ever more oppressive anti landlord legislation I decided that I would take the easier and less complex route of letting as a holiday let. It has proved more profitable and much less stressful than my other properties especially the licenced student HMO. I have another new build in progress in a Cornish seaside town and I ccertainly incline towards letting that the same way. Perhaps the message is finally permeatihg through to local councils and government that any new legislation does have " unintended consequences " and that instead of blaming landlords for their own lack of a properly thought out housing policy they should consult the PRS and engage with them to come up with policies which will encourage rather than punish landlords and which will be fair to both parties.
From:
Paul Holmes
14 March 2022 09:18 AM
As landlords we have had many of our basic rights over our own property eroded. We cannot afford to lose the right to choose the apparently best long term tenant for our property. As usual the governments failings with UC, denying the landlord an opportunity to specify how they would like the benefit to be paid, or any mens of having a contact to discuss any problems that may rise is now being blamed on the landlord as usual. People keep talking about level playing fields and levelling up. How about levelling up with landlords and actually consulting them about the problems that exist and coming up with workable solutions which work for all parties so the PRS is encouraged to supply more properties not less.!
From:
Paul Holmes
11 March 2022 10:03 AM
Another case of making up the rules as required to suit the desired result. The piecemeal approach of the government precludes any attempt at business forward planning as you never know when the rules are going to change, or how the new rulles are going to be implemented.
From:
Paul Holmes
02 March 2022 10:25 AM
They are still not recognising that a large no of the properties currently being used as holiday lets is due to their constant attacks on the long term rental market in the form of taxation, anti landlord legislation and the constant chipping away of landlords rights over their own property. I too have holiday lets, family lets and a student HMO, and I have to admit that the holiday lets are the least stressful and currently the most profitable, although as usual they are talking about controlling and penalising landlords for doing holiday lets despite the fact that in my area the tourist industry represents the greater part of the local economy. No thought about how to level up the playing field for landlords doing long term lets to encourage them back, just more penalties! I have to agree with Robert that although I am disgusted with the way the Tory party has deserted it's previously basic policy of promoting business to create employment and wealth it is still the lesser of all the evils, when you listen to some of the loony proposals coming from most of the other parties!
From:
Paul Holmes
27 February 2022 10:03 AM
I note in the article there iis no mention of any planned constructive dialogue with the prs or landlords as to how to address their issues. As has been said, we are the whipping boys they can lay the blame on now their various restrictive and unfair policies are coming home to roost
From:
Paul Holmes
16 February 2022 09:54 AM
It does make you wonder where councils get all their figures from proving their licensing schemes are all working perfectly to improve housing for the vast number of tenants living in "Sub Standard" accomodation!!!!!!! Even more so when you read that on average nationally they have only inspected 1 in 45 Privately rented houses between 2018 and 2021. Three years to inspect less than 2% of all the PRS. That means it will take another 150 years to do the rest at that rate.
From:
Paul Holmes
13 February 2022 11:07 AM
I finished a one bed flat in a popular Cornich seaside town at the end of July last year which I had originally planned to let on a normal AST. I decided to holiday let it and was booked solid for Aug and Sept within days even at that late date for a weekly rent virtually double what it would make on an AST in a month. It has since rented on a short winter let at a figure I would have expected on a three bed flat. I don't have to supply all the Govt prescribed paperwork, don't have to worry about the tenants leaving on time, don't have to pay council tax, don't have to protect their deposit, it gets cleaned every week, any damage gets taken out of their deposit and I get paid in advance. What more could I ask for? If Cornwall Council, who report 73% less houses available to rent this last year compared with the year before, want to improve the situation they need to put pressure on the Govt to talk to landlords in the PRS and listen to both sides of the story and come up with a situation which works in a fair way for both tenants and landlords. They need to stop protecting those who take advantage ot the current situation and rely on being able to play the rules and stay rent free for many months whilst the landlord is helpless. They are unable to understand the concept that a landlord is running a business, however large or small and has no desire to evict a good tenant who pays the rent and looks after the property except very occaisionally for a very good reason, A landlord has invesed a lot of money in a property and needs to have an element of control over his /her asset as in any business. Stop bashing and using us as cash cows, treat us as the businessmen we are, and we can pay our taxes and sleep,peacefully at night
From:
Paul Holmes
02 February 2022 22:25 PM
No doubt we will also have to pay an annual fee for the priviledge of confirming our details on the register to pay for it's expenses!
From:
Paul Holmes
31 January 2022 12:43 PM
I also used Fox & Sons ( Connells ) in Plymouth for one of my properties. I noted that they too have changed the energy supplier without either notifying me ar asking for my consent. I had better find out what the tenants bills look like to see if they are excessive! I wonder if that will be put down to a "training" issue?
From:
Paul Holmes
14 January 2022 10:24 AM
I have dealt with Octopus on two properties and found them very good for service and swift to respond. They are also very proactive and innovative in their thinking and green policies.
From:
Paul Holmes
14 January 2022 10:18 AM
If you google "Northumbia and Open University pet survey"it will come up.
From:
Paul Holmes
06 January 2022 11:35 AM
I have had problems several times with dogs in particular so my instinct is no but definitely not without an extra deposit and increased rent to cover any expenses at the end of the tenancy. By removing that right once again the Govt have shot themselves and the tenants in the foot. And no the link still doesn't work.
From:
Paul Holmes
06 January 2022 09:21 AM
Rental accomodation providers, Small housing providers! Why use one word when you can use three! A bit like the Ministry for Levelling up, Housing and Communities. I have a good relationship with my tenants, even the students in my HMO when I have to gently chastise them and lead them into being responsible adults.
From:
Paul Holmes
06 January 2022 09:14 AM
How do they think people get rich in the first place? In this country it has always seemed that rich people are frowned upon. Is it now a crime to be clever too?
From:
Paul Holmes
05 January 2022 09:14 AM
Totally in agreement with you Tricia! Its about time the government realised their own responsibilities and came up with a clear, logical and affordable plan setting out all the targets and and a clear map as to how we can acheive it. They must realise to acheive their objectives any plan must work for all parties and all viewpoints must be considered. Only then will we get a stable PRS and growth towards ending homelessness etc. Chasing votes from one class of voters won't do them any good. We are currently seeing the results of that!
From:
Paul Holmes
17 December 2021 13:08 PM
Quite right Andrew, that was in the days when banks had managers and you could book an appointment and go and see them. They had the authority to make a decision based on their conversation with you, not that all the boxes on a questionaire were ticked! My cousin was a senior bank manager and he told me that his cashiers then had more discretion than a current bank manager today.
From:
Paul Holmes
15 December 2021 11:00 AM
Our situation very well summarised. If only the govenment would treat us as a business instead of thinking we are all amateurs - It might encourage some of the less professional ones to think more like professionals and behave accordingly. Consistency of all things with a well thought out long term strategy instead of a piecemeal situation dictated by the latest tenant pressure group would encourage us to follow a long term strategy too. Something many of us thought we were following when we first got involved in property!
From:
Paul Holmes
30 November 2021 18:24 PM
I didn't put rents up during covid either. I allowed one couple to underpay for two months and defer that rent at the beginning of the first lockdown which they still owe plus another two months rent from more recently. I am now regarded as an overdraft provider when they are short. I also allowed several of my students to leave because of the lockdown earlier this year. i then had to find new non student tenants with the added council tax problems which caused a tremendous amount of work due to the flood of enquiries despite the fact that I was only offering around 4 month tenancies. I accepted one from the local authority housing organisation who had his deposit and first months rent paid by them. He then paid 1 months rent two months later, having already used up his deposit and left owing a further months rent and all his utility bills, having caused much unrest and unpleasantness with the other residents. How can we be accused of putting up rents and not supporting our tenants to our own detriment with no support from anyone! Where do all these politicians and local authorities get their fact from?
From:
Paul Holmes
18 November 2021 09:58 AM
I have a newly completed flat complying with the latest Building Regs for which the Epc has been downgraded because the heating and hot water is electric. If I was able to put in Gas heating I would get a much better rating but it is not available in that location and as a flat a heat pump is impractical. Gas is also something the govt is trying to phase out and yet landlords may be forced to fit it in order to bring their proprety to a lettable standard! The most stupid part is that there is a 2.5kw solar panel array on the roof generating the electricity which is not even taken into consideration! The whole EPC grading system is a farce and needs bringing into the 21st century to reflect both the advancements made since EPC's were first introduced and the governments policy re improvements to upgrade and meet their targets.
From:
Paul Holmes
05 November 2021 12:52 PM
This is a concept the powers that be seem unable to grasp. No landlord wants to get rid of a tenant who pays the rent and looks after the property, unless he wishes to dispose of the property. This must be left as an option for the landlord as with any investment circumstances change and sometimes it is necessary to sell an investment. I certainly do not want to return to the lifetime renancy situation which will only cause a return to the Rachman era with intimidation etc employed to get a tenant out so the property can be sold
From:
Paul Holmes
04 November 2021 07:47 AM
I have no problem with a national landlord register but the cost of a general licensing scheme will undoubtably be charged to the landlord = more rent increases for tenants. I also agree that bad tenants should go on a tenant register so their sins followed them and once they realised their bad behaviour would make it very difficult to get a tenancy anywhere they would be encouraged to behave in a responsible manner. Very little need for section 21 then! I remember back to the days before AST's when unscrupulous landlords used thugs to bully tenants to move them out so they could sell the property at a much higher figure witout a sitting tenant. Peter Rachman was the name and the way he worked became known as Rachmanism.
From:
Paul Holmes
29 October 2021 00:36 AM
Have you noticed that any notices from councils, utilities and other bodies including Govt always threaten if you don't comply. never encourage you to comply. We are all treated ( not just landlords ) as if we are potential rogues. Vey big culture change in recent years. Councils are judge, jury and executioner and can set their own disproportionate penalties and are accountable to no-one. If a judge imposed a penalty equivalent to most of someones annual income for any offence there would be a massive outcry about the injustice of it in the press. I appreciate that if a landlord ignores Council notices consistently then swingeing penalties should apply but not for not having an Electrical safety certificate.
From:
Paul Holmes
05 October 2021 09:50 AM
Totally agree Emily. Supporting a rogue landlord is not soething we should be seen doing! We are portrayed as rogues by the media and government so we need to be seen as responsible and respectable law abiding citizens iof we are ever to change the way we are perceived.
From:
Paul Holmes
25 September 2021 12:38 PM
I also agree with all said here. I have already diverted a new flat to holiday lets, not much needed single lets. No Hassle and better returns so far. Unfortunately the Govt's reaction will be to remove the advantages, not encourage landlords to rent to full time tenants. It would be very good to send this article and the comments to Michael Gove. I have more respect for his abilities than most of the previous holders of this cabinet office.
From:
Paul Holmes
20 September 2021 13:25 PM
Paul Holmes I remember it well. Drawing pictures in the frost on the inside. Getting out of bed and putting your feet onto cold lino! We didn't have condensation problems though that I remember.
From:
Paul Holmes
14 September 2021 09:32 AM
Just finished building a one bed flat with two bed town house to follow in a popular Cornish resort. Originally conceived to be lower cost housing for locals but with abolition of mortgage interest as a claimable expense, against all known business principles ever since taxes were intoduced ( before Christ), except for ltd co's and holiday lets, and the difficulties of evicting bad tenants ( no one seems to emphasise the fact that landlords rarely evict good tenants except for very good reasons ) the benefits of higher earnings, less taxes and the ability to be paid in advance with a pre-arranged leaving date thus regaining control of your own property has become too attractive to miss. Currently earning 1.5 months rent every week ( it is high season I admit ) and will do the same with the other whenit is completed.
From:
Paul Holmes
09 August 2021 10:40 AM
I agree. As usual it is the system which is letting the benefit tenants down by biasing everything against the landlord and government refusing to recognise that the system is broken. All could be remedied with a few adjustments to the system to bring everythiong into line with what is normal peractice in the PRS so both sides are getting a fair deal.
From:
Paul Holmes
18 September 2020 10:50 AM
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