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John Hughes
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Me too. I lost in the region of £10,000. £669, they are having a laugh!!!
From:
John Hughes
22 April 2024 08:55 AM
Or not working from home I expect?
From:
John Hughes
22 April 2024 08:37 AM
More punitive measures from the socialist Liebour Council in Cardiff. The saying that 'you will own nothing and be happy' comes to mind. Then we have the Politburo in the Senedd, who are doing their best to make us as miserable as possible on top of everything else. I sometimes wonder if I am dreaming and going to wake up from the nightmare living in Wales has become.
From:
John Hughes
12 March 2024 12:45 PM
Unfortunately, this will probably never happen, as the 'tax take' on properties that have been owned for years is far more substantial than a recently acquired property. CGT on my oldest property that I have owned for over 30 years, would be massive, as I paid very little for it at the time. That has influenced my decision to keep it, despite being asked if I wished to sell.
From:
John Hughes
12 March 2024 10:33 AM
No doubt the HMRC will benefit greatly from the sales of landlords properties, as they have almost abolished the reliefs we can claim when selling up.
From:
John Hughes
12 March 2024 10:24 AM
I am in Wales and I have increased my rents substantially this year and not one tenant has complained.
From:
John Hughes
12 March 2024 10:15 AM
I have just replaced the windows in my farmhouse for the third time, as the previous two sets have rotted, even though they had been repainted regularly. I have replaced them with Timberlook Heritage windows, which are UPVC. My listed barn however on the same site, still has wooden windows and I would like to change them. but I can't as it wouldn't be allowed, so I have to constantly maintain them to prevent their becoming rotten.
From:
John Hughes
12 March 2024 10:11 AM
I am unfortunately in that position Michael. With the new reduced allowances for CGT, my wife and I are effectively almost £20,000 worse off if we sell a property. I have a commercial building with a maisonette above and have been offered a sum of money to sell, unfortunately, we acquired the building over 30 years ago and the gain would be fairly substantial compared with the price we originally paid. We would like to sell it, but when I work out what we will be left with, it simply isn't worth our selling. I have other properties that I will look to sell and that would be the ones upon which we haven't made a particularly large gain.
From:
John Hughes
09 March 2024 10:21 AM
The trouble is that Reform won't be running the country after the election, Labour will and if you think that things couldn't get any worse, then you have a shock coming unfortunately.
From:
John Hughes
04 March 2024 10:55 AM
I have got to the stage now where I don't actually care if people think that I am a greedy landlord.
From:
John Hughes
04 March 2024 10:52 AM
I am afraid that you are probably correct there, as Starmer was recently praising Drakeford for the job he was doing in Wales and wished to adopt similar policies in England.
From:
John Hughes
31 January 2024 09:03 AM
Another day and another new proposal to heap even more misery on the private landlord. Labour are going to be a disaster for us when they get into power. Let's hope that the election is as far away as possible, although, it is just putting off the inevitable unfortunately.
From:
John Hughes
31 January 2024 08:58 AM
Well this is going to cost social landlords a fortune and the one in our area which is just another arm of the council, will probably end up in a massive rise in our taxes to pay for it. Many a time I have noticed in the local press, issues with damp with regard to this housing association. It makes you wonder, with all the maintenance issues they face, whether they are actually losing money on these low cost rentals. A whole estate in our area was re-rendered with synthetic coating, which is very expensive, probably around £15,000 to £20,000 per property, all paid for by the local housing association.
From:
John Hughes
13 January 2024 09:52 AM
Hi Peter. I too have had dealings with Rent (not so) Smart Wales. They are not proactive in seeking out rogue tenants, which was supposed to be the reason for which they were formed. I know of properties that are registered with them that wouldn't fit their suitability for habitation clause. However, they're still rented out with no corresponding improvement in the state of the building. They are just a useless QUANGO type organisation that achieve nothing other than persecuting good landlords and charging them for the inconvenience.
From:
John Hughes
11 January 2024 12:42 PM
Some plumbers won't touch a lot of these modern boilers as they deem them to be too complicated (especially the electrics). They will install them, but if anything goes wrong, then they suggest that you use a heating engineer, who are more up to date with the workings of such a device.
From:
John Hughes
09 January 2024 13:59 PM
what about listed properties? These would have to be exempt, as it would be almost impossible and prohibitively expensive to reach even a 'D' in the majority of these buildings.
From:
John Hughes
09 January 2024 13:55 PM
It is certainly getting like that here in Wales, where business is shunned and there is no incentive to work. Of course, the Communist inspired government we have here is happy with the situation, as its voters come from this category. the WAG strategy is to ask for more money from Westminster, whilst blaming them for all the failed policies that have been devolved.
From:
John Hughes
08 January 2024 12:31 PM
And when this happens, who is going to be left to pay for all the services, pensions, welfare payments et al?
From:
John Hughes
08 January 2024 12:27 PM
Hi William. my wife and I had businesses then and we were paying 17% interest on the loan and living above in a maisonette that I had to convert to accommodation.
From:
John Hughes
08 January 2024 12:12 PM
And I just saw a pig fly over my house?
From:
John Hughes
06 January 2024 09:50 AM
I wouldn't have thought that the majority of landlords on this forum, actually rent out properties to benefit claimants? Rent (not so) Smart Wales were initially setup supposedly to route out rogue landlords, but they are not proactive in doing so, instead, relying on tenants and members of the public to report any misdemeanour. Just another Quango-like organisation that really doesn't merit the need to exist at all. 'Jobs for the boys' created by our communist inspired WAG here in Wales.
From:
John Hughes
05 January 2024 10:08 AM
Absolutely agree with you there Shane. The government and local authorities will grab any opportunity to relieve us of our hard earned cash. Just as one area becomes non-lucrative, they will look at other sources of income that they want to regulate/tax. There appears to be a shortage of ways to make money and as a landlord we are considered lower than pond life. My main worry, is when Labour get in, things will no doubt get a lot worse. They may try and convince us that they are going to raise taxes specifically from the well off, but how many times have they reneged on their promises? They will no doubt be looking at anyway they can to fund their policies. You need only look at how things are in Wales, to see what the outcomes are likely to be with a socialist Westminster Government in England.
From:
John Hughes
04 January 2024 12:41 PM
You could apply that logic to a number of things. Energy companies, car dealers, etc etc. A car may be an essential for someone who needs to get to work, maybe the dealers should be selling them at a loss. Typical leftie, who thinks that every thing should be free. Socialism is ok, until it runs out of other peoples money.
From:
John Hughes
04 January 2024 11:25 AM
I am generally against lots of new regulations, even for airbnb. If I were thinking of converting some of mine to that, because of the massive overregulation in the PRS, then I am going to be faced with the same problem. This 'was on the cards' though, as the authorities have to find new ways of creating income, because landlords are selling up. I am absolutely astonished that an asset that you own and pay tax on is of any business of governments or local authorities. Politics of envy and virtual signalling to voters, especially when there is an election around the corner.
From:
John Hughes
03 January 2024 11:39 AM
Sounds like the roads are pretty much in a similar state everywhere in the country. Our council imposes around 10% increase in tax every year for an actual reduction in service levels.
From:
John Hughes
01 January 2024 11:49 AM
Yes Andrew, that is the 'elephant in the room'. You wouldn't want a Labour government in charge, if the one we have here in Wales is anything to go by. They are very anti-business and landlord and with Plaid Cymru in coalition, the lunatics are really running the asylum here. Their next raid is on Council Tax, as they are going to re-rate all domestic properties in 2024, with mine probably due to go up 2 or 3 bands with no improvement in services. The Tories have been woeful and no friend of us landlords, but a Labour government in Westminster will no doubt be a lot worse. Anyway, Happy New Year to you and all the contributors who post on this site. I am so glad I found you.
From:
John Hughes
31 December 2023 13:30 PM
Being of that age to which you refer, yes, one does have a leaky tap.
From:
John Hughes
28 December 2023 15:16 PM
That is a very worrying scenario David. I hope to sell the majority of my properties and just keep two that are above commercial premises which I also own and rent out. However, it is not easy to dispose of properties where I am at the moment, because prospective buyers are holding out in the hope of achieving a lower price due to the high interest rates and cost of living crisis.
From:
John Hughes
28 December 2023 13:27 PM
We are fast approaching the same situation as in Scotland here in Wales Robert. With the communist inspired great leader we have here, we are well on the way to suffering the effects of extreme socialism. Hasn't devolution been kind to us both?
From:
John Hughes
28 December 2023 13:11 PM
The trouble is that nearly all listed properties would not be able to comply, including all the royal residences. However, they would no doubt be made compliant with the use of taxpayers money.
From:
John Hughes
28 December 2023 13:04 PM
That was a good idea to sell William in the circumstances. The expenditure needed to achieve this rating bears no relation to the ensuing benefit for the tenant.
From:
John Hughes
28 December 2023 12:59 PM
I have allowed new tenants to have a small dog in one of my properties and I have indicated to them where it is acceptable for the dog to go. I also increased the bond to cover this and with a full photographic inventory, I am satisfied as far as I can be with the situation. Both tenants have good jobs in the NHS and they were the 'best of the bunch' compared with the other applicants, so I was willing to let them have a small pet in the circumstances and they have indicated that they would be interested in buying the property in the near future.
From:
John Hughes
28 December 2023 12:55 PM
As you are no doubt aware though William, Plaid are asking for rental controls and this will probably be the next incarnation of legislation. I don't believe that the QUANGO like, Rent (not so) Smart Wales will not be thinking up another scheme to make our lives even more difficult in the future in order to keep justifying their existence. 'The writing is on the wall' and with the probability of a Labour government in Westminster, the WAG may see it as carte blanche to go even further. I am increasing my rents to an appropriate level and if the tenants wish to leave, then so be it and I will attempt to sell the properties on, if that is the case. The risks associated with letting, are getting to the stage now, where they are outweighing the possible rewards.
From:
John Hughes
28 December 2023 12:39 PM
As Shane points out, you need to rethink your strategy. You won't be thanked for your benevolence, when you are struggling to make any kind of profit.
From:
John Hughes
21 December 2023 14:03 PM
Yes, you have to factor in the risk element, which is very high where I am here in Wales. What with Plaid Cymru asking for a freeze in rents and evictions during the winter months, I am forced to raise my rents substantially next year. I have also had to pay out thousands for new contracts and the electrics to be brought up to date in order to obtain a certificate, to satisfy the new regulations. I am way off the local rents being charged, so I have to bring them up to date, for fear of further legislation limiting rent rises to a few percentage points each year.
From:
John Hughes
21 December 2023 14:00 PM
Yes Andrew, we all make mistakes, but making the same mistake twice is not conducive to good business. I rented property on two separate occasions to tenants of a particular origin and both let me down and failed to pay, resulting in my having to evict them. I didn't stick to my rule there, but I certainly won't make the same mistake a third time.
From:
John Hughes
19 December 2023 13:20 PM
One of my tenants painted over the light switches and sockets.
From:
John Hughes
12 December 2023 12:30 PM
Not that much better in Wales, Shane. I had the same problem trying to get back possession and the tenant 'did a bunk'. Ellie said that the Welsh legislation was more landlord friendly than the RR Legislation. However, that is I think, just the start, as the WAG and Rent (not so Smart) Wales have to justify their existence by continually seeking new initiatives to attack genuine landlords. Plaid Cymru (who are in bed with Labour) recently proposed a ban on rent rises and evictions during the winter period. Things can only get worse here and I am putting my rents up sharply, before they also decide to limit the rent increases to a small percentage. If this results in my tenants' leaving, then so be it, as I will then be selling them all as they become empty, except for two commercial properties with flats above, which I intend to keep for now.
From:
John Hughes
12 December 2023 12:24 PM
You wonder what they are going to come up with next?
From:
John Hughes
03 December 2023 13:51 PM
Absolutely, I have never known a tenant to even ask what the EPC rating is on my properties. Also, a lot of these measures to improve energy efficiency, hardly benefit the tenant that much anyway.
From:
John Hughes
03 December 2023 13:45 PM
Yes, half decent tradesman now command a £1000 per week, which equates to £200 per day. This is almost double the figure that I used to pay.
From:
John Hughes
29 November 2023 09:58 AM
Just the usual 'virtue signalling' eco zealot' philosophy of the nut zero fanatics. I fail to understand why we have to get to zero when other countries are disregarding these limits, especially when we are one of the lowest polluters. Whatever we do, isn't going to make any difference to the overall position.
From:
John Hughes
27 November 2023 11:02 AM
Agree, I can't see a major fall in prices, as supply and demand are fundamental to the equation. There is a massive shortage of houses and with more migrants arriving daily, the situation is only going to get worse..
From:
John Hughes
25 November 2023 13:56 PM
To add to our woes here in Wales, the communists down at The Bay are considering a freeze on rent increases and evictions through the winter months to help with the cost of living crisis. It is pretty clear now that we really don't actually have control of our properties anymore. We have what I call 'barmy policy of the week'. There will no doubt be something else along next week. You really couldn't make it up.
From:
John Hughes
25 November 2023 13:51 PM
The trouble is, if you don't use an accountant, you are not sufficiently trained to know what you can and can't claim for. My accountant saves me a lot of tax and in that respect, he is worth every penny.
From:
John Hughes
25 November 2023 13:44 PM
That's what I am going to tell my tenants when I put the rents up next year. Thanks John.
From:
John Hughes
20 November 2023 14:58 PM
Very good comment.
From:
John Hughes
20 November 2023 11:43 AM
Probably claiming and working in the 'black economy' for cash with no questions asked, Nick.
From:
John Hughes
20 November 2023 11:29 AM
Exactly. The rents that these Housing Association's charge is not enough to cover ongoing maintenance. The homes most likely to have major problems with damp etc, all seem to be administered by them. I know that that is the case in my area and they are not subject to the massive overregulation that we as private landlords have to endure.
From:
John Hughes
20 November 2023 11:26 AM
Just like here in Wales, Shane, the communists in Cardiff have made letting out property very risky. As Nic states though, now is not a good time to sell and CGT allowances are shrinking rapidly. No doubt that a new Labour Government in Westminster will also make life difficult for us, by possibly removing any allowance and actually raising the rates that we have to pay.
From:
John Hughes
18 November 2023 10:55 AM
Best wishes Andrew and hope all goes well for you.
From:
John Hughes
14 November 2023 13:06 PM
Maybe rogue landlords would be interested?
From:
John Hughes
14 November 2023 12:21 PM
Good for you, I hope it works out well.
From:
John Hughes
13 November 2023 12:33 PM
I don't see house prices collapsing, because there is still a massive shortage out there. They may take a little longer to come back to their previous value, but supply will be limited in the long term.
From:
John Hughes
13 November 2023 12:28 PM
I am raising my rents next year to around the market value. I am honestly hoping that that will have the effect of the tenants actually looking elsewhere and I can then put them up for sale. Some of my properties are well below 30% of similar properties advertised in my area and with the prospect of a Labour Government next year in Westminster, then rent rises may be kept to a small percentage, if they have their way. Here in Wales, we already have the reform legislation and we are limited to putting the rents up only once in a year. Also, I don't think that it will be long before the WAG insist on small percentage rises every year.
From:
John Hughes
13 November 2023 12:19 PM
I agree Nic, I am approaching my 70's and don't want the hassle any more. My next problem is actually managing to sell the properties and then pay a CGT with virtually no allowances from April next year. However, keeping on to them, is probably going to end up in tears.
From:
John Hughes
13 November 2023 12:08 PM
Then, in anticipation of that, here is your opportunity to raise the rents to full market value before it comes in.
From:
John Hughes
13 November 2023 12:03 PM
Where I am situated, it appears to be a problem only in social housing. They are not subject to the same rules that we are, so most of the time, they just ignore the issues.
From:
John Hughes
31 October 2023 15:02 PM
But we are 'greedy landlords',so we are not supposed to be compared with these businesses.
From:
John Hughes
31 October 2023 13:26 PM
Agree Pat. The time for rewarding loyalty has long passed.
From:
John Hughes
31 October 2023 13:24 PM
Hi Tricia. I am going to put mine up by 25% next year and I will still be below the current level. Compassion and loyalty has nothing do with it anymore, as we are still looked upon as 'greedy landlords" and I, for one, won't be losing any sleep over it. The Welsh so-called government have shafted landlords, with their leftish politics. If a tenant decides to leave then I will attempt to sell the property and if that's not possible then I will be charging the full going rent to newcomers.
From:
John Hughes
31 October 2023 13:21 PM
One of the best comments on here, ever. Sums it up perfectly.
From:
John Hughes
31 October 2023 13:13 PM
The Politburo down at The Bay are not interested in looking after businesses, they are interested only in raising revenue for their lunatic schemes. Unfortunately, I can see that a Labour Government in Westminster, under current circumstances is inevitable. I just can't see the Reform Party having any impact to be honest and they will only result in splitting the vote and giving Labour an even bigger majority. The Tories are done and there is no real alternative other than the Reform Party, but I just can't see their getting any meaningful support, unfortunately. However, here in Wales, we have our own little Communist enclave and no doubt the numpties here will just vote for more of the same, because their ancestors always voted Labour. Bring out the donkey with the red rosette and they will vote for it.
From:
John Hughes
23 October 2023 14:09 PM
Agree entirely. My two months rent unpaid has morphed into ten months to get the property back and a lot of extra expense, so that would be very helpful. Although, I can't see that happening.
From:
John Hughes
23 October 2023 13:50 PM
The Welsh so called government have already banned S21 no fault evictions and we have our own Rental Reform Act here. Can't see Labour being at all favourable towards landlords when they get into power.
From:
John Hughes
23 October 2023 13:44 PM
It is certainly having an effect on my blood pressure and is causing arguments within my household.
From:
John Hughes
21 October 2023 10:10 AM
A lot of them are riddled with damp and if we, as private landlords were to rent out properties in this condition, we would no doubt suffer sanctions and possible prosecution.
From:
John Hughes
21 October 2023 09:45 AM
I have no doubt that Labour are on their way to winning the next election and that the minimum requirement EPC will revert back to C.
From:
John Hughes
21 October 2023 09:41 AM
Andrew, I have a financial advisor that manages to lose me money at an alarming rate, from my pension. I have decided that I am getting too old to be able to suffer the peaks and troughs of investing, as the time limits to recover from a downturn are too long. As soon as my pension recovers, I'm getting it out.
From:
John Hughes
21 October 2023 09:35 AM
I used to worry what people thought of me as a landlord, but now I just couldn't care less. I am well below the market rate on most of them, so, next year I am raising all my rents to reflect their true market value. If the tenants don't like it, then they can find somewhere else and I will attempt to sell them.
From:
John Hughes
10 October 2023 13:57 PM
You can be sure of that Simon. 'Out of the frying pan into the fire'.
From:
John Hughes
10 October 2023 13:41 PM
I have had one of my houses on the market for over 3 months and reduced it three times and still no real interest. In times like these, buyers are hoping for a large fall in prices, so that they can pick up a bargain. There is a limit to what you can go down and I am not prepared to sell at way below market price. "What goes around comes around', so I shall just wait until values recover.
From:
John Hughes
10 October 2023 13:34 PM
Absolutely. In our local paper, there are plenty of examples of tenants that are living in damp ridden homes and guess what, they are all run by a Housing Association.
From:
John Hughes
06 October 2023 15:41 PM
The two mentioned are LT4L and Property 118.
From:
John Hughes
06 October 2023 15:33 PM
When I have served Section 21 notices on tenants they have just ignored them, resulting in my having to take further action, at more cost to remove them. The last tenant I had in one of my properties just left without any forwarding address and I had to apply to the court to get a possession order. He ignored my attempts to contact him and changed his mobile and email address, I now have to pay to get the electric and gas back on which was disconnected. That has turned out to be far from easy, dealing with EON. I am almost £10,000 out of pocket.
From:
John Hughes
05 October 2023 09:58 AM
Devolution for Wales has been equally disastrous. I voted against it and all my worst nightmares since its inception have come to pass.
From:
John Hughes
27 September 2023 11:54 AM
The trouble is that Rent (not so)Smart Wales are interested only in relieving legitimate landlords of their cash and piling new regulations on them. They don't even actually pursue rogue landlords, leaving it up to someone else to report them. A useless Quango that serves no purpose other than to undermine law abiding landlords.
From:
John Hughes
27 September 2023 11:44 AM
As I have pointed out, this policy is likely to be reversed if Labour win power, so you may be premature in your assessment.
From:
John Hughes
21 September 2023 14:51 PM
It is likely that this will be reversed if Labour get elected and this is a distinct possibility. You are lucky that you don't have the communist inspired government that we have here in Wales, yet.
From:
John Hughes
21 September 2023 14:47 PM
No doubt Drakeford will try and' do things differently', as he likes to remind us and keep the EPC 'C' in Wales, after all we have the equivalent of the Rental Reform legislation already enacted by our Politburo.
From:
John Hughes
21 September 2023 14:44 PM
Yes Ellie, the future is is very frightening.
From:
John Hughes
06 September 2023 11:32 AM
We already have the issues with rental reform here in Wales. I am having to spend out on wired linked wireless smoke alarms and upgrades to the existing electrics to make them compliant, even with the ones that I have electrical certificates for. Also, I have had to convert the AST's to these ludicrously overcomplicated contracts of over 40 pages in length. It is all adding considerably to my costs and coupled with the regulations allowing us to raise the rent only once a year, my tenants are going to get a shock when I have to put them up next year. I have tried to sell property without result due to the cost of living crisis and the government have greatly reduced our CGT allowance. So there 'you have it in nutshell'. Everywhere I turn I am well and truly shafted.
From:
John Hughes
06 September 2023 11:29 AM
I have a listed barn which I'm proposing to let out as holiday accommodation. The problem I will face is that if all properties were to be treated the same, I would no doubt fall foul of the EPC regulations.
From:
John Hughes
01 September 2023 09:46 AM
I don't know where they get their figures from, as the housing market here in Wales has almost come to a stand still. I had a house for sale in a good area and it was valued at a current figure of £279,000 on Zoopla. I have reduced it twice and I had no takers at £250,000, so I have withdrawn it from the market and its back out to rent unfortunately, as I'm not prepared to keep reducing it further. I would rather wait until the market picks up again, whenever that may be?
From:
John Hughes
01 September 2023 08:54 AM
It was inevitable that going after short term lets will be next on the agenda. Like car owners, we are looked on as 'cash cows' and we already have the restrictive rental controls here in Wales. A new Labour Government will be looking at ways to tax landlords out of the market and give tenants even further rights over our properties. Selling is an option, but apparently, a report out today states that house prices are dropping to a level not seen since 2009. Capital Gains Tax allowance dropping to a pittance after next April, creates the perfect storm for anyone in the property business. I have had to put a property back out to rent, since I have had no offers, despite dropping the price by £30,000. I think that there may be a strong case for becoming a rogue landlord?
From:
John Hughes
01 September 2023 08:45 AM
The trouble is Ellie, who would you vote for? A vote for anyone else gets Labour into power, who will no doubt be a lot worse than the Tories. 'out of the frying pan into the fire' comes to mind?
From:
John Hughes
25 August 2023 09:14 AM
Agree entirely, however I have a house on the market which I have reduced and still am unable to sell. I have no choice either to reduce it again or rent it out again. If I do, I will be making sure that I have rental guarantee insurance this time, after it took me over 6 mths to get the last tenant out.
From:
John Hughes
14 August 2023 10:25 AM
Yes that's true Michael, but that is probably what the government want.
From:
John Hughes
11 August 2023 10:07 AM
Good comment Peter. My rents are even lower than what you are illustrating. Under new legislation, brought in by The Politburo here in Wales, I am limited to putting the rent up only annually. It is costing me thousands to install mains smoke alarms and associated works in these properties and issuing new contacts which are over 40 pages long. I fear that the next step will be to limit rent rises to a small percentage annually here in Wales.
From:
John Hughes
07 August 2023 10:01 AM
Problem is now that houses are not selling due to the Bank of England's rate rise. I have had virtually no interest in selling one of my properties, despite reducing it. We are stuck in the 'perfect storm'. If we rent out we are leaving ourselves open to problems, especially here in Wales, where we have already got these restrictions. If we sell, we are being shafted by CGT allowances and that is if you are lucky enough to be able to get rid of the property in the current climate anyway.
From:
John Hughes
07 August 2023 09:51 AM
I have a property on the market which I have now reduced, but have actually had no viewings since reducing it. I would like to sell rather than rent it out as it took me 6 months to get the property back from the last tenant. However, I am not prepared to keep reducing it and will probably have to re-let. That is the problem when you have falling prices, as buyers will wait in the hope of a large reduction.
From:
John Hughes
02 August 2023 16:52 PM
That appears a little on the offensive side Andrew, I am surprised at you.
From:
John Hughes
16 July 2023 09:20 AM
It appears that whenever there is an issue with damp or related problems, it is nearly always a Social Housing property. I see it reported in our local press, on a fairly regular basis. Now if that were a private landlord, he or she would be reported to the authorities. One rule for them and another for us.
From:
John Hughes
28 June 2023 11:08 AM
Just like we have here in Wales, coming to a district near you when Starmer wins the election. He holds Drakeford up as doing a good job, so is likely to follow some of his idiotic policies.
From:
John Hughes
28 June 2023 11:01 AM
Entirely agree Edwin. I used to do all the maintenance myself, but now I pay for someone to do it and claim against my tax bill. I have a farm which takes up most of my time, 7 days a week through the summer and I am nearing 70, so I don't want the extra work. I will be selling all my rental properties, as soon as they become empty. I have some commercial properties, which I will be keeping for now.
From:
John Hughes
27 June 2023 09:45 AM
I am also of this thinking and then In can get rid of all my rental properties if they decide to leave. It may be the only way, but of course they could refuse to pay and stay in the property 'rent free' until they are removed. Probably around 12 months plus now, here in Wales, with these new contracts amounting to over 30 pages of detail, all aimed at restricting the landlord/owner's right to his or her property.
From:
John Hughes
20 June 2023 15:56 PM
Yes Peter, Wales is in a dire state, based mainly on the lunatics that we have running the asylum down at The Bay. I have serious reservations regarding the future, as the authorities are doing their level best to attack anything property related.
From:
John Hughes
20 June 2023 12:14 PM
Hi Robert. Well the numpties in Wales always seem to follow Scotland in this respect. We have effectively got a'communist state' after every penny that they can get out of us, to give to the the work shy and benefit scroungers. Just wait until the election and Labour get elected in Westminster, then we will all have to look out, because it isn't going to be pretty.
From:
John Hughes
20 June 2023 12:09 PM
As it is often said, 'no news is good news".
From:
John Hughes
09 June 2023 09:47 AM
Houses in Welsh holiday locations are also very expensive and coupled with the anti-holiday let/second homes legislation being brought in by the Welsh government and local authorities, via council tax, the sums just don't add up anymore.
From:
John Hughes
09 June 2023 08:58 AM
This is the 'thin end of the wedge', as far as this topic is concerned. As I have pointed out before, it was inevitable that the authorities were going to move on from the PRS to Airbnb, as it is a missed opportunity to regulate us even more. I have never experienced, in my lifetime, the ever increasing interference from governments and authorities. We have come to the stage in this country, where nothing is safe from 'woke' socialists and 'Labour light' Tories, who want to control every aspect of our lives and for us to own nothing and be content with that.
From:
John Hughes
09 June 2023 08:45 AM
Probably because landlords are seen as a legitimate target for no-hopers to claim that we are greedy and uncaring and only in it for a quick profit. They see our income as unearned and a property as a home and not an asset. We appear to be being vilified from all sides of the political spectrum. It is not a very good time to be a landlord.
From:
John Hughes
07 June 2023 16:13 PM
I have just got my property back since my tenant decided not to pay rent from November last year. He left without a forwarding address, but it has taken all this time to get the property back legally. I am also responsible for removing and storing all the property that he left behind, which I have to keep for 14 days. I have also had to replace carpets that were ruined. I have really had enough of the pressure of renting out property and this one has now gone on the market, with all the others that I have, to follow.
From:
John Hughes
07 June 2023 14:43 PM
But of course, this is the next sector that governments will be looking at, to make them unviable due to massive overregulation and taxes. They will leave no stone unturned to eliminate the last vestiges of private wealth. The Tories are just 'Labour light' and neither party is on the side of landlords, or indeed anyone who wishes to make a better life for themselves.
From:
John Hughes
07 June 2023 14:08 PM
Yes, I have a major worry about CGT if Labour get in and they probably will. No doubt they will definitely do something to make the tax more onerous, as if it isn't bad enough with the massive reduction of allowances under the Tories.
From:
John Hughes
07 June 2023 13:55 PM
Well, that is socialism for you Nick.
From:
John Hughes
07 June 2023 13:51 PM
I was under no illusion that this 'was on the cards' and would be the next step in destroying what is left of the PRS in Wales. We have a communist inspired government in coalition with the ultra left nationalist lunatics in Plaid Cymru, so you would not expect anything less. I have made my mind up to get out completely and will be selling all of my rental properties over the next few years. If they do this, in the meantime, I will be putting rents up to the maximum allowed every year.
From:
John Hughes
07 June 2023 13:48 PM
Spot on there. Nearly all the complaints in the local paper, regarding poor conditions for tenants in properties, are in social housing, with damp being particularly prevalent.
From:
John Hughes
28 May 2023 14:42 PM
Yes Rent (not so) Smart Wales. Regulate the genuine landlords whilst the rogues just carry on as normal, off the grid and flouting taxes. They had to come up with this new contract debacle, to justify their existence, as they are as worthwhile as a chocolate teapot.
From:
John Hughes
28 May 2023 14:39 PM
Apparently, Starmer thinks that Drakeford has done a sterling job in Wales and would be looking to emulate this when he gets into power. Devolution has turned out to be the worst thing that could ever have happened to Wales, as we have a bunch of communist inspired cretins running the show in Cardiff. Lots of new taxes in the pipeline to relieve us of our undeserved wealth.
From:
John Hughes
16 May 2023 16:23 PM
Best thing that Welsh landlords can do is get out as soon as they can. There is more hoops to jump through before the December deadline, with regard to smoke alarms and electrical certificates. The new legislation effectively gives nearly all rights to tenants and it will take an inordinate amount of time to get rid of non-payers. People interested in investing in buy to let in Wales would need their heads examined to be honest. Rent (not so) Smart Wales, need to justify their existence, so expect a raft of even more punishing legislation for landlords, coming down the line. Very soon, it will be made illegal to get rid of tenants and be able to sell your assets. Coming to an area near you in England, after the next election.
From:
John Hughes
16 May 2023 13:38 PM
I am legally trained and I cannot understand a word of what you are saying.
From:
John Hughes
16 May 2023 09:52 AM
Hi Michael. Without doubt, AirBnB is on their radar. It won't be long before their is a raft of legislation aimed at this in particular. When (not if) Labour get in at the next election, these new regulations will increase exponentially and owners of these properties will become 'cash cows' to satisfy the anti-business rhetoric of the socialists. We already have, what is essentially a communist inspired form of devolution here in Wales and they hate anybody that they feel is profiting from letting out property.
From:
John Hughes
16 May 2023 09:46 AM
Great comment.
From:
John Hughes
08 May 2023 13:29 PM
Looks worse than we have here in Wales, under the communists.
From:
John Hughes
08 May 2023 13:22 PM
It is definitely a 'perfect storm' the PRS at the moment. Like you, my worry is that governments may push the boundaries even further. I am going to sell a property in the summer, once I get it back from a non - paying tenant who's cost me in the region of £7000 in unpaid rent and solicitors fees. My health is declining due to stress and uncertainty, so I am definitely getting out. It is a shame that the Tories have reduced the CGT allowance as my wife and I stand to loose £18000,600 next year, when the allowance is reduced to £3000 for each of us.
From:
John Hughes
27 April 2023 14:26 PM
Thank god that they have put the digital tax date for landlords back. Yet another thing to contend with on top of everything else. No wonder I have got high blood pressure and have to drink red wine every night. Although, I did do dry January.
From:
John Hughes
27 April 2023 13:51 PM
The trouble is that with the likely hood of a future Labour Government, things will no doubt get a lot worse than they are now. 'Out of the frying pan into the fire' comes to mind.
From:
John Hughes
27 April 2023 13:45 PM
Exactly Rob, it is a multitude of things that are prompting landlords to sell up. The thought of Labour's getting in at the next election 'fills me with dread'.
From:
John Hughes
17 April 2023 16:11 PM
Do you think that they care about that? Here in Wales we are closed for business anyway.
From:
John Hughes
17 April 2023 16:06 PM
This is the next sector that the government are going to attack, by way of more burdening legislation and higher taxes. They have almost managed to ruin the PRS with their policies, so the holiday sector is next on the list. Making money in this country is now frowned upon and they can use various excuses to relieve us of our hard-earned cash. We are not alone in this however, Spain has a left wing government in coalition with an ultra-left party in 'Podemos' and they are looking at the housing sector and ways to further regulate the rented and holiday sectors, so their is no respite there either.
From:
John Hughes
17 April 2023 09:43 AM
I too am of retirement age and my wife keeps telling me that the end is nigh for the PRS. I am beginning to think that she is right, but it has taken me a long time to realise this. I have to carry out alterations to nearly all of my properties to comply with the Welsh Assembly Government's new legislation and it has also given tenants the upper hand when it comes to their rights.
From:
John Hughes
17 April 2023 09:35 AM
Also, there is no guarantee that the properties that reach EPC 'C' now, are going to reach it next time around. They may even think about putting it up to 'B' to totally kill us off. I am going to invest in other things and leave the hassle to those that remain. I am not getting any younger and the stress is beginning to affect my health.
From:
John Hughes
17 April 2023 09:29 AM
Oh yes, things will no doubt get a lot worse, when (not if) Labour get elected. They will no doubt attempt to bring CGT into line with Income tax and bring out more anti-landlord legislation. Even next year, the capital gains allowance is being reduced to £3000, but that is better than nothing I suppose. My wife and I will still lose over £8000 each in CGT allowance. We are 'being hung out to dry' by the government, whom, it appears, want us out of the private rental sector.
From:
John Hughes
17 April 2023 09:23 AM
And here in Wales, we are being forced out by Labour policy.
From:
John Hughes
29 March 2023 11:21 AM
Yes indeed,I have just put another of my properties on the market. The tenant has done a bunk, leaving me considerably out of pocket. Although, I have to wait for the Court to rule on it before I am allowed to access it. I am literally at the end of my tether when it comes to letting property and will look to further reduce my holdings in the coming years. The trouble is that we have also been hit by a substantial reduction in CGT allowances, so that reduces the amount that you get back after you have sold.
From:
John Hughes
17 March 2023 11:53 AM
Also, the more that rents rise, the more non-payers you are likely to get. Where I am in Wales, it is very difficult to keep putting rents up to cover increasing costs. To comply with the new contracts, we are having to spend money on our properties, with not much chance of passing that on. Also, we effectively have a form of rent control now, as we can raise them only once a year, thanks to the cretins down at Cardiff Bay.
From:
John Hughes
17 March 2023 11:47 AM
Good luck with that, the liabilities of landlords in Wales has increased tenfold with this new legislation.
From:
John Hughes
15 March 2023 16:31 PM
That's what you get from a communist inspired pseudo government, where ideology rules and common sense is discarded. We have exactly the same problem here in Wales with second rate politicians imposing their socialist rhetoric upon us daily, with woke policies destined to return us to the dark ages.
From:
John Hughes
06 March 2023 09:45 AM
Some great comments on here. Unfortunately, all my properties are in the WUSSR (Wales) run by the Politburo in Cardiff under comrade Drakeford. You think that you have got it bad? Rents are rising, but so are tenants unable to pay defaulting on their obligations. We have these new contacts here in Wales replacing AST's, which are far more onerous and anti-landlord.
From:
John Hughes
17 February 2023 10:49 AM
The trouble is that the general public are unaware of this and it gets banded about that tenants have just been given notice for no reason. The fact that it was known as a 'no fault' eviction, it is assumed, incorrectly that there was no valid reason why the tenant was evicted. It has never really worked for me anyway, as the tenant just ignores the notice until a solicitor gets involved and it is taken to Court. Also, the non-paying tenant just leaves without any forwarding address and you have no way of tracing them.
From:
John Hughes
13 February 2023 15:13 PM
They will leave no stone unturned in increasing regulation to the point that it makes doing anything a massive chore. Also, there will be increased taxes on the back of it. The Welsh so- called government, are going down this path, with massive council tax hikes on second homes and a tourist tax. When, not if, Labour win the next election, they will make it almost criminal to own property or to make a living out of it, without massive overregulation and punitive taxes. Being a rogue landlord is almost going to become a necessity in future, as being 'on the radar' means that they are going to take us for every penny.
From:
John Hughes
03 February 2023 08:53 AM
We already have Labour in Wales and they hate us here. New contracts for tenants to replace AST's, with much more onerous anti-landlord terms. Trouble is that it is going to be difficult to sell anything whilst mortgage rates are rising and there is uncertainty in the market. Couple that with the ridiculous reduction in capital gains tax allowances, it is difficult to see where this is going to end. Have a house next door to one of my rentals that I was hoping to sell, that has been withdrawn from the market as she has not received any viable offer, so I am stuck with this and have a tenant that hasn't paid his rent for two months, so It will now cost me to get him out.
From:
John Hughes
02 February 2023 15:32 PM
The Welsh Government,with their new rental contracts, have imposed a ban on raising rents more than once annually. This , in a way, can also be looked upon as introducing a form of rent control. Plaid Cymru lefties have been calling for the introduction of rent controls to curb rises and I expect that this will be the next thing to be imposed upon us.
From:
John Hughes
11 January 2023 13:14 PM
In Wales, the. so-called Welsh government have imposed a mass of new regulations on the PRS. It is getting to the point where the tenant has all the 'ace cards'. We have to dump the AST in favour of new contracts, which have totally changed the way that landlords are able to go about their business. You would honestly think that we no longer have control over our properties. The CGT reduction and the inevitable fall in property prices, creates the perfect storm for landlords. It is actually beginning to affect my health now and I would get out tomorrow if I could, but I will just have to hang on in the hope that things get better, so that I can sell up. I feel your pain Michael.
From:
John Hughes
11 January 2023 12:54 PM
Correct.
From:
John Hughes
12 December 2022 14:45 PM
I have just completed the Rent Smart Wales course and can honestly say that it is no wonder Landlords are selling up These new contracts now make us responsible for absolutely everything. I was considering staying in the game, but things have got so stressful, that I believe that it is ultimately going to affect my health. A house which comes up for rent at the end of December is now going on the market. The WAG has effectively ruined the PRS in Wales.
From:
John Hughes
12 December 2022 14:44 PM
Great comment Michael.
From:
John Hughes
01 November 2022 14:52 PM
If you are a landlord and are investigated, you could well find yourself out of pocket by a substantial amount if you don't enrol with your accountant into a tax investigation protection scheme. Also, the trick they use to relieve you of your money, is to try and negotiate a sum to prevent the investigation going any further. This happened to a dentist friend of mine and he paid up rather than allow them to dig deeper into his affairs.
From:
John Hughes
01 November 2022 14:32 PM
Hi Steven. It wouldn't surprise me knowing what Drakeford is like. He seems to follow anything that 'Wee Jimmy Crankie' does in Scotland. Socialists hate property owners, especially landlords in the PRS. It will only get worse if Starmer gets in and that is looking extremely likely.
From:
John Hughes
06 October 2022 10:37 AM
Most of us seem to be fairly elderly on here and could probably do without all the hassle of renting out properties. After all, 'there are no pockets in shrouds'. I am coming to the conclusion that you may as well spend it, as you don't know how much longer you have left. If you give it away to your children you have to survive for 7 years, otherwise they will have to pay tax on it, so it may be prudent to start offloading before you get too old?
From:
John Hughes
09 September 2022 13:03 PM
I used to do a lot of the repair work myself, but now I get someone else to do it. I have a farm with lots of other buildings to maintain, so I haven't got the time or the inclination to do it. I have had some of my properties re-done with silicone render to cut down on the maintenance, also, everything is double glazed and facias etc are capped with UPVC.
From:
John Hughes
09 September 2022 12:57 PM
In my area, the amount is chopped at around £3000. An Energy assessor told me this. If you need to spend anything more, then the property is exempt. You can also put insulation boards on the outside and that will up the rating. I have a similar property to yours and I was told that it would be exempt,. because the cost would be a lot more than the level set.
From:
John Hughes
09 September 2022 12:53 PM
Because, owning property is anathema to socialists.
From:
John Hughes
27 April 2022 08:39 AM
I will be looking at the properties I have that are below a 'C' rating and decide what it is going to cost to bring them up to this level. Unfortunately, one of these properties has a commercial property underneath which I also own. So I could be in the unenviable position of a maisonette above a business, which can't be let out. I may then have to consider offloading the whole building and lose the commercial rent. This whole EPC thing is going to turn out to be very stressful. Anyway, at least I will have a few years to consider my position.
From:
John Hughes
06 April 2022 11:42 AM
Heard it all before. He definitely wouldn't be making anywhere near that now. Even professional investors are way down in their portfolios. He must be one off a kind, maybe the next Warren Buffett, but I bet even he is losing money right now.
From:
John Hughes
09 March 2022 09:17 AM
Is there nowhere safe now from these pariahs? There is no area where the authorities won't go to take even more of our hard-earned cash from us. It is no wonder people go 'under the radar', as being responsible and declaring everything is severely injurious to your pocket. When all is said and done, we are the fools for being so honest.
From:
John Hughes
09 March 2022 09:04 AM
Yes, the Politburo down in Cardiff Bay, along with the ultra-left Plaid Cymru lunatics, are doing a great job of making the PRS in Wales almost uninvestable. I wish that they could offer us a way out of paying CGT on our properties in exchange for leaving the sector. I would be on the phone to the agent without delay.
From:
John Hughes
04 March 2022 14:53 PM
Trouble is Theodor, here in Wales, we could attempt to charge higher rents, but nobody would be able to afford them.
From:
John Hughes
04 March 2022 14:35 PM
Yes, waiting for that to be implemented. I am seriously thinking about getting out altogether, but I will have to replace the income with something else and both will take time, which I am running out of, unfortunately.
From:
John Hughes
04 March 2022 14:33 PM
Sounds like an anti-Welsh comment from you Edwin. I am sure that there are plenty of scroungers in England, who live off the state.
From:
John Hughes
04 March 2022 14:17 PM
Our great comrades at the WAG are at it again. They hate to see anyone with more than one property. If they could, they would make it a crime. Bring back the Welsh Office. Thank you Tony Blair, for devolution, you have managed to ruin Wales by making it forever socialist.
From:
John Hughes
04 March 2022 14:14 PM
With the stock market today, he is likely to be making heavy losses. It may be tax free, but when it crashes, your money goes down the pan.
From:
John Hughes
04 March 2022 14:10 PM
Hi Michael, yes it is thoroughly depressing to be honest with you. I rely on my rents for my income and the WAG seem determined to drive us out of the market in any way they can. Socialist governments hate the property owning classes and will do everything in their power to curtail them. I am thinking about diversifying, as the 'writing is on the wall' down here. Having worked since I was 16, (66 now) I am not sure whether I have the drive and enthusiasm to change to something else, at my time of life. I do have a grade 2 listed barn on my farm here in Monmouthshire and would consider doing something with that, if conditions worsen. Maybe holiday lets, as we are situated in the Usk Valley which is very scenic and close to the M4 motorway.
From:
John Hughes
19 February 2022 10:34 AM
If that happens, they will probably move to control holiday lets as well. Is there no respite from this communist rhetoric? I voted against devolution for the reason that all that possibly could happen would come true and my worst fears have been realised.
From:
John Hughes
18 February 2022 17:49 PM
Problem is that rents in Bristol are very high and that's why people often rent here in Wales. They want us to rent our properties out as 'not for profit'. The lunatics are running the asylum down here.
From:
John Hughes
18 February 2022 17:42 PM
Unfortunately, the people of Wales keep voting for them. Over 20 years of the WAG and we have gone backwards. If they carry on, I will be getting out of the PRS altogether, as it is one thing after another with these morons.
From:
John Hughes
18 February 2022 17:37 PM
Bunch of lunatic lefties. What with the Politburo in Cardiff in cahoots with these nutters, the future looks very bleak.
From:
John Hughes
18 February 2022 17:34 PM
Hi Andy. I am just looking into how I can improve the ratings for some of my properties. As has been pointed out, the act hasn't been passed yet, but it is pertinent to get some costings and be prepared, in my opinion, so that you have some idea what you may have to do and what it is likely to cost. I have 2 flats that run on electric, but are built to a high spec as far as insulation goes. I have just had one of them done which got a 'D' rating, but the assessor stated that I could get a 'C' if I were to install an off peak meter and change just one radiator in the living room. I am prepared to do that, as it will probably mean that it would become more rentable. However, I do have a property with solid brick walls, that I will run into trouble with and the only solution may be to have insulation boards fixed to the outside at a cost of around £10,000. The property with the solid wall is a maisonette above a commercial property. so I could be in the position of being able to rent out the shop but not the above, which currently has a 'D' rating.
From:
John Hughes
08 February 2022 08:19 AM
Hi George. We have that party here in Wales with Welsh Liebour and the politburo down in Cardiff Bay.
From:
John Hughes
03 February 2022 11:07 AM
The trouble is that landlords are an easy target, these companies are not.
From:
John Hughes
03 February 2022 11:00 AM
I am dreading this quite honestly. The amount of extra bureaucracy that this entails and the added cost is 'mind boggling'. I have already sold one property and will consider selling another before all these new regulations etc come into force. With all the other things that a private landlord has to worry about, this is 'driving me over the edge' and my anxiety level is slowly approaching maximum.
From:
John Hughes
28 January 2022 09:02 AM
I have had the self assessment forms from my Accountant and paid the tax owed. Since then, I have receive a demand from HMRC, which bears no relation to what my accountant worked out. When I contacted him, he stated that they are so far behind that they have issued these notices before the self assessment forms have been processed. I was advised to ignore the HMRC figures, but I have no doubt that I will get the customary threatening letters in the meantime, until it is sorted out.
From:
John Hughes
28 January 2022 08:56 AM
They have pushed the boundary twice on these EPC's. What's to stop them from asking for a 'B' rating somewhere down the line? They are obsessed with making life as difficult as they can for private landlords. Where I am in Wales, we have the Rent (not so smart) Wales imposing new regulations on us in July, giving tenants more protection from legitimate landlords, whilst the 'rogue' element just ignores the debacle.
From:
John Hughes
28 January 2022 08:39 AM
Brilliant comment.
From:
John Hughes
28 January 2022 08:33 AM
Just had an email from Rent (not so smart )Wales. They are, yet again, interfering with the PRS, here in Wales. In summary, the changes that are coming in in July include. 1. Tenancy agreements to be replaced by Occupation Contracts and provided in writing 2. Increased security, necessitating six months notice as long as the contract isn't breached. Retaliatory evictions prevented. 3. All properties must include working smoke alarms and electrical safety testing. 4.A fair and consistent approach on anti-social behaviour. 5. Increased rights to pass on your home. 6.Making it easier to repossess abandoned properties. Meanwhile, the rogue landlords carry on regardless, off the radar and failing to declare their earnings from rentals. RSW need to justify their existence, so they have to come up with yet more regulations to make our life difficult.
From:
John Hughes
15 January 2022 12:09 PM
Thank you Colin. I will look into this.
From:
John Hughes
15 January 2022 11:57 AM
I have two flats in the same building. One returned a C and the other a D rating. When they were built, they were of code 5 standard with loads of insulation. The assessor told me that it is perfectly normal to have flats in the same building with different ratings, as it all depended where they were situated. One of the flats is above the other and that got a C rating. The one below, which is above a shop unit got only a D. I asked the assessor what I could do to bring it up to a C and as it is electric, he stated that I would have to change the meter to a dual off peak/standard and replace a radiator just in the living room area with a radiator such as a Dimplex Quantum. If these regulations come in, then I will not have much choice but to carry out this work in order to comply. It is at least three years away, but I am assessing all my vulnerable properties now, so that when the law changes, I have some plan of action, whether to upgrade or to sell the properties concerned. The law regarding this hasn't actually been passed yet, but I won't hold my breath that they are likely to abandon it.
From:
John Hughes
14 January 2022 14:31 PM
This guy is just a 'wind up merchant'. If you just ignored him, he might go away. He feeds on your replies, please don't feed the beast. I hear him knocking, but he can't come in!!!
From:
John Hughes
15 December 2021 13:43 PM
But it could (and undoubtedly would) be far far worse if Labour ever got into power. Property owners are the Antichrist as far as they are concerned.
From:
John Hughes
06 December 2021 13:38 PM
Hi Angela. I have 2 flats that are electrically heated. The properties are so well insulated that the heating is rarely needed to be on and much warmer than my gas centrally heated properties.
From:
John Hughes
30 November 2021 09:01 AM
The most anti-property left wing party in the UK, wants landlords to help them out. Plaid Cymru, who are now in cahoots with Labour, only yesterday on BBC Radio Wales, were proposing more taxes on second homes and rent controls. Who in his or her right mind, would want to get involved in a long term relationship with this shower? I dread to think what could possibly go wrong here? They have already intimated that in return for this offering, the landlord is expected to charge tenants lower rents. I see that there is nothing in this with regards to anti-social behaviour, or damage to the property, that is often associated with the type of tenant that they are proposing. It is admirable though, that they are attempting to try and cut homelessness, however, attracting more jobs to the area would be a great help, but Mr Drakeford and his crew are anti- business, so that won't work. I, for one, will be declining his offer and sticking to working people, that on the whole, are unlikely to cause me the grief that will ensue from the tenants that are likely to qualify for this scheme.
From:
John Hughes
30 November 2021 08:45 AM
I was under the impression that the digital tax date had been moved on to April 6th, 2024?
From:
John Hughes
02 October 2021 07:59 AM
Labour hate landlords with a passion. That is only one proposal, as I am sure that there will be several others if they get in to power. (god forbid) If Labour were to form the next government (as bad as the Tories have been), it will result in major increases in tax for landlords. I will be watching the situation with interest and am already thinking of selling another property, if I get wind of any likely change. I am almost certain that we would be heavily penalised if we wished to sell, with respect to CGT increases and possible allowance reductions.
From:
John Hughes
30 September 2021 11:26 AM
Andrew. I agree entirely and I have become very picky when it comes to choosing new tenants. Must have enough income to cover the rent every month. be in a reasonably secure job, must have good references and a host of other things. As you very ably point out, it is better to have an empty property than have to suffer the consequences of a nightmare tenant. The PRS is becoming so over regulated and this is the main reason why landlords are selling up. As you get older, you find that you don't really need the worry and hassle associated with it.
From:
John Hughes
11 September 2021 11:19 AM
Yes , unfortunately. The Tories have been instrumental in plotting the demise of the private landlord, but if anybody is under the illusion that voting for Labour at the next election, expecting them to be anything but disastrous, then think again. I am on a course of selling a property every year, as it may only be a matter of time before we get another Labour government. That may result in higher capital gains taxes and reduction of allowances and their proposed 'mansion tax' coming into force. Let's face it, the left consider landlords as the devil incarnate!!!
From:
John Hughes
11 September 2021 10:57 AM
Spot on with that!!
From:
John Hughes
27 March 2021 11:46 AM
I usually respond to any issue straight away or the next day and my plumber is often there within the hour. This bloke is talking through his a**e. Most of the problems down here with damp homes are attributable to Housing Associations' inaction.
From:
John Hughes
27 March 2021 11:45 AM
Trouble is that you can't pass the costs on to tenants in Wales, as they just won't pay. You will end up with no tenants, as there is always someone willing to undercut you.
From:
John Hughes
22 December 2020 12:45 PM
The politics of envy strikes again. Drakeford was a Corbyn supporter, so this was to be expected. Welcome to the WUSSR!!!
From:
John Hughes
22 December 2020 12:43 PM
Trouble is that the licensing authorities are happy to take the money, but don't chase up the rogue landlords that they were set up to regulate. As usual, it is the genuine landlords that are penalised with compliance, whilst the non-declaring types carry on 'off the radar' until, or if they are caught out.
From:
John Hughes
05 December 2020 14:32 PM
It is nigh impossible to achieve 'C' status on some older properties without spending money that you would be unlikely to recoup. I am 65 next year and therefore it would be impossible for me to get my money back. Even some of my newer properties have been rated 'D', it is a ridiculous situation. Some of the older properties are above commercial businesses, so I would have to take a massive 'hit' in income if I had to let the maisonettes above remain empty.
From:
John Hughes
10 November 2020 08:41 AM
Spot on Stephen. I am now much more picky when selecting tenants. I have learnt from my mistakes taking on tenants who have just about enough income to pay the rent. I am mindful of their employment status and have notched up my expectations considerably. Even the best of us can get it wrong sometimes, but heavily mitigating this situation is the way forward.
From:
John Hughes
10 November 2020 08:25 AM
David Wirth We have registration and licensing here in Wales through the debacle that calls itself Rent(not so) Smart Wales. These fees we pay don't fund inspection visits and therefore the ones that are unlicensed carry on as rogue landlords off the radar. Legitimate landlords are the only ones that are going to register and even then, this does not in any way guarantee that the property is in a good state of repair. I have a property next to mine that has had nothing done to it for 30 years and it is registered with RSW. Says it all really!!!
From:
John Hughes
02 November 2020 11:50 AM
Thank you Matthew.
From:
John Hughes
26 October 2020 13:51 PM
It is indeed very depressing to hear all these comments. I have sold one of my more valuable properties and will sell the other one I have when that comes available. I find that the rents in these areas are not that much more than I can get in areas where the properties are less than half the price. As they are older properties and with pretty much everything done to make them future proof, there is no doubt I will struggle with the ratings. I have some flats that were built to a high spec with regards to insulation etc and they have struggled to make a 'C'
From:
John Hughes
26 October 2020 13:42 PM
I was under the impression if it was a BTL property, then you would be unable to take advantage of the Stamp Duty reduction? An agent told me that not only will you be unable to claim this, you will have to pay the increased duty that the government placed on second properties. I was told this by the manager of an agency in Wales.
From:
John Hughes
26 October 2020 11:20 AM
It is crazy that you are allowed to have a family of say eight living in a four bedroomed property, but if unrelated, only two where I am. I have a large four bedroomed maisonette which (unless I carry out ridiculously expensive alterations) can house only two. Surely, the family of eight would pose a much higher fire risk than my two unrelated but partners?
From:
John Hughes
26 October 2020 11:07 AM
Rogue landlords are exempt from any regulation. As usual, it is the genuine landlords that have to pay up for this again. I am just waiting for air and water testing to become compulsory, with a whacking big fine for non-compliance. You get less punishment for carrying out 30 burglaries. The authorities really do hate us genuine landlords.
From:
John Hughes
01 July 2020 07:45 AM
Although, counter to that, it was reported on the radio that rentals in Bristol are booming and that it is almost impossible to find anything available.
From:
John Hughes
10 June 2020 07:45 AM
David Wirth. You do seem to have a major downer on landlords. Why should they be singled out for harsh treatment, when other businesses are being looked after? Landlords are providing a service by housing tenants, it has nothing to do with owning more than one home. I presume that you are a Labour voting socialist, who thinks that landlords are the Antichrist.
From:
John Hughes
04 June 2020 09:40 AM
Apparently, there is an extreme shortage of properties to rent in Bristol at the moment.
From:
John Hughes
03 June 2020 09:32 AM
And even some fairly new properties would find it difficult to achieve a C rating. I have four apartments which were built approx ten years ago and they are rated D.
From:
John Hughes
02 June 2020 12:30 PM
Yet another regulation with which GENUINE landlords have to comply. I am lucky in that I have found an electrician that is reasonable, the last one I had was extortionate. Expect, Rent (not so) Smart Wales to come out with something similar anytime now. Rogue landlords need not comply.
From:
John Hughes
02 June 2020 11:16 AM
Hi John. Unfortunately, we are considered to be the 'devil incarnate' by the socialists. If they had their way, we would all be driven to bankruptcy and nobody would be able to profit from renting homes. I think that the time is coming when it will just not be viable anymore and it may be prudent to consider selling up at least some of our property portfolio. If Labour have a resurgence under Starmer and Boris f***s up, there is every likelihood that they will get elected and hammer us with rent controls and further taxes. You are no doubt aware how fickle voters are and can change their minds in an instant. Especially those Labour voters that supported Boris this time. Labour are a different 'ball game' without Corbyn at the helm.
From:
John Hughes
29 May 2020 11:07 AM
Britain is Britain. A little Englishcentric there, Retired Agent!!! Believe it or not, we do exist in Wales, Scotland and N/Ireland, despite the fact that you try to ignore us.
From:
John Hughes
29 May 2020 10:36 AM
David. The landlords that are bad probably don't bother to post on this forum. They deal only in cash and don't declare a penny of their income to the HMRC. They are not registered with any licensing authority and keep themselves well 'off the radar' for obvious reasons. I also very much doubt if they are members of a landlord association. I always get back to my tenants often within the hour and sort things out very promptly. You seem to have a downer on landlords for some reason, maybe you have had a bad experience only with the rogue ones?
From:
John Hughes
21 May 2020 09:53 AM
However, affordability may be a limiting factor going forward, especially in London and the South East, where rents are three times what they are where I am in Wales. If there are significant job losses, then the expensive areas will be 'hit for six'.
From:
John Hughes
19 May 2020 12:31 PM
Sebastian. Why are you on this platform, if you hate landlords so much? Or are you just a very bitter Labour voting troll, who hates the fact that somebody has done better than you in life and can afford to buy properties that you can't? As has been said many times on this platform, most of the contributors on here have worked hard all their lives and have invested their money in property because the savings rates have collapsed. I am 64 now and have worked since I was 16, so my conscience is very very clear.
From:
John Hughes
13 May 2020 07:49 AM
Hi N P. The main problem we have is that landlords are not looked upon in the same light as the supermarkets and energy companies, especially by the socialists. They are not in the least concerned whether we survive or not. Owning property to profit from, is not compatible with their beliefs.
From:
John Hughes
11 May 2020 09:48 AM
Are you kidding? Do you think that the Labour Party would even consider such a move? They do not look kindly on anyone wishing to make a living out of renting property. Imagine if the worse had happened and Labour got elected, we would be subject to a myriad of new regulations and rent controls by now. I fear for the PRS and if the effects of this coronavirus are long term, I can see rents declining and with the continuous onslaught against landlords by the government et al, this could well be the 'final nail in the coffin' for the sector as a whole.
From:
John Hughes
11 May 2020 09:42 AM
I have been travelling to work on an empty property for the last two months, without any problem. Obviously, you can't do this from home, so I would class this as working, which you are allowed to do under the regulations.
From:
John Hughes
09 May 2020 14:49 PM
I would personally hate to live in a city. Here in rural Monmouthshire, I am 5 minutes from the M4 and equidistant to Bristol and Cardiff. I don't need anything else, as I have my beautiful Welsh farmhouse and barn, all set in 40 acres of prime agricultural land.
From:
John Hughes
08 May 2020 13:45 PM
He is obviously not used to Paul's abbreviation speak?
From:
John Hughes
08 May 2020 13:28 PM
You may be correct in this. I will contact my Agent and ascertain if this is indeed the case. Hopefully, it will just apply to new tenancies created after this date. I haven't looked up the date, but let's hope it's not a Friday?
From:
John Hughes
01 May 2020 11:15 AM
I'm not sure, I haven't looked at the details yet? If it does, then this will cause more unpaid work and expense for the landlord. They probably have more delightful regulations in the pipeline to keep us on our toes. That is why I will still use an Agent for a tenant find and leave the extra paperwork up to them. I can't be a***d with the extra hassle anymore. There is no doubt that PRS landlords in Wales are not welcome.
From:
John Hughes
01 May 2020 10:57 AM
It's the useless WAG trying to justify its existence. Comrade Drakeford and his politburo hate landlords. What do you expect from a Socialist government?
From:
John Hughes
01 May 2020 10:52 AM
Just about sums it up. We are very lucky that Corbyn didn't get elected, as there is nothing more hateful to a socialist than a private landlord.
From:
John Hughes
29 April 2020 17:26 PM
I am totally in agreement with you on this, and was going to make the same comment. Who the hell does she think she is suggesting this, because as you point out, it is none of her business. it very much depends on the circumstances of the individual landlord whether he or she wishes to offer this concession. So far, none of my tenants has asked for a rent holiday, but I am not offering them until they request it. Then I will certainly have to consider doing so, but until then, I will carry on as usual.
From:
John Hughes
29 April 2020 13:43 PM
I too have been working on a property that has become vacant. The property needed virtually a complete makeover including the garden, which was used to dump all their unwanted rubbish etc. All the work I have done to improve the property for the taxman has been for free. I have employed some workers to help, because it has been a large task to complete myself. To date, I have spent well over £5000 to get it into a good enough state to sell (hopefully). I am aiming to sell a property each year until In can get out of the PRS altogether. I have some commercial properties which are ok and a listed barn which I aim to rent out for holiday accommodation in the future. I have never claimed a penny from the state and I remember in the past when my wife and I were paying above 16% interest rates on a business loan. These people that are focusing their negativity on landlords need to understand the 'real picture'. Things seem to have got worse since the outbreak of the coronavirus, with the left-wing concentrating on blaming landlords for the economic impact it is having on the population of renters.
From:
John Hughes
17 April 2020 09:12 AM
Whilst I am in broad agreement with being more positive, I can also see where Paul is coming from. We are seen as an easy target for criticism, by governments and pressure groups alike. Before any of this pandemic happened, there was a relentless assault on landlords by the government, with changes to eviction processes, deposits and tenant fees and the introduction of various new regulations with the threat of more to come. So far I have been lucky with my tenants and none has asked me for a 'rent holiday'. However, I would definitely have to consider this concession if the need were ever to arise in the near future. I do not wish to lose any of them.
From:
John Hughes
06 April 2020 08:00 AM
Excellent post, which points out the main reasons why people invested in property. I think that you will find that teachers like Nick are usually left-leaning socialists. Labour voters who look on landlords as the' lowest of the low'. I have always worked and have never asked the state for assistance, perhaps I am the stupid one?
From:
John Hughes
30 March 2020 13:49 PM
I don't think that there are many £40,000 houses left in South Wales? You will be surprised to know that a large semi-detached house overlooking Roath Park Lake in Cardiff recently sold for over £800,000. Where I live in Caerleon, smallish 3 bed semis are selling for nearly £300,000. Did you get your figures from the Second World War archive?
From:
John Hughes
28 March 2020 08:26 AM
Paul I haven't seen you on here before, but you made an excellent post. I am afraid that the government sees us as a section of the community that are expendable. I am pretty much in the same situation as you are with already low rents here in Wales. I have recently replaced two boilers in my properties at the cost of three months rent and coupled with maintenance and ground rent which amounts to another six weeks rental income, giving the tenants three months free would effectively mean that I would have received less than half a year's rental from both. I am going to have to delve into my savings (which I am already doing to renovate a rental property that has come back on the market) for the near future if this happens. This situation could not have come at a worse time for landlords who are suffering from over regulation and government interference almost weekly.
From:
John Hughes
19 March 2020 13:12 PM
You are correct Michael. I have raised my rents by around 4% this year for the first time ever. Ongoing maintenance costs, service charges and other outgoings are having a major impact on my income. I am unable to raise rents to a realistic figure as my tenants would not be able to afford them. Rents in our area haven't increased much to any extent, in the last 20 years. Inflation, although low, is also eating into my bottom line, necessitating in my having to supplement my income with savings.
From:
John Hughes
15 March 2020 07:37 AM
I decided to self manage my properties because when anything went wrong or needed doing, the agent would contact me and I would have to sort the matter out myself. Instead of the agent acting as an intermediary, the tenant contacts me directly to report anything that needs attention. In that way, I am saving 10% plus VAT every month and with all the new regulations coming in to which we have to comply, every penny is vital to our survival. I do use agents for 'tenant find' purposes, but I will have to review this practice, if it proves to be too expensive. Fortunately, I haven't had a property become vacant since the tenant fees ban, so I am not sure what the cost would be of employing an agent to carry out this function when the need arises.
From:
John Hughes
29 February 2020 08:42 AM
Hi Andrew. What you are saying is just common sense, but the 'powers that be' seem to be bereft of anything approaching this. If the authorities took a long hard look at all the suggestions made by yourself and Robert, they would no doubt come to a sensible conclusion. However, they have tunnel vision when it comes to climate change and want to be seen to be doing something radical. Their mandate is not to think it through, but to appease climate change activists who are demanding action now.
From:
John Hughes
29 February 2020 08:23 AM
I have never got the rent that I wanted in all the thirty years I have been letting out property. As I have pointed out before on this forum, you can't buck the market and where I am, tenants will only pay what they can afford and often that is not that much compared with other areas of the UK. I have a four bedroomed maisonette that I used to rent out for £625 per month twenty years ago. Now, I am able only to command £599 per month for it. I am definitely going to start selling property before the situation gets any worse. I am very lucky that I own every property that I have, but the ever changing climate in the PRS is playing on my nerves. I am left wondering what next are we going to be required to do for nothing, to satisfy the powers that be?
From:
John Hughes
28 February 2020 11:41 AM
That is all well and good, but what about listed properties, where you are liable to imprisonment if you desire to change anything. Will these remain exempt in the climate change obsessed country in which we now live? Certain stone built properties will never reach the 'dizzy heights' that will be expected of them in the future, so are the owners of these properties going to be reported to the 'climate change police', or will they have to be knocked down and rebuilt to the highest energy rating to satisfy the barmy obsession the government et al have on this subject? I expect that Buckingham Palace and other like buildings will be exempt from any change.
From:
John Hughes
28 February 2020 11:11 AM
It will definitely mean being more selective, to the point of being actually paranoid about choosing the correct tenant. They will in future have to fulfil a much more rigorous criteria, if I am even going to consider them. That is why I am deciding to sell a property a year and invest in something else.
From:
John Hughes
14 February 2020 13:50 PM
No they won't soar as it is an affordability factor here in Wales. You can't ask what the tenant is unable to pay. Despite house prices rising considerably in my part of Wales, rents have pretty much remained static for the last 20 years.
From:
John Hughes
14 February 2020 13:42 PM
I have been a landlord for over 30 years and rents certainly haven't shot up in my area of Wales. Rents down here are much the same as they were 20 years or more ago. It is an affordability factor and the rental prices pretty much everywhere are low, so therefore, it is almost impossible to 'buck the market' and attempt to raise them, as it would be likely that a property would remain empty for a considerable period, if it could be rented at all without reducing the price to local market levels. The 'bridge factor' (abolishing tolls on the Severn Bridge) have resulted in an influx of people from Bristol and in some areas, prices of property has risen by over 35%, with no corresponding rise in rents. I am therefore selling a property this year and cashing in on the rise in property values. I would consider myself a "smart landlord". but it is impossible to ask more for a rental above the level that the market dictates. If you are able to do so in England, then good luck to you, but 'one size doesn't fit all'.
From:
John Hughes
14 February 2020 09:14 AM
Hi Paul I am selling one of my properties this year and it is becoming empty in February, so just right for the selling season. I think that it is a good time to sell now we have a reasonably stable government. I am mindful of what you said in a previous post, regarding the possibility of a Labour government next time and this 'frightens the pants off me'. Much higher capital gains etc plus further rent controls if they get in. If Kier Starmer gets in and Boris messes up, who knows what might happen in 4 years time?
From:
John Hughes
23 January 2020 15:08 PM
Trouble is , that licensing doesn't work, as the authorities are not pro-active enough in rooting out the rogues. We have licensing here in Wales and once a property is registered, then they couldn't give a damn. They don't follow anything up unless it is 'handed to them on a plate'. I have a property next to mine, which is in a shocking state of repair, but when I checked, it was registered with Rent Smart Wales. I told the local authority about it, who visited and they said that there was nothing that they could do, as the property was purely commercial with a private maisonette upstairs. It seems that they will ,make any excuse to not take action. Along with licensing, there should be a requirement of a minimum standard and inspections carried out to enforce compliance. However, they will probably say that there isn't enough manpower or resources to do this, so the landlord who falls well below the standard expected, just gets away with it.
From:
John Hughes
06 January 2020 17:31 PM
There seems to be no shortage of rental properties where I am and the rents are very low. It is difficult if not impossible to ask tenants to pay more, so our rents are more or less the same as they were 20 years ago. I am going to attempt a small rent rise across the board this year though, which (believe it or not) may result in some of my tenants giving notice. My costs are rising every year and I cannot go on leaving rents as they are, indefinitely. The property prices in Chepstow area has risen around 30% since the bridge tolls went. I tried to increase the rent on one of my properties in this area, by £50 per month after a tenant left. The property remained empty for three months so I lost quite a bit in rent and eventually had to accept just £25 per month more. I wonder whether it was worth doing after that and I am reluctant to mess with it, but it is just getting ridiculous now, so I am going to try anyway.
From:
John Hughes
06 January 2020 14:29 PM
That is so true Michael and licensing is not the panacea that everyone thinks it is. Here in Wales we have the debacle that the WAG created known as Rent Smart Wales. They are not proactive in seeking out areas that are rife with rogue landlords, being just happy to sit back and let information come to them. They are happy to pile on new regulations for legitimate landlords, whilst doing virtually nothing to address the problem for which they were supposedly created in the first place.
From:
John Hughes
29 December 2019 13:49 PM
No job is for life these days and this also applies to any business. I think that the expression' adapt and survive' is pertinent in these circumstances. Initially, I became an accidental landlord, developing the accommodation out of necessity above two commercial buildings. Since then I have added to my portfolio and around 20 years ago bought a 40 acre farm with substantial outbuildings in Monmouthshire. It has taken all this time to refurbish the farmhouse and outbuildings, but I now have a valuable asset. My intention was always not to 'have all my eggs in one basket' and despite being a little overweight in property, it has turned out pretty well up until now. In this fast moving world, it is essential that we don't 'rest on our laurels'. In the same way that you have identified an alternative plan, we must all do so also, I am 63 now, but have not lost any of my enthusiasm for continuing to develop new businesses and I will ultimately take that to my grave. Anyway, I wish you and all the contributors on here a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, with some positivity, in that Corbyn et al failed to get elected.
From:
John Hughes
21 December 2019 10:20 AM
Great post (if not a little too long) as always. Also, with the imminent repeal of the Fixed Term Parliament Act, the prospect of a Labour government, sooner rather than later will be that much more of a reality, if they get their act together. Therefore I am taking your advice and selling one of my properties next year, with the intention of reducing my reliance on private rentals. My corporate rentals are doing well and I intend to go into holiday lets with my listed barn which I have on my property, where I could potentially get a lot better return than renting in the PRS.
From:
John Hughes
21 December 2019 09:07 AM
L C. You are lucky, as the rents in our area are the same as they were before the TFB. I haven't been able to increase rents on my properties to any significant extent for over 20 years . In fact one of my rentals is let for less now than it was then. My costs are rising but my rents are static. I am certainly looking to offload one of my properties in the next financial year and possibly more in the future.
From:
John Hughes
20 December 2019 14:06 PM
I second that Daniela, even though the Tories have done us no favours, the thought of waking up to a Corbyn led government filled me with dread.
From:
John Hughes
16 December 2019 13:16 PM
And Labour probably?
From:
John Hughes
12 December 2019 12:14 PM
It appears that it is possible to rent almost anything out in London for a 'sky high' price. You would be lucky to get that for a five bedroomed detached here in Wales. I suspect that that property mentioned above, wouldn't rent out in my area at all. The trouble is, that people who exploit the system are the ones held up as an example of a landlord and it just reinforces Corbyn's view that we can't be trusted.
From:
John Hughes
03 December 2019 13:13 PM
None of the parties is particularly on the side of the landlord, so it is the case of voting for the least worst of them, which I believe is the Tories. The worst by a long stretch has got to be Labour under Corbyn, who is all set to crucify landlords if he gets in.
From:
John Hughes
03 December 2019 12:50 PM
Excellent post, please send this to Corbyn and Boris Johnson. Sums up the situation that we all face as landlords at the moment, with a lot more regulation and penalising legislation to come no doubt!!!
From:
John Hughes
01 December 2019 09:50 AM
Absolutely, so do I.
From:
John Hughes
30 November 2019 10:02 AM
Hi Michael. I think it is a case of hoping that the least worst get elected? There is no doubt that we will be slaughtered if Corbyn et al get into government. Even if he doesn't get a majority, he will no doubt be supported by the non-entities like Plaid Cymru. When you look at it, the least worse choice is Boris, so I am hoping that he gets in with a majority. There appears to be a resurgence for Labour, now that they have unveiled more bankrupting policies. These all have to be paid for and it is disingenuous for them to constantly go on about the higher earners having to pay "a little bit more tax". I have no doubt that it will be the likes of us that will be carrying the heaviest burden and that the billionaires and large corporations will have long since made alternative arrangements or abandoned the country altogether.
From:
John Hughes
26 November 2019 08:09 AM
I used section 21 and the tenants basically took no notice of it. It was only when I served a section 8 notice and they knew that they would have to go to court, that they decided to leave. I was just glad to get them out and didn't pursue them any further, as I would have probably been right down the list when it came to payback. I was aware that they owed almost everybody money, so I didn't want to waste more, trying to get a CCJ against them.
From:
John Hughes
25 November 2019 17:46 PM
You are right and if Labour get in, I will be applying that inflation increase religiously. I have tenants where I haven't raised the rent for ten years, all that will change if Labour get in, as my costs will rocket with all the barmy legislation they propose to introduce.
From:
John Hughes
25 November 2019 10:17 AM
You are hoping? They are not going to help the PRS in any way, they will just hammer us with new regulations and taxes. 'The devil will be in the detail' and they haven't mentioned the 'garden tax' yet? I am sure that they will bring this in when they are unable to get any more tax from the billionaires and entrepreneurs, who have probably already made provision to flee the country or hide the money in an offshore account. Mark my words, if Labour get in, it will be people like us who will be penalised the most.
From:
John Hughes
22 November 2019 13:22 PM
I agree with everything you say Paul, but the problem is that it is unlikely in the present climate (pre-Brexit) whether anybody would be looking to buy anything until matters are settled. Let's hope that Boris gets in with a majority, but I am wary of a possible Labour government sometime in the future as you have pointed out previously. Therefore, as you propose, I will be looking to offload properties if the Tories get in, before the 's**t hits the fan' .
From:
John Hughes
14 November 2019 13:31 PM
It will be a lot worse for us if Corbyn gets in though Michael, so I'm voting for Boris. The Limp Dems are very left leaning and are sure to have a go at landlords, so supporting them is not wise. I also don't have the luxury of raising rents to cover increased costs and even though rents are low in comparison to most areas of the UK, affordability is still the overriding factor over anything else. Even a slight rise in rent, would prompt a tenant to go elsewhere, that is the reality i'm afraid.
From:
John Hughes
11 November 2019 09:39 AM
Common sense seems to be two words that have been omitted from society?
From:
John Hughes
10 November 2019 09:48 AM
Hi Robert. I share your frustration!!! We have the same situation here in Wales, with a licensing authority that are not proactive in chasing rogue landlords. I know where they are and have told them that it is not difficult to isolate areas of concern. However, I am aware that political correctness and fear of discrimination often precludes any action that needs to be taken.
From:
John Hughes
10 November 2019 09:46 AM
The problem is, will anybody be willing to purchase your property if Labour get elected? Surely, it would be difficult to sell once people realise that the value is likely to plummet? Also, with a mass exodus from the PRS, buyers are going to become suspicious and the media will get hold of this and it would result in a property market crash. I am just hoping that Corbyn doesn't get elected, as we are in a 'catch 22' position unfortunately.
From:
John Hughes
07 November 2019 11:19 AM
Rent Smart Wales, where I am, are pretty much just a register and licence debacle. They are not proactive in seeking out rogue landlords and are really not that much use, except inconveniencing genuine landlords.
From:
John Hughes
06 November 2019 09:10 AM
Hi Paul Good comment. I am situated not far from the M4 near a small village, where I believe the majority of people voted to remain in the EU. However, in the valleys, they voted to come out, even though they had received a fair amount of money from the EU. In my analysis, their reasoning for voting out was the lack of well paid jobs being taken up by Eastern Europeans, who were prepared to work for a much lower rate than the locals. Consequently, most decided that it was probably more lucrative to stay on welfare. Also, the money given by the EU (via Westminster) was not very wisely spent and did not impact the local population in any positive way.
From:
John Hughes
01 November 2019 09:12 AM
I see that Corbyn has specifically targeted landlords in his speech today. We are seen by the looney left as 'the devil incarnate'. God help us all if these idiots ever get into power.
From:
John Hughes
31 October 2019 12:24 PM
Paul. It would be worth it if we all paid £5 a month. I would certainly be agreeable to that. This crowdfunding campaign is to support only an individual landlord, (worthy as it is) as we all have experienced this at sometime in our lives, then your proposition is indeed worth considering.
From:
John Hughes
29 October 2019 08:32 AM
Hi Michael I actually have a property that I am getting less rent for now than I was 20 years ago, so says it all really. You are lucky that you have been able to raise your rents at all. Despite house prices going up by around 30% in some areas I have property in these parts where rents haven't gone up at all. I have a reasonable income with some commercial properties, but if I had to rely totally on the residential ones I would be in trouble. I have had to replace three boilers this year, which equates to a loss of two months rent. Coupled with service charges etc, I am down four months rent on two properties already. Not so wonderful a return as some would suggest, with more regulation and extra costs no doubt to come.
From:
John Hughes
19 October 2019 10:01 AM
I don't expect landlords in Germany are looked upon as 'the devil incarnate' as they are in the UK either?
From:
John Hughes
16 October 2019 09:38 AM
Also Paul, they should be subject to the same standards to which we have to adhere. If I rented my property and failed to address such matters as damp problems which Housing Associations appear to do on a regular basis, I would be reported to Rent Smart Wales and instructed to sort it out forthwith, but these organisations are not accountable to the same extent as landlords in the PRS.
From:
John Hughes
11 October 2019 15:49 PM
Exactly right. I have had calls from tenants over Christmas and sorted it out within hours. They wouldn't be able to compete with that level of service. If I am contacted, I am generally able to sort something out that day and if I can't I keep my tenants informed of what is being done. Don't tell me that these large corporations can better that?
From:
John Hughes
11 October 2019 12:52 PM
Kenneth MacArthur I more than compete with that service level you suggest that private landlords can't deliver. I think that you will find that nearly all landlords on here are very professional. Anyway, I am fed up of being constantly criticised and berated, so I intend to leave the sector altogether so you may have your wish come true.
From:
John Hughes
11 October 2019 12:44 PM
Mark Wilson "They have had it too good for too long" What are you implying, that we make a terrific profit out of letting properties? I don't know where you are in the country, but I doubt if what you say applies in my area in South Wales. Housing associations et al in our area , get away with murder and are largely unregulated compared with the PRS. Damp properties are common with these organisations, unlike mine that are rented at very reasonable rates and well maintained.
From:
John Hughes
11 October 2019 12:36 PM
It is near to impossible to raise rents where I am, to cover increased costs. Tenants simply just don't have the money. Despite property prices increasing in our area by around 33% the rents are the same as they were around ten years ago and sometimes less. I am lucky that I own all my properties outright, otherwise I would be struggling to make ends meet.
From:
John Hughes
03 October 2019 19:06 PM
Maybe the potential buyers will change their minds when they realise that they can get over 30% off the value if ( the worst happened) Labour get in at the next election? Also, if it is a hung parliament with the Limp Dems sharing power, this looney left policy may still go ahead.
From:
John Hughes
25 September 2019 11:40 AM
Hi Paul. maybe, therein lies the problem? Targeting such areas may appear to be singling out a particular group for attention. You know what the result would be, cries of racism etc. It is akin to the old "sus' laws in London that were abolished because it targeted searching principally black people, even though the area was predominantly inhabited by these people anyway and who were responsible for most of the crime. Strangely enough, whenever I contact RSW, it is always a Pakistani that seems to answer the phone. Imagine telling him that the areas in which his people reside should be targeted. Human rights and political correctness override common sense.
From:
John Hughes
12 September 2019 16:21 PM
Hi Paul. This is my pet subject. I have pointed the need for Rent Smart Wales to target specific areas, where I know the majority of rogue landlords exist. Instead of being proactive, they rely on tenants and the general public to inform them of any alleged wrongdoing. RSW are a totally useless quango set up by the Welsh Assembly Government to APPEAR to be tackling the problem of rogue landlords. All this organisation has managed to achieve, is to inconvenience the 'genuine' landlords who were doing everything right before the inception of this debacle. As much use as a chocolate teapot.
From:
John Hughes
12 September 2019 10:51 AM
It will get a whole lot worse if Corbyn et al get into power, they detest landlords.
From:
John Hughes
11 September 2019 11:43 AM
Hi Paul. you are certainly correct about landlords as far as the popularity stakes go. We probably come in third after estate agents and MP's?
From:
John Hughes
10 September 2019 08:08 AM
OMG it is so b*****y depressing!!!
From:
John Hughes
09 September 2019 13:12 PM
Politics of the madhouse Suzanne and you make a very good point.
From:
John Hughes
09 September 2019 13:10 PM
Jahan. Also, it may very well result in a massive property crash if this were Implemented, affecting many homeowners who vote Labour. The phrase 'looney left' rings especially true when it comes to Corbyn and McDonell.
From:
John Hughes
09 September 2019 09:07 AM
I am absolutely petrified of Corbyn and McDonell getting into power. If they get their way, they will crucify landowners, property owners and landlords. They would need a terrific amount of money to fund their projects and they will get it through punitive taxes. The feckless, work shy and the naive youngsters will all vote Labour. The way the BBC (especially Radio 5 live) are attacking Boris Johnson, it appears that it is open season on those that dared to vote Brexit. The remainers are quickly seizing the initiative, together with the traitorous Tories that voted agains the government. The majority may have won the vote, but they certainly haven't won the battle.
From:
John Hughes
06 September 2019 14:12 PM
Hi Andrew. I do hope you are right, but nothing is certain unfortunately.
From:
John Hughes
06 September 2019 08:53 AM
Be afraid, be very very afraid!!!
From:
John Hughes
03 September 2019 19:04 PM
Spot on there Jahan. If Corbyn gets in together with his cohort, then it will be curtains for us as private landlords. Owning property for profit is like selling your soul to the devil if you are a communist. We would be one of the first in line to get totally shafted. I don't care if the election result is announced at 6.00am, I am definitely going to celebrate if Corbyn loses, with a bottle of something. If he wins, I will have to commiserate also with a bottle (or two) of something and then decide what life is going to be like under a Marxist Government.
From:
John Hughes
03 September 2019 19:00 PM
I have a premises next to mine, which has had nothing done to it in 30 years and is in a shocking state of disrepair. This property is registered and licensed by Rent Smart Wales who haven't got a clue what is actually going on. If they were more proactive in sifting out these properties, then maybe the housing stock would improve. Unfortunately, they are about as much use as a chocolate teapot.
From:
John Hughes
31 August 2019 09:29 AM
Spot on there Matthew. I have a mixture of commercial and residential and I go out of my way to ensure that everyone is happy, even being available 365 days of the year with a fast response to any problem. I constantly see articles in my local newspaper regarding Housing Associations leaving tenants in properties with rising damp for lengthy periods. If I did this in my area, I would be reported to Rent (not so) Smart Wales, with a likelihood that I would loose my licence. However, these rules don't apply to Housing Associations, so they can ignore any problem. Much needed repairs will go unactioned until it is highlighted in the press, many months (and even years) after the initial complaint was made to them by the tenant.
From:
John Hughes
31 August 2019 09:19 AM
Exactly.
From:
John Hughes
30 August 2019 13:21 PM
Hi David. Surely, a vote for any party other than Conservative, could mean that we have Corbyn running the country? This would be disastrous for all of us, have you seen his proposed policies? I expect that rent caps will follow together with a raft of legislation to curb the greedy landlords.
From:
John Hughes
30 August 2019 09:24 AM
Hi Andrew. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to put up rents to cover rising costs as the market is driven by affordability here in Wales. Even a modest increase, can result in a property being empty for three months or more.
From:
John Hughes
28 August 2019 07:46 AM
I must say that the figures quoted surprise me? The Housing Associations in my area are without doubt the worst offenders when it comes to issues such as damp and other problems. The trouble is that they do absolutely nothing about it, prompting tenants to go to the local paper to bring it to the public's attention. If I did that I would have Rent (not so) Smart Wales on to me. Of course, these rules don't apply to Housing Associations, so they can just ignore the problems. These organisations like the RICS et al are just pushing their own agenda.
From:
John Hughes
27 August 2019 13:21 PM
I agree with everything you say Suzy, but a Corbyn Government would be much worse. They hate private landlords even more and rent caps etc will undoubtedly follow, together with a raft of property taxes.
From:
John Hughes
22 August 2019 15:41 PM
"Never a borrower nor a lender be" (William Shakespeare)
From:
John Hughes
15 August 2019 15:34 PM
Very well said Karen.
From:
John Hughes
15 August 2019 09:16 AM
It takes me over three months usually to get a new tenant in place, so I would NEVER evict anyone who was paying the rent on time and abiding by the terms of his or her lease, this would be 'financial suicide' for me.
From:
John Hughes
15 August 2019 09:06 AM
I have used the DPS for years without issue. One months rent is the norm to take for a deposit where I am based. No way would tenants agree to paying two months deposit anyway.
From:
John Hughes
07 August 2019 13:45 PM
They want us to check for illegal immigrants and now criminals, what next?
From:
John Hughes
06 August 2019 09:09 AM
Ain't that a fact!!!
From:
John Hughes
30 July 2019 09:33 AM
Hi James. The youngsters today have very high expectations, especially of their parents. My daughters are always telling me of people they know whose parents have bought them houses or pay their mortgage. My financial advisor is quick to point out that if I die, my children will get my pension pot tax free, thereby keeping it invested to contribute to his not unsubstantial income. I didn't realise that paying into a pension meant for retirement income was to be left to the kids?
From:
John Hughes
29 July 2019 14:32 PM
I hope you are right Paul and that they do implement a 'points based' system. The trouble is, if Boris does this and then loses an election to comrade Corbyn, this measure will no doubt be reversed and we will be back to a good old socialist 'free for all' again.
From:
John Hughes
29 July 2019 14:26 PM
I take your point Michael.
From:
John Hughes
29 July 2019 14:23 PM
London prices are pretty astonishing. Almost four to five times as much per month than I can command and even then, they think that rents are too high and unaffordable in my area. There is no way that I can just put up rents to cover costs as some on here are always suggesting. If I didn't own all the properties I rent out, then I would be losing money, as the income would not be enough to service a mortgage or loan on a property. Rents haven't risen much (if at all) in the past twenty years where my properties are situated and if it weren't for my commercial properties, I wouldn't make enough to live on. This is probably the reality outside of the London/ South East bubble.
From:
John Hughes
29 July 2019 10:20 AM
I realise that most of these measures have been introduced by the Tories, but it would not be a good idea to vote Labour or any of the other left leaning parties for fear of electing a Corbyn government. The impact on landlords would be catastrophic in comparison. I understand the strong feelings that are evident at the moment among some of the contributors on here., but I urge you to think again about not voting for the Tories. I would liken the situation to a conventional war being waged by the Tories compared with a nuclear war that would be waged on landlords by Labour.
From:
John Hughes
27 July 2019 10:26 AM
There is no doubt that it is difficult to spot a tenant that is likely to cause such problems. The way things have been going in the last twelve months, I have decided to be much more discerning in my choice of suitable tenants. Although, my new approach cannot be guaranteed to be effective, at least I know that I have done my very best to attempt to prevent such an event occurring in the future.
From:
John Hughes
24 July 2019 09:57 AM
Hi Michael. I agree with your comments entirely. The trouble is that the government and public in general just don't believe us? We decided to invest in property when we sold our business, because it seemed to be the best thing to do to provide us with an income and hopefully a capital gain?. However, the prices of houses in our area had not risen much in the last twenty years, if at all. Then the bridge fees were abolished and the 'Bristol factor' kicked in, resulting in increases of up to 35% in some areas close to the M4. Despite the value of housing rising, there has been no corresponding increase in rents and they pretty much remain what they were sometime ago and before the bridge fees were removed. There is no way that I can be considered to be a 'greedy' landlord as the rental prices are determined purely by affordability and market forces. However, I am perceived to be so by the political parties and the public in general.
From:
John Hughes
20 July 2019 14:53 PM
Hi Paul. It seems that ALL the parties to a certain extent are agreeable that landlords are considered the 'lowest of the low'? They are seen as taking advantage of vulnerable people who are having to rent properties at way above the cost of Council or Housing Association providers. They also consider that a house should be a home and not traded for profit. A lot of these thoughts have been translated publicly, to hatred of the PRS in general. There seems to be not a day going by, when the subject of landlords is not brought up negatively in the media. The continued onslaught is designed to denigrate us in the worst possible way. My income is pretty much based on my rentals commercial and residential, so I am having to rethink my strategy and have a 'plan B' in place, should things get even worse. It is evident that in the not too distant future, I may have to implement this strategy to protect my lively hood.
From:
John Hughes
20 July 2019 13:12 PM
You are lucky, I have a four bedroomed maisonette in my area, which rents out for under £600 per month. I used to get over £600 20 years ago, so my places have not even kept up with inflation, by a long shot.
From:
John Hughes
20 July 2019 10:29 AM
I have CWI in two properties and as long as the cavity is clean when it is inserted, then there are few problems. I have not experienced any problem with mine and it has been in over 5 years now.
From:
John Hughes
15 July 2019 09:01 AM
I know what you are saying. Even carrying out quite a lot of improvements hardly shifts your rating in most circumstances. I also like the suggestion assessors make to move it up to another band. Spend £4000 plus on underground heating systems etc and the annual saving to the tenant comes out at £16.00.
From:
John Hughes
15 July 2019 08:59 AM
Some properties are constructed in such a way that it would be almost impossible to achieve a 'C' rating, without drastic unaffordable measures being taken to comply with this. I have two properties that were built around the 1930's and despite double glazing, cavity wall insulation and fully insulated loft etc, I just about scraped a 'C' rating.
From:
John Hughes
14 July 2019 06:23 AM
Very good post Paul. I agree that licensing doesn't work, as the authorities that administer these schemes are not pro-active in going after the rogue landlords. They are purely an inconvenience and extra expense to the 'good' landlords who have been doing it right all along.
From:
John Hughes
13 July 2019 09:12 AM
Returns here in Wales are static as usual and as it is all to do with affordability, it is almost impossible to raise rents. Even a modest increase means that a property could remain vacant for three months or more. A fair rent for one of my large apartments would be £600 per month, I tried to raise it from £525 and ended up getting £550 after three months trying to rent it out. You simply can't buck the market here, they simply won't pay above what is considered affordable.
From:
John Hughes
11 July 2019 16:42 PM
Yes, the barmy (Welsh) army are at it again, interfering in our lives in any way they can and not for the better. I could see all this coming in Wales and that is why I voted against the WAG. Tony B Liar was the champion of devolution for Wales, because he knew that the socialists would be kept in power for ever. We now have the Corbyn sympathiser, comrade Drakeford instilled as leader. The latest announcement from the asylum in Cardiff is that all uniforms worn in Welsh schools should now conform to 'gender neutral' specification. Everything is going to plan for the politburo in the WUSSR.
From:
John Hughes
10 July 2019 14:26 PM
These new boilers have very few serviceable items in them. They are all controlled by a motherboard and if that goes, then it can be very costly. However, you can't service a circuit board.
From:
John Hughes
10 July 2019 14:17 PM
£25 per boiler per month = £300 I can get a new boiler for less than £1000 installed, so I would rather take a chance on it. They don't normally go wrong for at least five years, so that would amount to £1500, at £25 per month. I don't make enough on the rent to afford such luxuries.
From:
John Hughes
10 July 2019 14:15 PM
I had a Glow Worm boiler for over 25 years and it was never serviced. To be perfectly honest, as long as they are checked every year there is no real need for servicing. It is mostly the circuit board that goes on these modern boilers or the fan and neither really benefit from servicing.
From:
John Hughes
10 July 2019 14:10 PM
Yes, this is going to very onerous and I am dreading it. We will all have to have some program like Quickbooks and a way of photographing our receipts etc. I am computer literate, but this seems to be a step too far, especially for small businesses.
From:
John Hughes
09 July 2019 09:45 AM
I do the same Andrew.
From:
John Hughes
08 July 2019 17:29 PM
Rogue ones certainly don't and prefer to 'stay off the radar' so to speak.
From:
John Hughes
08 July 2019 17:28 PM
I do so hope that you are right Steve?
From:
John Hughes
02 July 2019 13:09 PM
I think that most of us would Simon if we had means of replacing the income lost with something else. If Labour get in, (god forbid) any type of investment would be a huge risk. Their idea is to punish those who have worked hard all their lives and saved for retirement, only for them to give it all away to the feckless and work shy.
From:
John Hughes
02 July 2019 13:08 PM
Agree entirely Paul. The threat of a Corbyn led government would be enough to send anyone with assets into heart failure. Let's hope that the electorate are wise enough to see that their policies would be a disaster to the economy, unless you are welfare dependent of course!! Prices in my area have risen around 30% in the last year or so, mainly down to buyers from Bristol, taking advantage of the relatively low cost of housing and the abolishment of the bridge fee. From a BTL perspective, it is not so good, as despite the rise in house prices, rents have remained stagnant, which, at todays prices, wouldn't return a very good yield.
From:
John Hughes
02 July 2019 12:59 PM
Rent Smart Wales are a very good example of this. The system is not set up properly to 'root out' rogue landlords. They are not pro-active enough on the enforcement of unregistered landlords and owners of properties not in a good state of repair get away with maintenance issues as long as they are licensed and registered with this 'chocolate teapot' debacle in Cardiff. When I have had occasion to ring them, I ask whether they have actually targeted known areas where there are likely to be rogue landlords and I get the same answer, along the lines of 'we act on information received from aggrieved tenants' Totally unfit for purpose and a 'jobs for the boys' outfit set up by those socialist trough feeders in Cardiff.
From:
John Hughes
01 July 2019 08:05 AM
It just goes to show that these ministers have no idea what the landlord has to put up with. It is astounding how they manage to keep coming up with new ideas on how to drive landlords out of the PRS. I will be looking for tenants that want to stay as long as possible in future, so that I don't have to go through all this rigmarole too regularly.
From:
John Hughes
29 June 2019 14:46 PM
You really couldn't make it up could you Paul?
From:
John Hughes
29 June 2019 14:39 PM
I have a maisonette next to mine which is in an appalling state of disrepair. The chap that owns it hasn't carried out any proper maintenance on it for over 20 years. Despite being registered with Rent Smart Wales, he hasn't done a thing to address the issues. I contacted the council, as the lack of maintenance was beginning to affect my building. I had a visit and the official stated that there was nothing they could do. Unless the tenants complain then it seems that you are b******d.
From:
John Hughes
28 June 2019 09:26 AM
Spot on there and most of them are owned by the council or housing associations, who are exempt from most of the regulations that private landlords have to follow.
From:
John Hughes
28 June 2019 09:23 AM
Hi Luke I feel the same way about Rent Smart Wales. I have always complied with everything and declared all my income and I am now required to be licensed and registered with this debacle in Cardiff. The only ones put out by this are the genuine landlords, who were doing everything right before the inception of this 'jobs for the boys' outfit. The rogues are very unlikely to register and they are not pro-active in seeking these out, preferring to leave it up to the tenant to complain to them. Honestly, 'they are about as much use as a chocolate teapot'.
From:
John Hughes
27 June 2019 13:24 PM
I had a problem with tenants not paying and it took months and a Section 8 notice and court date to get them to vacate. They left without a forwarding address and numerous black bags of rubbish for me to dispose of. I suspect that they did exactly what you pointed out and said that they had "never rented before". The problem with taking these sort of tenants all the way to court is there inability to pay for losses incurred and there would be a fairly considerable amount of bills unpaid that may be given priority over mine. I was just glad that they left pending court action, so I didn't have to throw more money at it, which I had no hope of ever recovering.
From:
John Hughes
26 June 2019 11:13 AM
It's all about money. To give longer sentences would mean increasing costs considerably and the government are just not willing to pay for it. We don't do USA style prisons in this country, where they simply build more. Imagine the UK courts giving 'life without parole' to a murderer, it isn't going to happen.
From:
John Hughes
25 June 2019 12:40 PM
I do so hope that you are right, have you seen the proposals for a 'garden tax' and revaluing houses for extortionate council tax? Anyone with property will be annihilated if Labour ever get into power. I have a farm with 40 acres and they are proposing to tax the land annually at three quarters of a percent of the value rising to three percent. The tax would run into the tens of thousands. I would be bankrupted within the four years of their rule if they ever got in, god forbid.
From:
John Hughes
20 June 2019 14:16 PM
Just vote for Jeremy and all this and more will be implemented. Be afraid be very afraid and don't vote Labour.
From:
John Hughes
19 June 2019 19:00 PM
I am in no doubt that if Corbyn gets in at the next election, rent controls will be introduced. Comrade Drakeford here in Wales will follow suit and we will all be stuffed. The socialists want to control every aspect of our lives, including the ability to make money, which is anathema to them. We are just going to have to 'think outside of the box' and I know that this is easier said than done.
From:
John Hughes
12 June 2019 10:22 AM
Shelter were commenting on a TV news article that was reporting the abominable state that social housing was in. The condition of the properties featured were extremely poor and issues hadn't been addressed on some for over three years. One can only imagine what punishment would be inflicted on a private landlord if he or she let a property in such circumstances ? Instead of going after the PRS perhaps they should concentrate on the real villains that are almost 'bullet proof' when it comes to accountability.
From:
John Hughes
11 June 2019 08:41 AM
Most of these cold damp properties are probably owned by the council and administered by housing associations.
From:
John Hughes
05 June 2019 11:40 AM
That seems sensible.
From:
John Hughes
04 June 2019 08:46 AM
I have been posting on here for a while and I am from the Newport/Monmouthsire area, where the rents are rock bottom, so I know all about trying to make ends meet. I am a landlord and I use an agency on a 'tenant find' basis only. Fortunately, I don't have loans on my properties, otherwise I would be in negative equity. The prices of the houses down here have risen in some areas by 30% or more, due to the tolls being removed on the bridge and the cost of houses in Bristol, but the rents have remained the same for around 20 years. Regards.
From:
John Hughes
02 June 2019 11:38 AM
No it isn't. You never gave the circumstances, so I didn't miss the point? Down here they would charge the landlord £30, which seems fair.
From:
John Hughes
02 June 2019 10:41 AM
I never renew my tenancy agreements, I just let them carry on until the tenant wishes to give notice. Anyway, down here, the agent charges the landlord for the renewal, not the tenant.
From:
John Hughes
02 June 2019 09:47 AM
Spot on Michael. Unfortunately, estate agents are less thought of than MP's, so the public won't have any sympathy for them. They just want us to provide a service as cheaply as possible and 'take the hit' with regard to all the costs that are incurred in setting up a tenancy. I can't think of any other situation where you would have such a service provided free of charge? Also, I can't see large corporates getting involved in the PRS, especially if Labour get in and introduce rent controls.
From:
John Hughes
02 June 2019 09:28 AM
Hi Andrew. We have (as do other areas probably) an army of 'jobbing' builders who work only for undeclared cash. I am not casting aspersions, but I would be surprised if the vast majority of these were not claiming benefits as well. A trip to the local Wickes of a morning would witness an army of plain white old transits in the car park. The incumbents of these vehicles with wads of cash, can be witnessed purchasing items from the store. I expect that they have calculated the loss of the 20% VAT into the price for the job. There is a massive black economy out there and the authorities don't seem to have the will (or the resources) to tackle the problem.
From:
John Hughes
31 May 2019 08:52 AM
Hi Suzanne I also have property in Chepstow. I think though, that Rent Smart Wales is as much use as a chocolate teapot. They are not proactive in sifting out rogue landlords and the only ones inconvenienced by this as always, are the good landlords. Also, there is no inspection regime to ascertain if a property is fit for habitation and I know of at least one that is licensed, but the building is in a shocking state of disrepair. I would agree with a system that actually sifts out the wrongdoers who rent out substandard properties for undeclared cash. These people are still getting away with it to some extent, unless brought to the attention of RSW. This system is flawed because it is not doing what it is set out to do.
From:
John Hughes
30 May 2019 16:59 PM
Can't argue with that.
From:
John Hughes
29 May 2019 09:47 AM
I thought that after the Tenant Fee Ban legislation comes into force, you can't charge them, but I would like to know if I am incorrect in that assumption?
From:
John Hughes
29 May 2019 09:43 AM
Spot on there G romit. Where I am based, if I had a loan, then I would definitely be losing money. The average rents quoted here are just that, an average. A two bed upstairs flat, would rent down here anything from £460 per month. Property prices in our region have shot up lately and in some areas over 30%. However, the rents haven't moved much in twenty years, so therefore a BTL, based on today's prices, would give you an extremely low return on your money, if anything.
From:
John Hughes
22 May 2019 12:23 PM
Absolutely!!!
From:
John Hughes
20 May 2019 13:59 PM
Not voting conservative will almost certainly result in a Labour Government. If landlords think that the situation is bad now, it will pale into insignificance if Corbyn et al were ever to get elected.
From:
John Hughes
20 May 2019 09:24 AM
I think that what Paul is saying is that a tenant can pay for his or her own passport and then produce it when required. The tenant has no obligation to pay for one, but if he chooses not to then he or she would not be considered. Paul is not actually charging the tenant for the passport so that would be ok.
From:
John Hughes
16 May 2019 15:47 PM
I use a template which I got from a previous agent and that combined with detailed photographs is more than sufficient. I think that High Street letting agencies are going to become a thing of the past, as I am definitely not going to pay them a tenant find fee PLUS what the tenant used to pay for, previous to this madness. I am astounded that the government seem to be of the opinion that all these checks etc cost nothing to carry out?
From:
John Hughes
16 May 2019 08:53 AM
Or maybe airbnb or holiday lets, or weekend lets? More involved but far more lucrative and you get the money up front.
From:
John Hughes
16 May 2019 08:32 AM
Where can you print out a TA for 10 pence?
From:
John Hughes
14 May 2019 09:02 AM
Hi Barry. But we pay our share of the fees (almost a months rent with VAT) for what the agent does anyway. It is like saying that if you applied for a mortgage, then the company providing it should pay all the fees associated with setting it up? The rents where I am, are not sufficient to fund both sides of the process.
From:
John Hughes
13 May 2019 10:54 AM
Hi Paul. I use agents for 'tenant find' purposes only and then self manage. However, as you are suggesting, I will probably have to handle the process myself, with regard to all the paperwork that the agent previously did. I doubt if there is any way that the agents can survive without putting the cost on to landlords. This debacle could result in costing almost two months rent for me if I continue to use them. On a six month tenancy, this would just not be viable. What the government fail to realise is that the meeting of prospective tenants and subsuquent checking and preparing agreements, all cost money. Why do they expect the agents to carry out this task for free? Sometimes, it takes long enough to inform the utilities after the end of a tenancy, therefore, it is evident that the government obviously don't count ours or the agent's time when carrying out the necessary checking procedures.
From:
John Hughes
13 May 2019 10:44 AM
I have messaged my agent, who has suddenly become unusually silent on the future after Tenant Fees Act?
From:
John Hughes
13 May 2019 09:47 AM
Hi Steve. When I explained the situation to the solicitor, she did agree that I had the email as evidence that they were leaving. Makes you wonder though, whose side they are on, because I refused to use one particular solicitor as he seemed to be on the side of the tenant from the start?
From:
John Hughes
09 May 2019 12:05 PM
I was told by my solicitor that I had illegally evicted tenants, because they had told me they were leaving, but hadn't handed the keys back. I changed the locks and I was proved right, as they never handed them back, so I would have been waiting forever for this to happen, with an empty property and no income. They failed to pay the rent anyway and left no forwarding address. I had an email from them at the time, stating that they were leaving on a particular day, so as far as I was concerned I was covered. My advise for anyone considering BTL, don't bother, it's too much hassle now.
From:
John Hughes
09 May 2019 10:56 AM
The way things are going landlords will be guilty until proven innocent. Anything else for us to lose sleep over that we are unaware about?
From:
John Hughes
09 May 2019 09:34 AM
Darryl I can assure you that in my area it is all geared to affordability. My properties are in first class order, but will not rent out if there is a cheaper one elsewhere. Whilst I concede that tenants are not necessarily going to choose a poorly maintained property, if they have no references etc, this may be their only option. I recently had a property on for £25 per month more than it was on previously and it took three months to rent out and I had to drop the rise in rent to do so. If there were that much of a shortage, presumably tenants would be queueing up to rent it? It is so different in certain parts of the country, so it is difficult to compare.
From:
John Hughes
08 May 2019 16:08 PM
Top of the politically correct, left-wing, human rights apologists index!!!
From:
John Hughes
08 May 2019 12:14 PM
You may be right there Paul. With the demise of good returns after the banking crisis, a certain amount of people (mostly retirees) decided to invest their money in property. Therefore, there were a lot of properties available to rent. Unfortunately, a lot didn't know what they were getting themselves in for and didn't follow correct procedures when selecting tenants and subsequently got caught out. Some have sold up and left the sector, but there are probably a lot of properties that still remain. Where I am, price dictates everything and if your property is marketed at even a fraction above similar sized properties, ( regardless of condition) then it won't rent out. This is probably an indication that there is plenty of choice in the area with regard to properties to rent.
From:
John Hughes
08 May 2019 10:22 AM
Do you think that rogue landlords pay taxes, I very much doubt it? That is the whole point about being 'off the radar' so to speak. That is also the reason why they can undercut genuine landlords, so in my opinion it is everything to do with not paying taxes.
From:
John Hughes
04 May 2019 16:03 PM
Hi Paul. I am not so sure that they don't understand what they are doing? Maybe they use this as an excuse in an attempt to get away with it. After all, 'ignorance of the law is no defence'. If I broke the law in another country, they wouldn't be so lenient of my not understanding the language. It would be entirely up to me to make myself aware of what was required and if necessary, make myself conversant in the language.
From:
John Hughes
04 May 2019 15:57 PM
There are probably more (rogue landlords) not declaring their income than there are honest citizens. In my area, it is common for people to work only for cash. I was at the checkout in Wickes the other day and a 'jobbing' builder was in front of me paying for everything in cash. The checkout assistant was quick to point out that these types never pay by card, therefore they are untraceable by the HMRC. They probably factor in the 20% VAT that they are losing, in their estimate for the job? I suspect that a sizeable few are probably on benefits also, resulting in a two-fold loss of income for the treasury. It is stupid people like me who declare everything and pay the correct amount of income tax. The one good thing about a cashless economy, is that virtually every transaction would be traceable. At least it would be more of a 'level playing field' if this were the case and it would be easier to compete with the rogue landlord element in the PRS.
From:
John Hughes
04 May 2019 09:03 AM
Glad to see that they are clamping down heavily on these rogues, who give honest landlords a bad name.
From:
John Hughes
02 May 2019 15:28 PM
Hi Andrew. At least it looks like the court has taking the unusual course of 'taking him to the cleaners' on this occasion.
From:
John Hughes
02 May 2019 11:11 AM
NW Landlord We all feel the same way it appears. It is a very depressing time to be a landlord right now, with negative publicity coming at us from all sides of the political spectrum.
From:
John Hughes
26 April 2019 13:54 PM
Maybe it's best that we all become rogue landlords and keep all the cash without declaring it? There are other routes to go down, such as commercial or airbnb or even holiday lets. Though I am sure that the government and local authorities are looking at ways to curb these activities and bring more money into their coffers as a result.
From:
John Hughes
26 April 2019 12:19 PM
Hi Robert. You have pointed out the absolute stupidity of this, as whatever happens, we are going to find out pretty soon if a proposed tenant is on benefits or not and they will be rejected forthwith. Another ridiculous attempt at political correctness, which is of no use to anyone, landlord or tenant.
From:
John Hughes
25 April 2019 10:54 AM
Ireland are passing a law, that in areas of high demand for housing, airbnb will be allowed only on a person's primary residence. There are also a whole host of other regulations that are to come into force in June. It is a topic that has been in the news a lot lately, signalling that this may well be the next item on the agenda for government regulation.
From:
John Hughes
25 April 2019 10:45 AM
What I have found here in Wales, is that the licensing authority is widening its remit in order to justify its existence. They have carried out the initial licensing/registration and are looking for new ways to give genuine landlords grief. I recently received a consultation paper from RSW asking if their proposed extension of regulations to cover a whole host of different things relating to a property, was a good idea? My reply was, as you can imagine, not that favourable. Also, these regulations don't apply to local housing associations etc, who are the worst offenders when it comes to dealing with issues.
From:
John Hughes
25 April 2019 10:36 AM
You are fortunate that you can pass on the costs to tenants, Andrew. We just have to bear the expense and suffer a reduced income. One wonders whether this is the price we have to pay for unlicensed rogue landlords, that don't declare their income and therefore can let out property for less. They can then easily undercut us and actually make more money by renting out for cash at a reduced rate.
From:
John Hughes
24 April 2019 11:55 AM
Absolutely right, These licensing schemes such as Rent Smart Wales are worthless as far as catching rogue landlords are concerned. They are not pro-active in checking that properties are licensed or not, relying on tenants to inform them. Even ones that are registered rent properties that are unacceptable and insist on cash payments that are undeclared. They realise that the chance of getting caught is minimal so they carry on regardless. I ask myself often 'who is the fool here'?
From:
John Hughes
24 April 2019 11:48 AM
Agree, I think it is time to diversify if possible? I am sure that being in business in different forms for the last thirty years will hopefully avert my downfall. I am thinking about Airbnb and holiday lets, but here's hoping that cash strapped governments don't also start looking at these sectors in the future
From:
John Hughes
17 April 2019 11:52 AM
I was at my barbers last week and he was asking me about investing in property, but was having second thoughts because of all the negative news items with regard to letting. With the advent of licensing and all the other regulations that have to be addressed, it is getting to the stage where it is becoming uneconomical to comply with everything that is being introduced. The prices of properties in my area have risen by over 30% in the last year (from a very low base). However, that has not affected rental prices. Therefore, if you had a BTL mortgage on a property in my area, your income probably wouldn't even cover the repayments, let alone all the other expenses that have been heaped upon us.
From:
John Hughes
17 April 2019 11:11 AM
I had the same problem. They say that you learn from your mistakes, but they ain't half costly.
From:
John Hughes
17 April 2019 10:59 AM
More 'noses in the trough'? It doesn't surprise me one iota. The so-called socialists are as bad as the Tories when it comes to using taxpayers money to fund their lifestyles. I see that Prescott has got himself a nice TV series. The Kinnocks have made a good living out of Europe and they will no doubt get a nice fat pension out of it. It is the "do what I say, don't do what I do" mentality. Hypocrisy of the highest order.
From:
John Hughes
17 April 2019 10:57 AM
I suppose that I am looking at it from a non-mortgaged point of view. I own all my properties outright, including the barn that I have on my land as plan B backup for weekend or holiday lets, also overspill from the 3000 delegate plus Convention Centre that has been built at the Celtic Manor, as I am situated approx 3 miles away in the picturesque Usk Valley. I agree that it would involve more hassle, but as long as the returns are good then I don't mind that, what with the extra hassle we are getting from government in the PRS.
From:
John Hughes
16 April 2019 14:19 PM
Much more lucrative in terms of income than AST though Paul?
From:
John Hughes
16 April 2019 13:47 PM
You have the loony left Nicola Sturgeon and we have the loony left Mark Drakeford. Devolution hasn't been the force for good that some anticipated, just more silly rules and regulations targeted specifically at Wales and Scotland. Unfortunately, I fear that there will be more to come. Our socialist utopias hate the thought of anyone making money and private landlords are first on the list when it comes to any type of negative reform.
From:
John Hughes
16 April 2019 08:01 AM
Absolutely, ridiculous survey. It is like asking turkeys if they would vote 'yes' for Christmas. Trouble is that it just fuels the anti-landlord brigade, which in turn leads to more barmy legislation.
From:
John Hughes
16 April 2019 07:49 AM
Hi Andrew. There will only be a record if landlords see it through to a court case. If the tenant leaves the property before the court date and it is not pursued further (because of additional expense) then there will be no record. This happened to me and I cut my losses rather than incur further expense from tenants who, (I found out) 'didn't have a pot to p**s in' and were unable to pay anything back even if the court ruled in my favour.
From:
John Hughes
15 April 2019 11:25 AM
We must be one of the very few businesses who are expected to keep our product at the same price when everything else is rising and costs are increasing every year. Rents where I am are virtually the same that they were 20 years ago, give or take a few pounds here and there, depending in which area you are in. I am fed up with this view that landlords are making a fortune, when it simply isn't the case as far as I am concerned. There must be an easier and more profitable way to make a living, other than being a residential landlord. I am looking into holiday accommodation as I have a listed barn on my property which I could rent out for more on a weekend than I could make in a month on a residential property and probably with less hassle?
From:
John Hughes
12 April 2019 09:18 AM
When you think that London is almost four times the average I can get for a rental property, then the figures are meaningless. Also, as Blaenau Gwent is the the poorest place in Europe, their rental growth is infinitesimal when compared with other areas.
From:
John Hughes
09 April 2019 14:10 PM
The observations you make are true and is the main reason why certain areas of the UK voted out. Migrants from the former Soviet Block countries were prepared to work here for a lot less than British workers. The main reason for this was that they lived in very basic (most likely rogue landlord accommodation) for which they paid cash in hand. The rest of their money, minus frugal living costs were sent back to help out their relatives abroad. Hungary is a good example, because their cost of living then was almost comparable with ours, yet their monthly wage amounted to only a weeks wages here. Being very poor in their own country, they were used to living on very little. so that they were willing to accept a lot less and could easily undercut British workers wages. A lot has been said about the contribution of these workers to the UK, but they never really spent money on anything here except for a few basics and anything they had left was sent back home. Businesses that employed these people are now complaining that they don't have migrants anymore on low wages to do the tasks needed. The 'old chestnut', that British workers are unwilling to do these menial low paid jobs is frankly ridiculous. As you point out, people on handouts should be made to take these jobs, or at least do something for their benefits.
From:
John Hughes
09 April 2019 09:34 AM
What is there to prepare for?
From:
John Hughes
08 April 2019 10:50 AM
Hi Paul. I expect that the cost will be included in the final asking price and there will be no choice if you want to purchase the property, then you will have to 'cough up' the money. Considering that new homes have various purchase schemes and when new they sell like 'hot cakes', I don't think that it will make a lot of difference. The main worry is if they try to retrospectively enforce these changes on older properties.
From:
John Hughes
08 April 2019 10:46 AM
If you have an extended guarantee, you have to pay to have it serviced every year on top of the Landlords Gas Certificate, if you don't then the guarantee is void. I don't see the need to have a boiler serviced as well as checked every year as this can run out quite expensive in the long run.
From:
John Hughes
08 April 2019 10:40 AM
The trouble with these licensing schemes is that they are just that? I know of a property near mine that is in a state of almost total disrepair and no doubt unsafe. I have checked the licence register and lo and behold, he is registered and licensed. He has not done a thing on this property for 30 years and is unlikely to do so unless forced. I believe that it is rented out to cash paying tenants who would be unlikely to qualify for one of our properties. Also, if he is renting for cash then he is pretty obviously not declaring it to the HMRC. Unless there is an inspection regime for every property registered/licenced, then 'it is as much use as a chocolate teapot'.
From:
John Hughes
05 April 2019 08:09 AM
I think if you were to look into the instances of bad practice, pro rata it would involve more landlords who were not of British origin.
From:
John Hughes
04 April 2019 09:27 AM
My rents haven't gone up very much in the last twenty years and some have actually gone down. I wish that I could achieve the average rents quoted on here. Our region experienced the largest growth in house prices in the whole of the UK last year, mainly down to buyers coming over the bridge from Bristol, where it is very expensive to purchase property and where rents are almost double. Unfortunately, this does not have any effect on the rental sector here, except that if you are buying a property now to rent out, your yield would be much lower.
From:
John Hughes
04 April 2019 09:24 AM
It's called socialism. You are not entitled to be successful as that is anathema to this left-leaning philosophy. The fruits of your labour should be dedicated to the feckless and work shy. Just hope and pray that comrade Corbyn and McDonnell don't get elected, as things could get a lot worse for private landlords, who are probably at the top of the list for far-reaching reform. As if the Tories haven't done enough to achieve this already.
From:
John Hughes
30 March 2019 14:07 PM
Anyone who advocates renting to DSS should read this post. Please send a copy to Shelter and the government.
From:
John Hughes
30 March 2019 13:15 PM
Agree with James, you have nailed it with this Paul.
From:
John Hughes
30 March 2019 09:04 AM
Also, to put right any damage caused to the property by the tenant.
From:
John Hughes
30 March 2019 09:00 AM
I predicted that Rightmove would follow Zoopla in one of my previous posts. That's fine , if they want to play the game to not mention DSS in their adverts then so be it. It will just lead to a lot of rejections at the checking stage and will not only waste the landlord/agent's time, but also the tenant's time if he or she does not meet the criteria.
From:
John Hughes
30 March 2019 08:58 AM
Absolutely, and the council and housing associations are not subject to the same rules as private landlords. The worst offenders where we are based is the local housing association and the Rent Smart Wales regulations don't apply to them.
From:
John Hughes
21 March 2019 17:34 PM
Of course landlords should be able to choose, what has it got to do with them? If it all goes wrong and there is rent arrears and damage, then it is us who are going to have to foot the bill, not the government. I like Paul''s suggestion of 'subject to status', although, they will probably outlaw this as well.
From:
John Hughes
15 March 2019 10:02 AM
Easy to get over this, just don't mention in the advert. Then when they apply and don't meet the criteria, they can be rejected. The government are a joke, trying to tell us to whom we can rent our properties. I expect that Rightmove, where my properties are advertised will follow suit, but this will result in an inconvenience to tenants on welfare who are looking to rent through these platforms.
From:
John Hughes
15 March 2019 09:49 AM
Well my not insignificant contribution will be drastically reduced over the coming years if they continue to attack the PRS.
From:
John Hughes
12 March 2019 09:00 AM
I have two lucrative commercial properties with flats above both of them. If the accommodation is let separately from the commercial part of the premises, then you wouldn't be able to impose a full repairing lease on them. If it is a single storey building with no separate accommodation, or if the whole of the building is leased to the same person or company, then you would be able to impose a full repairing lease.
From:
John Hughes
12 March 2019 08:41 AM
Hi Paul Yes, the holiday market is buoyant and there seems to be no shortage of people wanting to hire out places for a few days. I know this, because I have been trying to hire out one of these properties that sleeps 15 for my wife's birthday which is in the summer. I wanted 3 days , however, I have had to go to 5 days and even then, this was a concession, because most of these places mentioned will only let out for seven days during the peak months and they seem to go like 'hot cakes'. I had to make a decision on the dates almost straight away, as there was someone online wishing to book it for the full 7 days, would you believe it? It's just something that I have in mind, considering the constant attacks on the PRS.
From:
John Hughes
11 March 2019 14:20 PM
Agree with all comments except one. I will have to considerably rethink how I go on in the future with this. Maybe think about airbnb or maybe holiday lets. I have looked at some of these weekend party properties and they are asking from £3000 to £10000 for a weekend stay, depending on the number of people and location. Quite a lot are booked up already for the spring and summer, surprisingly. I have a listed barn which can sleep six and this would be ideal for this, what with the Celtic Manor, (which is only three miles away from me) having built a 3000 plus convention centre there, there ought to be plenty of demand.
From:
John Hughes
11 March 2019 12:12 PM
The last void period I had was 6 months and the property was refurbished before the last let. How things differ in each locality.
From:
John Hughes
08 March 2019 11:39 AM
Even with an average wage of £36,000, you would struggle to pay London rents, taking into account the Council Tax, other utilities and living expenses. Also, income tax would have to come out of that figure, so not much left to live on really.
From:
John Hughes
06 March 2019 14:04 PM
Just don't mention DSS when you are looking for tenants and choose from the applicants that you want, rejecting those that are on benefits, simples.
From:
John Hughes
05 March 2019 15:18 PM
We have the totally ineffective Rent Smart Wales debacle down here. The only landlords registered are the ones that were legitimate before the regulations came in. They are also 'flexing their muscles' over introducing new rules to make our lives even more unbearable, whilst the Council and Housing Associations are exempt. They are obviously allowed to rent out sub-standard properties with impunity. I see a lot off instances in my local paper where there have been damp issues with properties serviced by these organisations and tenants have been waiting months for any action to be taken without result If this situation arose with one of my properties, the tenant would be on the line to RSW if I decided to ignore it.
From:
John Hughes
01 March 2019 13:12 PM
G romit It is almost impossible to police rogue landlords , as they often rent to tenants that would not meet the criteria for legitimate private landlords. As a result of this, they are unlikely to shop them for fear of getting evicted themselves. Unfortunately, licensing and registration hit only the 'good' landlords, who run their businesses lawfully and declare their income to the taxman. These licensing authorities (as far as I am aware) are not pro-active in hunting down the rogue landlords, leaving it up to members of the public or tenants to report them. For the reasons stated, this is as much use as a chocolate teapot.
From:
John Hughes
26 February 2019 11:47 AM
Hi Caroline. You paint a bleak picture of the market and you are correct in pointing out the problems that are being caused by trying to over regulate. Where I am , we have licensing and registration by the Welsh Assembly Government. On top of this, we have the Tenant Fees Regulations and a host of other proposals designed to 'push us over the brink'. It is almost impossible to raise rents here to cover ongoing costs, so I will have to try and make savings elsewhere. However, it will become increasingly difficult to do this, as more and more expenditure is needed to keep up with the new laws, that are coming thick and fast.
From:
John Hughes
26 February 2019 10:21 AM
Where I am from, should read, 'major blow for landlords as rents fall'?
From:
John Hughes
26 February 2019 08:51 AM
Know the feeling Paul!!!
From:
John Hughes
23 February 2019 08:32 AM
I have a private pension and mine has outperformed my properties on a percentage basis over ten years with a good financial advisor. I even took my cash sum out and the amount still invested has nearly reached the figure before I took this out. I think that it is important not 'to have all your eggs in one basket'. Have some in cash, some in property, some in a pension etc, that way, you are sheltered to some extent from the ups and downs of the economy. I also believe that where your properties are located has something to do with it. Properties in London and the South East will have outperformed private pensions massively.
From:
John Hughes
23 February 2019 08:19 AM
I always take a full photographic inventory before the tenancy commences and instruct the agent to inform the incoming tenant to properly ventilate areas by opening windows where appropriate, especially in the bathroom/ shower room when bathing. At least then, they cannot say that it was a problem before they moved in.
From:
John Hughes
21 February 2019 08:57 AM
I agree Andrew, I am not in it for the gain fortunately, because house prices haven't moved down here for around twenty years and neither have the rents, but still a better return than I can get from the banks, for now anyway.
From:
John Hughes
14 February 2019 10:48 AM
I had a house in Spain, extortionately expensive to buy and sell there.
From:
John Hughes
14 February 2019 10:45 AM
I find that most of the usual commentators on here just put up rents all the time to cover increased costs. I am in total agreement with you on this, as in my area, market forces determine the rents that it is possible to obtain. Unfortunately, supply and demand seem to have no great bearing on the matter, you can ask what you like, but if tenants cannot afford it, then you will not let it out, it's as simple as that.
From:
John Hughes
14 February 2019 08:49 AM
We have to be licensed here in Wales as you know, but it doesn't prevent landlords from letting out substandard property. It is purely a database of registered properties, with no mention of condition. They are not inspected by RSW unless they are 'shopped' by someone, so the problem remains unresolved.
From:
John Hughes
13 February 2019 12:05 PM
I bet that won't apply to Housing Associations and Local Authorities who are the worst offenders. The Rent Smart Wales legislation is not applicable to these bodies and they are often in the local news with regard to damp issues affecting their properties. A 'law for one' comes to mind?
From:
John Hughes
13 February 2019 11:59 AM
I have a file for each property with all expenditure recorded and at the beginning of the financial year I total it up on an income and expenditure sheet and send it to the accountant, who then works his magic with all the reliefs that I can claim for. Works for me.
From:
John Hughes
08 February 2019 08:02 AM
If this were implemented, this would be 'the final nail in the coffin' for the private landlord sector. Although, various governments have already legislated to reduce the effect of airbnb in certain circumstances. It should be the choice of the owner to whom he or she lets a property, not the government or any other organisation. It appears to be getting more like a socialist controlling state here every day, and that is under a Conservative government. God help us if Corbyn et al ever get into power?
From:
John Hughes
04 February 2019 09:15 AM
So do I Andrew. It is better for me to have less rent on a regular basis, than for the tenant(s) to vacate and lose at least three months income. I had to evict one of my tenants for non-payment of rent and they vacated the property in October and the property is still empty awaiting new incumbents.
From:
John Hughes
01 February 2019 11:38 AM
I don't know what world you operate in, but in my world it is almost impossible to pass on these extra charges to tenants. The market in any given area determines the price what people are prepared to pay. In our area it is totally geared to affordability and the average rental prices being bounded about on here bear no relation what we are able to achieve. I am just glad that I own all my properties outright, otherwise, I would be in a whole lot of trouble.
From:
John Hughes
30 January 2019 17:08 PM
We will soon be needing a separate file to keep all our certificates in. More checks, more rental charges, more licensing, etc etc, it is indeed a challenging time to be a private landlord.
From:
John Hughes
30 January 2019 17:01 PM
I have all my figures ready for the accountant at the latest in June of the next tax year. It is so complicated with regard to all the various things that you can claim for, I am more than happy to pay an accountant to do it as I am certain that I am saving more doing it this way. Remember, If you make a mistake on your tax return, you are ultimately responsible.
From:
John Hughes
30 January 2019 09:02 AM
I am definitely not ready and doubtful if I will be able to pass the costs on to new tenants. It is difficult enough trying to obtain a reasonable rent as it is. I suppose if everybody adds on the cost down here, then I may be able to charge for it. I may have to resort to doing everything myself and by-passing the agent altogether, although this will involve extra hassle, which I could well do without.
From:
John Hughes
29 January 2019 10:50 AM
OMG yet another piece of legislation/regulation we have to deal with. When will it all end?
From:
John Hughes
25 January 2019 09:07 AM
NW Landlord Do you do all the checks yourself, as I let mine on a 'tenant find' basis through an agent? I then self manage, but I may have to consider bypassing the agent and doing my own checks, as I would be unable to pass on the extra costs to the tenant. I would be interested to know what you do ?
From:
John Hughes
24 January 2019 16:07 PM
The averages above are for whole regions and don't take into account the different areas within them. For instance, the average in the worst performing region are still higher than the rents achievable in my particular area.
From:
John Hughes
24 January 2019 15:18 PM
You are very lucky that you can do that Mike, as down here we would just have to absorb the further costs ourselves. Maybe the agents will advise a rent increase, but if the tenants are unwilling to pay then we will have to bear the costs or have an empty property on our hands.
From:
John Hughes
24 January 2019 15:13 PM
Well all I can say is that you are very lucky if you can just put up rents every time your costs go up, we are unable to do that , otherwise, you would have a lot of empty properties. The rents reflect the market price down here and if you are more expensive then you won't rent, it is as simple as that. Everything is geared to affordability and supply and demand are secondary.
From:
John Hughes
24 January 2019 15:04 PM
Hi Paul I have continually asked RSW if they are proactive in seeking out rogue landlords. I know the places where there are likely to be a massive concentration of them, both in my area and others. I get the same answer every time, in that they are totally reliant on being informed by tenants or members of the public. I have pointed out to them that it is unlikely that tenants (who would not be eligible for licensed properties) would report the rogues as they would be likely to be made homeless. Also, the rogues are renting for 'cash in hand' and if they were to register, then they would come to the attention of the HMRC. Like you, it 'makes my blood boil' to think that I am doing everything right and paying my taxes, whilst these people are getting away with it. It sometimes makes me wonder who is the fool?
From:
John Hughes
23 January 2019 08:36 AM
Italy, broke, Greece broke, Spain nearly broke, no financial records forthcoming since inception, why wouldn't you want to stay in the EU?
From:
John Hughes
22 January 2019 16:12 PM
Likewise here in Wales. Because of the removal of tolls on The Severn Bridge and the affordability factor with regard to Bristolians, prices are starting to rise here after ten or more years of stagnation. The problem is that rents have hardly risen in twenty years and affordably, NOT supply and demand is still the overriding factor for most tenants. So even if there is a shortage of good quality housing, I cannot see rents rising that much in the near future.
From:
John Hughes
18 January 2019 12:31 PM
I agree with the majority of your post, but would have to question whether we need a Labour Government in any form? If Corbyn gets in though, the leftie John McDonnell will pillage everything we have worked for to provide for the feckless and work shy.
From:
John Hughes
18 January 2019 10:15 AM
Surely you do own the property, I don't think that you are likely to worry about it in 99 years time Andrew?
From:
John Hughes
18 January 2019 10:03 AM
It may be all good for you to do that Paul, but if your properties were in my area, then they would all be empty. Unless the price is right, then they don't rent out simples. If you start raising rents in properties here that are occupied, they would just leave and find somewhere cheaper. Like I said previously, some of the properties I have rent for less than they did 20 years ago and most rent for about the same that they did in 2010. There is nothing that can be done about this, because this is how the market in our area operates.
From:
John Hughes
15 January 2019 14:49 PM
Here in Wales we have a registered landlord card, but it obviously doesn't have any effect on rogue landlords who are not registered. The agents are also liable if they assist any landlord that's not registered with RSW. It probably cuts down a little on illegal letting, but the one's it is designed to punish are in the main unlikely to comply, because it would 'open a large can of worms' for them with the HMRC etc.
From:
John Hughes
15 January 2019 14:40 PM
Likewise for the Rent Smart Wales debacle. Unfortunately, the system is not working as they are not actively chasing rogue landlords. As usual, the only ones put out by it are the genuine landlords who actually declare their income and are therefore 'on the radar' so to speak.
From:
John Hughes
15 January 2019 11:13 AM
I am curious that the solution to rising costs force many landlords to have to raise rents? Where I am, it is almost impossible to increase rents above levels that are affordable. The market dictates the price that landlords can charge in any given area and raising rents above this level to recover extra costs would not be possible. Therefore, the landlord has to 'take the hit'. I am in the unenviable position of having to accept less rent for one of my properties than I received twenty years ago, so there has been an actual reduction in income. I cannot force people to take on a property at a higher rent and the end result would be an empty building and therefore no income at all.
From:
John Hughes
14 January 2019 10:11 AM
Absolutely, so will I. Also, these types of tenant are more likely to cause damage and or a nuisance to the property. Unless 'the powers that be' can come up with a solution for this and the problems with eviction, then I can't see this move (although welcomed) making that much difference to genuine private landlords who wish to safe guard their investment as well as their income.
From:
John Hughes
14 January 2019 09:19 AM
That's very good. You would be expected to achieve this rent on a house costing three times as much in our area.
From:
John Hughes
11 January 2019 13:49 PM
I tried one of these online agencies once to sell a house. Had one person interested who failed to turn up for the viewing. They are cheaper but certainly not better, it was a total waste of money in the end.
From:
John Hughes
11 January 2019 10:40 AM
As Robert intimates, If Conservative voters decided to support Labour, who are the only other party to have a likely chance of winning an election, then we would all be doomed. Imagine what lasting damage that commie John McDonnell could inflict upon us? Landlords probably stand for everything the Labour Party hates about private enterprise, so don't expect anything good to come out of this if they are elected.
From:
John Hughes
09 January 2019 10:07 AM
I thought from your previous comments that you had made 'a killing' in Scotland? You should be where I am where nothing much has changed in 20 years and where property prices are rising, but rental yields remain static.
From:
John Hughes
08 January 2019 17:36 PM
This maybe the case in London and the South East where prices are staggeringly high, but prices in Wales haven't risen very much in twenty years, so I am hoping that they don''t start falling again here.
From:
John Hughes
07 January 2019 09:50 AM
I suspect that each policy will come with a massive sheet of terms and conditions and as always, 'the devil will be in the detail' When insuring a property recently, I was asked if it had any wood burning stove or open fire and also how many bathrooms did it have. I have never been asked this before and being very suspicious of insurance companies, it makes me wonder whether this is a new trick that they are employing in some way to absolve themselves from blame if there is a fire or leak from a bathroom? I would rather stick with the DPS scheme than leave a claim open to interpretation and possible refusal because of a breach hidden somewhere in the terms and conditions.
From:
John Hughes
07 January 2019 09:46 AM
I think that it is a good idea to have a balanced portfolio. My financial advisor has actually achieved a better percentage growth with my private pension than some of my let property.
From:
John Hughes
03 January 2019 09:46 AM
The problem lies with how landlords are perceived. The general public et al in the UK, seem to view owning housing as a right and that it should not be treated like any other commodity. In other words, the renting of houses for profit is considered to be unacceptable because of this perception. The press are generally very negative when it comes to landlords and we are often portrayed as taking advantage of vulnerable people who have to pay what they consider to be 'way over the odds' to rent a property. Unfortunately, I can't see how private landlords are viewed changing very much in the near future.
From:
John Hughes
03 January 2019 09:01 AM
The onslaught continues unabated against legitimate landlords. It is obvious that a 'bad apple' will come to light now and again, but unfortunately (as the saying goes) it taints all the apples in the barrel at the same time.
From:
John Hughes
21 December 2018 08:44 AM
Maybe you didn't like the lingering smell of curry Andrew? Eastern Europeans often make good tenants and if you find a good one, they look after the property very well.
From:
John Hughes
19 December 2018 10:07 AM
The trouble is that most rogue landlords rent to rogue tenants, who for some reason or another, are unable to rent from a legitimate source. They are therefore unlikely to report the said landlord to the authorities without fear of being evicted. I knew of a house which was rented to Hungarians and in an appalling state of repair, but they were reluctant to make a fuss in case they were thrown out and unable to get anywhere else. The house was overcrowded and necessitated one of them having to sleep in the hallway.
From:
John Hughes
18 December 2018 10:41 AM
In our area, last year, it was the best performing on Rightmove with regard to house sales. Some ares were experiencing 30% price increases. This was mainly due to the tolls going on the bridge, but also a sizeable amount of people relocating from Bristol, where house prices are often double that compared with our part of the country However, this did not impact on rents, so despite paying more from the property, the returns from rental are unchanged. So, not such a good investment, when you consider that rental prices have hardly moved (if at all) in 20 years.
From:
John Hughes
17 December 2018 09:51 AM
You are right Gordon, unfortunately, I have two empty properties on the market.
From:
John Hughes
14 December 2018 09:31 AM
Getting involved with other people often means trouble?
From:
John Hughes
14 December 2018 09:30 AM
I have a 4 bedroomed maisonette and I considered this, but the cost of conversion was prohibitive, plus the hassle involved for not that great a return, I decided against it. They seem to have wained in popularity since their introduction and quite a few agents are unwilling to take them on.
From:
John Hughes
14 December 2018 09:22 AM
We already have a loony left winger in charge of the Welsh Assembly. I am sure that he would give comrade Corbyn his full support. With the devolvement of more tax raising powers being given to the WAG I am sure that we are going to experience your worst fears sooner.
From:
John Hughes
12 December 2018 12:39 PM
I am glad that I own all my properties outright, as in my area, it is almost impossible to pass on rising costs with rent increases. If I had a mortgage on any of them at their current values, I would definitely be in negative territory. My last property took three months to rent back out and I currently have another two available, which probably won't go now until after Christmas.
From:
John Hughes
07 December 2018 09:14 AM
It appears to me that the government is expecting the landlord to shoulder the burden of putting things right his or herself, without recourse to an adequate sum from the tenant to cover this eventuality? I am in a low rent area and on an almost daily basis finding that I have to 'just take the hit' so to speak, as I am unable to pass costs on to the tenant. The government are under the illusion that it is 'money for nothing' with regard to the private rented sector. They don't take account of void periods, when no money is coming in and also the costs involved(which is usually way above the tenants deposit) in putting a place back in a position where it would be suitable for renting out again. I am frankly astonished at the regularity of articles appearing on this platform that involve some form of negativity towards landlords. It appears evident to me, that the business of letting is just that, but is not recognised as so by the powers that be.
From:
John Hughes
05 December 2018 12:55 PM
Agree, the socialists in Cardiff are unlikely to come up with anything that meets a landlord's requirements. I get a lot of enquiries via my agent for DSS (a lot more than I used to), but they will have to make sure that they will take responsibility for any mishap before I will consider. For a start, they would have to make payment directly to the landlord not the tenant and provide a rental guarantee for any default. Secondly, they would have to make good any damage caused and agree to bring the property back to its original condition when the tenant vacates. Unfortunately, the number of tenants not claiming benefits are getting fewer in our area, therefore, it would be beneficial with the right scheme in place to able to consider them, but 'I won't hold my breath'?
From:
John Hughes
04 December 2018 09:43 AM
We have actually not seen any significant rise in rents in our area for around 20 years. I think that it is very dependent on where you are located and what the affordability level is. It is true to say that 'you can't buck the market' as this is the true determiner of rental income in any given area.
From:
John Hughes
04 December 2018 09:27 AM
I can and that is when affordability is the main driving force in the market. In our area you can charge what you like, but you won't get anybody to rent your property, simple as that.
From:
John Hughes
03 December 2018 13:42 PM
This article is stating the obvious, in that rogue landlords are 'off the radar' so to speak. I don't know how many times that I have stated this with regard to our own debacle (licensing system) Rent Smart Wales. It is only the genuine landlords that are affected by these schemes that actually do very little to weed out the offenders.
From:
John Hughes
03 December 2018 13:38 PM
From my experience as a landlord, I have NEVER attempted to gain anything from a tenant's deposit? I could probably be criticised for not holding back enough to cover the cost of putting right the issues that are left behind, but certainly not 'chancing my arm' on taking anything to which I am not entitled. If the deposit is held in the DPS scheme, the tenant has to agree to the reduction before it is returned to the landlord. Believe me, most of my tenants are delighted with the reduction I make for cleaning etc, because it would cost them a lot more if I were to hire specialists in this field, of which I am perfectly entitled so to do.
From:
John Hughes
29 November 2018 08:56 AM
They will rent anything in London.
From:
John Hughes
26 November 2018 14:03 PM
For us here in Wales, not unsurprisingly, the WAG has an even more daunting proposal on letting fees, with unlimited fines for non-compliance. You can always rely on the Socialist 'trough feeders' in Cardiff Bay to come up with a more onerous regime when it comes to the hated property owning classes. Unfortunately, it will fall on us landlords to pay for fees that are charged to tenants by the letting companies. It may therefore be prudent to by-pass the agents and carry out the work that they do, ourselves? I use them on a 'tenant find' basis only, so am not quite sure how that will affect me.
From:
John Hughes
26 November 2018 08:05 AM
They are calling for cooperation "to support and sustain tenancies". When councils pay housing benefit directly to tenants and advise them to stay in a property until the bailiffs arrive when they have failed to pay the rent, is in no way fostering cooperation?
From:
John Hughes
21 November 2018 08:56 AM
I own all my properties as the rental income would be unlikely to cover a mortgage anyway? I have to say though that I have a financial advisor and he has done very well for me with my private pension, without the hassle of renting out property, but it is always advisable not to have your 'eggs all in one basket'.
From:
John Hughes
15 November 2018 09:40 AM
Demand is high in our area, but the rent we can expect to get is still geared to affordability.
From:
John Hughes
15 November 2018 08:48 AM
I see that the averages for Wales are above what I can expect to get, but I suppose that's why they are averaged out. Agents will tell you what they are getting for similar properties, but when you put yours on the market, the price you can expect is usually less than they suggest.
From:
John Hughes
15 November 2018 08:47 AM
The 'devil will be in the detail' no doubt and with the default position at the moment favouring tenants, then I will await the proposed establishment of this new body with some trepidation?
From:
John Hughes
14 November 2018 09:06 AM
Unfortunately, this is the reality that landlords have to face. You couldn't make it up really, and my deceased father , who had a distinguished career in the military would be flabbergasted by the political correctness and human rights issues we have to endure on a daily basis.
From:
John Hughes
14 November 2018 08:14 AM
I served both a Section 8 and Section 21?
From:
John Hughes
13 November 2018 19:10 PM
Wouldn't that be classed as harassment? I was advised not to contact them when I had issued the notices.
From:
John Hughes
13 November 2018 18:53 PM
What if the tenants don't turn up to sign anything (as in my case) and they have failed to hand the keys in?
From:
John Hughes
12 November 2018 16:25 PM
I agree entirely. I am aware from your previous posts that you are quite keen that rogue tenants should get a ccJ against them and I agree if it costs only £60 for this service, it is well worth doing. Thank you for your suggestion. Can you please give me details about this as I am unaware of it?
From:
John Hughes
12 November 2018 16:22 PM
I did this on a residential property, but when I informed the solicitor that I had emails stating that they would be out and everything cleared by a particular day, she said that that was okay, because I had evidence that they had in fact vacated the property. I wouldn't have done it otherwise, but like I said, the keys have not been handed in and I was not prepared to wait for ever for their return.
From:
John Hughes
12 November 2018 15:28 PM
I had a similar situation with tenants who had not paid the rent pending a court action. They left telling me that the property would be vacated and cleared by a certain date. There were still items in there and I requested them to move them to which I was given another date when the property would be cleared entirely. When I went there again, there were items still there, mostly in black bags. They were supposed to hand in the keys to the shop below, but failed to do so on two occasions, so I had the locks changed and advised the solicitor that they had vacated. I was then told that I had 'illegally evicted" them and should have waited for them to hand back the keys. It has been over two weeks now and there is no sign of the keys, so am I expected to wait forever for their return until I can claim that they have vacated the property? The law is an absolute shambles and is weighted heavily in favour of the non-compliant tenant.
From:
John Hughes
12 November 2018 14:59 PM
Therein lies the problem? The compensation was grossly inadequate and the landlord having to sue in the civil courts will incur more expense, with no guarantee that they will get any money from the tenant. I recently managed to get rid of a tenant that wasn't paying and it was only a solicitor's letter threatening court action that prompted them to leave. This cost me over £700 and they damaged a velux window which will cost around £800 to replace. If I were to go through with the court action then this will no doubt cost me a lot more money in fees and then there is no guarantee if found in my favour, that I will get anything back from them in compensation as they have left with no forwarding address. I am certain that they owe money elsewhere, so I will probably have to wait my turn to get compensated if ever? I am just happy to have got them out and the property is now back on the market.
From:
John Hughes
12 November 2018 14:48 PM
I use a local agency on a'tenant find' basis which works well for me, but if this measure is implemented, I will have to consider doing it myself or using a referencing agency. This will be a major inconvenience and perhaps we should move to a minimum 12 month contract to alleviate the costs, as it is only 6 months down here ?
From:
John Hughes
09 November 2018 10:57 AM
Typical WAG plan, Tony Blair was clever when he suggested an assembly for Wales, as he knew that Labour would hold the majority power base. Welcome to the socialist WUSSR, where the 'politics of envy' are alive and well.
From:
John Hughes
09 November 2018 10:43 AM
Where I am, Rent Smart Wales do not actually 'go after rogue landlords', they wait for someone to inform them, which is why the system is failing. Just another Quango to justify the existence of the WAG and it is only genuine landlords that bother to register anyway. There is no doubt that landlords are looked upon as the new pariahs as far as the government is concerned, so they are not bothered about tenants who fail to meet their obligations.
From:
John Hughes
09 November 2018 09:40 AM
Depends what area you are in?
From:
John Hughes
09 November 2018 09:29 AM
You all seem to add everything on to the rent? I unfortunately am unable to do so as affordability is key in my area and even a minuscule rise in rent often results in the tenant giving notice to end the tenancy Good luck to you if you can though, I just wish that I was in your position.
From:
John Hughes
06 November 2018 10:35 AM
Once they have done this, will they 'raise the bar higher' in the future, so that landlords with older properties are going to struggle to meet requirements? Just another imposition on private landlords and one wonders when this continual bombardment is going to end? It would be cheaper to reduce the rent by £180 than to carry out major refurbishment.
From:
John Hughes
06 November 2018 10:28 AM
Depends which area you are in really doesn't it? Sometimes there is no choice and what about people who are working and getting benefits?
From:
John Hughes
29 October 2018 12:34 PM
It will be difficult to identify who the rogue landlords actually are. Most of them operate 'under the radar' and rent to tenants who would otherwise not be able to fulfil the criteria of a genuine landlord. Rent Smart Wales rely on information from tenants etc to identify these rogue landlords. Good luck with that I say, as the tenants are unlikely to intentionally make themselves homeless? When I recently challenged them as to why they aren't proactive and visiting areas where there are likely to be non- licensed landlords, they just repeated that they relied on information received. Unless these rogue landlords are brought to the attention of the authorities in some way, then it simply won't work and the database will be hopelessly incomplete. There have been a minuscule amount of high profile prosecutions since this licensing debacle in Wales was initiated and they have failed to route out the rogue landlords who remain under cover until discovered, if ever?
From:
John Hughes
26 October 2018 17:31 PM
Can we please have a database of rogue tenants whilst you are at it?
From:
John Hughes
26 October 2018 08:46 AM
Then you are lucky Mike, ours have hardly moved in 20 years of renting.
From:
John Hughes
26 October 2018 08:41 AM
As you say, taking on benefit tenants is too risky and I can't see the councils being in a position to guarantee payment for damage etc, given the fact that most of them are near bankruptcy. Also, I would add, (and where I slipped up recently) make sure that the working tenant(s) has enough income to cover the rent, taking into consideration his or her other outgoings.
From:
John Hughes
20 October 2018 10:11 AM
You say 'from', what do you base the monthly payment on, is it a sliding scale compared with how much rent is charged? Say for example £600 per month, what would be the cost of the policy?
From:
John Hughes
16 October 2018 14:40 PM
I have a 4 bed maisonette and it rents out for £585 per month a and 15 years ago it rented for over £600, Obviously, there are great regional differences in what landlords can obtain for their properties, Good luck to you for achieving that, but we wouldn't have a hope in hell of getting anywhere near that sum?
From:
John Hughes
15 October 2018 10:15 AM
Also, would they be prepared to pay for any damage that may ensue at the property?
From:
John Hughes
15 October 2018 10:07 AM
Average UK rent £943 per month? I wish, the average down here is around £500 per month and we are unable to pass on any increased costs to the tenant.
From:
John Hughes
13 October 2018 16:33 PM
No.
From:
John Hughes
11 October 2018 14:48 PM
If this happened where I am then we would just have to absorb the costs as we would be unable to pass them on to the tenant.
From:
John Hughes
08 October 2018 13:53 PM
I will look into this, thank you.
From:
John Hughes
02 October 2018 15:36 PM
I never rent to benefit tenants, however, I have a situation where a working person is failing to pay and is 4 months in arrears. The only mistake I made was probably renting to a person on a low income, but I will make sure in future that they have sufficient funds to cover the monthly payment.
From:
John Hughes
02 October 2018 15:35 PM
That is the problem in some areas and unfortunately, your choice of tenant is therefore limited in these circumstances.
From:
John Hughes
02 October 2018 15:30 PM
I did have one disaster, when the tenant painted over the sockets and light switches. I made him get all of it off before I would give him his bond back. However, I agree with Laura, that it can mean that if they are happy with the decoration, they may well stay long term. I also agree with Andrew though, that I would like to know the choice of colours before commencement. Shocking pink and neon green would probably not be a good colour for prospective tenants?
From:
John Hughes
01 October 2018 17:09 PM
If you ask me, the councils and their not-for-profit housing associations are the worst culprits when it comes to substandard conditions.
From:
John Hughes
25 September 2018 09:37 AM
I'm with you on that one. The Tories haven't been very sympathetic towards landlords, but Labour would be infinitely worse.
From:
John Hughes
25 September 2018 09:25 AM
Hopefully, but never say never? He will no doubt appeal to the youngsters for support as he did to some effect at the last General Election.
From:
John Hughes
25 September 2018 09:25 AM
Took three months to rent out an apartment in Chepstow and had to drop the price twice. Location, location, location. I don't think that we will see strong growth in the rental market here as I have mentioned before, it is geared to price and affordability in our region and doesn't seem to have a great deal to do with supply and demand.
From:
John Hughes
24 September 2018 15:12 PM
For fear of sounding boring, as you are aware, we already have mandatory licensing here in Wales. There is no doubt that 'genuine' landlords were doing everything that was asked of them before the implementation of this debacle by the WAG. I am not aware that they have had much success in controlling so-called 'rogue landlords', who are just going to carry on regardless of any licensing scheme, because it is all 'cash in hand' and not declared. They would be stupid in the extreme to register and as most of them rent to tenants that would never be able to get accommodation from a legitimate landlord, then it largely goes unnoticed and therefore reported. The tenant is certainly not going to inform the licensing authority, as they would then be made homeless.
From:
John Hughes
19 September 2018 10:26 AM
I never thought that the Limp Dems were ever talking sense?
From:
John Hughes
19 September 2018 10:13 AM
My non-paying tenants have just been told by the Council to stay in the property until the bailiffs arrive, at considerable expense to me. Most of the properties run by them in my area are in a poor state of repair, so who is the 'rogue landlord' really? Also, they are not subject to licensing unlike private landlords in Wales. One law for them and another for everyone else.
From:
John Hughes
18 September 2018 11:03 AM
I am genuinely pleased for you, I wish I could say the same for my area?
From:
John Hughes
17 September 2018 09:42 AM
Over and above George Osborne's 3% we have an extra 3% tax here in Wales rising to 6% on properties over £180,000 which is imposed by the Welsh Assembly Government as a land tax. So, as I understand it, a property over £180,000 bought to let out, would incur a duty of 9%.
From:
John Hughes
13 September 2018 08:26 AM
They may 'have no place in the market' but you are not going to get rid of them that easily? England, (the most lucrative for rental income in the country) has no rental control agency. We have RSW here in Wales , which is frankly a joke, and looking at their record up until now, it is just a way of raising revenue and providing jobs for another department of the Welsh Assembly. It is just another expense in a part of the country that has the lowest rental income. It is only legitimate landlords that are inconvenienced by it, as those that are 'off the radar' will carry on as usual, renting out substandard properties for undeclared cash, until they are caught, if ever?
From:
John Hughes
11 September 2018 10:20 AM
Because if your properties are in those areas and you are resident in the locality you haven't really got a choice?
From:
John Hughes
06 September 2018 09:56 AM
I am in the unenviable position of being unable to raise rents to cover these costs. I alone will have to 'take the hit'. Also with Rent Smart Wales intending to bring in a raft of new onerous conditions, I will struggle to make any sort of living out of it. If this happens, I may have to consider going down the Air B&B route. It really is 'open season' on landlords at the moment, as the government become increasingly liberal in their attitudes towards us.
From:
John Hughes
06 September 2018 09:36 AM
The 'right region' is the key. I have been letting out properties for over 20 years and property prices are starting to rise now after years of stagnation, however, this is not reflected in increased rental income. Where I am, the rents are low and unlikely to rise that much. Coupled with the extra regulation we have her in Wales, which they don't have in England despite almost double rental rates in some areas, it is going to be increasingly challenging.
From:
John Hughes
05 September 2018 12:14 PM
Actually, in Wales, the Assembly Government runs the scheme. I am of the opinion though, that it is only genuine landlords that register and not the 'rogues' that it is supposedly designed to catch? Also, to justify its existence, Rent Smart Wales is considering imposing up to 24 new regulations. Where will it all end I ask myself?
From:
John Hughes
03 September 2018 09:29 AM
On that note, Vince Cable is calling for Business Rates to be discontinued and the shortfall to be met by a further tax on landlords. I have commercial lets and that would have a devastating effect on my income. The only saving grace is that the Liberal Democrats don't have a 'chance in hell' of being elected, but it keeps us (as landlords) in the spotlight once again?
From:
John Hughes
30 August 2018 09:36 AM
Unfortunately, I have a tenant who has a permanent job and is over two months in arrears? However, I am mindful of the fact that he doesn't earn that much and this has contributed to the situation. In future though and 'with the benefit of hindsight', I will have to be more diligent and make sure that their income stream is sufficient to fund the rent. In over twenty years of renting, I now find myself in the situation that most contributors on here have experienced, in having to evict tenants for arrears. They are not acknowledging the notices served upon them, so the next step is probably an expensive court action? I will definitely learn from this and bear in mind some of your suggestions.
From:
John Hughes
23 August 2018 08:34 AM
You are very lucky that you are able to demand such things from your tenants. Also, I am not so sure that there is anything that can be described as a 'secure' job any more as there is now no such thing as a 'job for life'? Where I am based, quite a large proportion of tenants are on some kind of benefit even if they are working, so you would have a lot of empty properties if you required a tenant to 'tick all the boxes'? It's not that I disagree with you, it would be just unworkable in most areas outside the South East and other affluent parts of England.
From:
John Hughes
23 August 2018 08:18 AM
This is in the news today, yet another landlord bashing day. It may have been ok if the local authority paid the benefit directly to the landlord. Who in his or her right mind decided to change the system and pay directly to the tenant,? This was obviously going to end in disaster as they could just keep the money and have a few months free accommodation before the long drawn out and expensive eviction process began? Pretty much everybody is on some kind of benefit where I am, (even working people) so there is not too much choice with regard to the 'ideal' tenant?
From:
John Hughes
22 August 2018 09:13 AM
I too will have to be more vigilant when renting. I am now going to set a minimum income level for tenants. I am aware that they could still stop paying the rent, but it is damage limitation as far as I am concerned?
From:
John Hughes
20 August 2018 10:33 AM
OMG you are right there. John McDonnell would have a 'field day' with us?
From:
John Hughes
20 August 2018 10:26 AM
I have spoken with a solicitor as my tenants have completely ignored the S21 notice. I asked him what I can do if they ignore a S8 notice which I am going to be able to serve on them at the end of the month. He suggested that they may claim that I have not done something I should have done or that the property was let in a bad state and that could involve further months of court action even if it were not true. It beggars belief what a tenant can do to delay the inevitable, whilst the costs are mounting up for the landlord the longer it is allowed to go on. In all my 20 plus years of letting, it has never had to come to this and unfortunately the law seems to be always on the side of the wrongdoer?
From:
John Hughes
15 August 2018 16:33 PM
I suppose it depends what deposits you are able to take? 3 months rent would be equivalent to 3 deposits where I am based. It seems that everything at the moment seems to be working against us, as the landlord debate is still firmly in the public eye. There isn't a day that goes by that there isn't something negative mentioned about the cost of rents in the private sector.
From:
John Hughes
14 August 2018 08:52 AM
I was considering buying another property, but with all the extra regulation and proposed increases in tax I have decided not to bother.
From:
John Hughes
14 August 2018 07:59 AM
I can't imagine that tenants down here would be willing to commit to that sort of financial obligation?
From:
John Hughes
14 August 2018 07:55 AM
They would have to WEED out illegal cannabis farms?
From:
John Hughes
10 August 2018 10:17 AM
Certainly not in Wales?
From:
John Hughes
10 August 2018 09:07 AM
Very true. We seem to be getting criticism from all sides and Radio 5 Live were having a right go at landlords on their phone in. Some were suggesting that as Councils charge £350 per month, private landlords were ripping tenants off? It wouldn't be worth renting places out for that with all the administration and costs involved?
From:
John Hughes
10 August 2018 08:35 AM
This wouldn't apply in my area as the rents achievable are actually going down?
From:
John Hughes
10 August 2018 08:25 AM
I see that Radio 5 Live are having a right go at landlords on their morning programme today. Of course the vast majority of callers are slating the rents that are charged, with very limited feedback from landlords. I am in a situation where I used to get £650 per month for a 4 bedroomed maisonette 20 years ago and now I can rent it for only £585. Also, the tenants are failing to pay the rent so I have had to issue them with a notice to quit. I have spent over £20,000 on the property in the past two years, but this is never considered. I am finding that it is impossible to put up rents down here, where the market is driven purely by affordability, but my costs are increasing year on year. When my two daughters finish their education, I would like to think that I would then be in a position to sell up, but then there is the dreaded capital gains tax to consider? We seem to be getting bashed from all sides at the moment.
From:
John Hughes
09 August 2018 11:54 AM
OMG, that would rule out the vast majority of privately rented homes then?
From:
John Hughes
08 August 2018 09:20 AM
That's true and in my area though, the responsibility for providing housing has been handed over by the council to a not-for-profit organisation, who are not subject to the rules laid down by Rent Smart Wales. Unfortunately, this organisation (Rent Smart wales) recently issued a consultation outlining a further 26 new regulations to be imposed on landlords. Socialism at its controlling best?
From:
John Hughes
08 August 2018 09:17 AM
The worst offenders when it comes to lack of maintenance etc, are Housing Associations and not private landlords. They are also not subject to the Rent Smart Wales debacle we have here and we hear a lot locally about how tenant's houses are damp etc and nothing is ever done about it. They give us private landlords a bad name, as we have to keep our properties in good condition because we are 'on the radar' so to speak. Of course, the so-called 'rogue landlords' are never going to register their properties until they are caught out, as many are not declaring the income that they receive to the HMRC.
From:
John Hughes
07 August 2018 16:47 PM
It is definitely getting more challenging and despite a shortage of properties, tenants are unwilling to pay a higher rent. I am finding that when I try to put the rent up at the end of a tenancy, I am getting no joy at all. I have had to reduce the rent twice on one of my properties in Chepstow, which used to rent out easily. Coming up to the third month empty now, even though the agent thinks that it is a lovely property?
From:
John Hughes
06 August 2018 09:42 AM
Thats not an option where I am, they will simply refuse to pay extra and move to a cheaper property. The market dictates the price that people will pay and it is always price driven here. Even though there is a shortage of properties to rent, demand and supply doesn't come into it, it is affordability that wins hands down every time in my area anyway?
From:
John Hughes
03 August 2018 12:00 PM
I have an ongoing problem with a tenant failing to pay the rent. I am issuing them with a notice today, so I hope I don't experience the problems highlighted above?
From:
John Hughes
02 August 2018 09:04 AM
Therein 'lies the rub'?
From:
John Hughes
31 July 2018 09:21 AM
Absolutely, a lot of agents won't take them on a managed basis?
From:
John Hughes
31 July 2018 09:19 AM
Lucky them that are able to raise rents? Our costs are rising and the rents achievable are actually decreasing
From:
John Hughes
30 July 2018 13:12 PM
I love your headline, unfortunately, not all of us will be able to raise rents to cover rising costs? We are stuck with affordability issues outside the area 'where the streets are paved with gold'. I have tried to raise my rents recently, with the inevitable consequence of failing to secure a new tenant. Therefore, I am forced to reduce them back to previous levels in order to avoid empty properties.
From:
John Hughes
20 February 2017 08:40 AM
This will do nothing to tackle the problem of 'rogue landlords', it just imposes more onerous conditions on us and creates a whole new bureaucracy paid for by us, the legitimate landlords. I can't imagine a stampede of these rogue landlords making their way to register before the punitive deadline arrives in November. They haven't bothered to stay within the law in the past and they will take the chance that they are unlikely to be caught as they are completely 'off the radar' with regard to declaring any of their income, or complying with the current regulations.
From:
John Hughes
25 July 2016 13:57 PM
Rent hikes are only inevitable if the tenant is willing and able to pay the extra costs?
From:
John Hughes
13 July 2016 16:03 PM
That is probably because we are the cheapest in the UK and unable to charge rents that are viable?
From:
John Hughes
02 March 2016 11:20 AM
Increasing regulation is upon us, so we have to make the decision to go with it or get out? The future certainly looks as though it is going to be very costly and the Rent Smart Wales with which we have to comply will be coming to all areas of the UK soon. The regulations will include testing the water for Legionnaires disease, a minimum requirement for energy performance et al. The 'powers that be' are going all out to discourage people from letting out property unfortunately.
From:
John Hughes
05 February 2016 09:43 AM
Steve, this is the reality of letting out property outside of London and the wealthy South East. Where I am, we are unable to raise rents to cover the cost of continuing regulation. We are also referred to as 'greedy landlords' in the local press and that couldn't be further from the truth? The rents we are receiving today are broadly in line with what we were getting 20 years ago. You can see many properties advertised at higher rents, but when you point this out to the agents they always have an excuse as to why your property is unlikely to achieve that.
From:
John Hughes
28 January 2016 13:28 PM
I just don't see the problem with this unless the landlords in question intend to keep the deposit for themselves at the end of the tenancy? It costs nothing to register the deposit with the DPS and if you rent through an ARLA Lettings Agency, they will do this for you anyway?
From:
John Hughes
28 January 2016 10:49 AM
Most of what was the Council housing stock in my area has been moved to a 'not for profit' organisation. It was reported in the local news this week that many of the properties are in a shocking state with persistent damp problems etc. They are obviously finding it difficult to keep up with repairs as the rents probably don't cover the ongoing maintenance costs. The private sector would not be viable if it had to survive on the income that this organisation receives and if these pressure groups 'lived in the real world' they would acknowledge that fact?
From:
John Hughes
28 January 2016 10:45 AM
I tend to agree with you as diminishing returns are starting to set in. Anywhere outside the 'London bubble' and prosperous South East is going to be 'hit for six' with continuing expense through ongoing regulation, thereby eating away at income. Landlords in areas outside the above mentioned are going to have to absorb the extra costs due in the main to an inability of tenants to pay higher rents. Unfortunately, the vast majority of us who rent responsibly are being punished for the actions of others.
From:
John Hughes
27 January 2016 11:27 AM
I know that I am on the radar as far as the authorities and HMRC are concerned, as I rent responsibly and declare all my earnings from tenanted property. The problem is with those that rent for cash and don't declare their earnings, as they are most definitely 'off the radar' Knowing the type of people who do this, I very much doubt that they will be open about their dealings and will continue to flout the law as the chances of being caught are minimal. As I will be made to pay for these changes, I will certainly not be put off reporting these so called 'rogue landlords' to the relevant departments
From:
John Hughes
25 January 2016 10:08 AM
Spot on Graham. Here in Wales we have to attend a seminar (at cost to us) and then pay to register and licence each property. Couple that with the proposed changes to the law with regard to minimum EPC ratings, (which will be impossible to meet for those with older properties without spending a fortune?) and a raft of other proposed legislation, then the future looks very bleak indeed. I don't know what your position is in Scotland, but we would just have to absorb the costs and putting up the rent wouldn't be an option, as affordability is the key in my area?
From:
John Hughes
25 January 2016 10:00 AM
You are lucky that you can increase your rents, as where I am I will just have to absorb the extra costs. Rents in my area haven't increased to any extent in over 20 years. I am certain that if I attempt to recover the costs from raising them then many of my long-term tenants will leave.
From:
John Hughes
20 January 2016 11:12 AM
Maybe it reinforces them though?
From:
John Hughes
19 January 2016 09:52 AM
Here in Wales, rents have actually fallen or remained static in the last 20 years. Costs are increasing along with more regulation and affordability remains the most important factor for tenants in this part of the country. At least landlords in London and the South East will be able to absorb the added costs with rents that are often considerably higher than down here?
From:
John Hughes
19 January 2016 09:50 AM
I notice that the fine was imposed by magistrates who have restrictions on the limits that they can fine. If it had gone to the Crown Court the penalties would have been much higher. That begs the question why wasn't this case referred to the higher court for sentencing ?
From:
John Hughes
18 January 2016 10:02 AM
And the assault on landlords by the government et al, continues.
From:
John Hughes
08 January 2016 09:19 AM
Legitimate law abiding landlords are an easier target than the likes of Amazon and Starbucks et al?
From:
John Hughes
07 January 2016 09:42 AM
Good, if more tenants complained then we would have more prosecutions. There is no excuse for this and I fail to understand why some landlords are willing to put their tenant and also their property at risk for the sake of saving a few pounds, words fail me?
From:
John Hughes
07 January 2016 09:39 AM
The assumption that rents may rise is a spurious one? In my part of the country, rents are determined by what people can afford and no matter what shortage there is in housing stock, if people don't have the income then it is impossible for them to pay any more?
From:
John Hughes
05 January 2016 14:51 PM
It is definitely 'open season' on landlords from all parts of the UK?
From:
John Hughes
05 January 2016 14:42 PM
this article is absolutely spot on. I challenged the Minister in the Welsh Assembly about the new proposals, but as usual, they are masters of not answering the question directly? I was curious to know how the regulations were going to deal with rogue landlords, many of which don't declare their income and therefore are not traceable, but cunningly, this part of my query wasn't answered to my satisfaction. As usual, it will hit the genuine landlord who complies with the law and declares his for her income to the HMRC.
From:
John Hughes
05 January 2016 11:58 AM
Hi Bob. Tell that to the bureaucrats making the legislation? They never seem to consult anyone with any real knowledge on the subject and just 'pile drive' their way through without thinking it out properly? In Wales where I operate, they have imposed registration on us and of course the so-called rogue landlords who are off the radar and rebate out for cash (of which there are many in my area) are not going to bother.
From:
John Hughes
28 December 2015 15:28 PM
Absolutely Peter, unfortunately it is 'open season' on landlords at the moment with proposal after proposal coming out from government and local authorities and it is the genuine landlords that often suffer with increased regulation and bureaucracy?
From:
John Hughes
23 December 2015 11:39 AM
Another day another proposal? Most of these rogue landlords rent out for cash and are 'off the radar'. I am all for 'weeding them out', but I would like to know how effective these new measures are going to be? Tenants who live in these properties are unlikely to shop the landlord as they are usually paying below market rent. Also, quite a few of the tenants in overcrowded properties are of Eastern European extract and they are not aware of the rules and choose to live in cramped conditions so that they can maximise the amount of money they send home.
From:
John Hughes
22 December 2015 09:49 AM
Absolutely, but we are portrayed by the media as money grabbing, uncaring individuals, just out to make a 'fast buck'.
From:
John Hughes
21 December 2015 12:23 PM
Tis the season of badwill towards landlords. We have been hit by this ludicrous new initiative where we have to attend a course in order for the Welsh Assembly to ascertain if we are 'fit and proper' to rent out OUR property. Then they are going to charge us to register out properties? With all the above, it is evident that the 'powers that be' are having a purge on the buy to let sector?
From:
John Hughes
21 December 2015 12:21 PM
"Offending landlords will be caught". Would love to know how they are going to achieve this as most Councils have limited resources as evidenced by the paltry number of prosecutions?
From:
John Hughes
18 December 2015 08:50 AM
If you rent through an ARLA credited agency, your property must come up to a high standard, whether managed or 'tenant find'. People who rent out property and pay cash straight to the landlord without the latter declaring any of that income are partly to blame. Also, people who are renting these poor quality properties are unlikely to 'shop' the rogue to the authorities and therefore, any new legislation has a disproportionately negative effect on the legitimate landlord.
From:
John Hughes
17 December 2015 10:47 AM
As a landlord, my properties have actually dropped in value and keeping them in good order is very costly. The rents are the same as I was getting 20 years ago give or take a few pounds and in some cases they have decreased due to the HMO debacle? People that have never rented out property themselves think that it is a 'bed of roses', believe me it isn't? Maybe in London and the Home Counties rents are spiralling, but it is not representative of the whole country. I just have to absorb all the costs that are imposed upon me without any increase in income. The new legislation in Wales aimed at tackling rogue landlords, will probably have the effect of driving decent landlords out off the market without having any noticeable effect on the ones that are currently 'off the radar' so to speak?
From:
John Hughes
17 December 2015 10:23 AM
Trouble is that nobody knows who these rogue landlords are as they ere 'off the radar'. In Wales they are making us go on courses to ascertain if we are fit to rent out our own property?
From:
John Hughes
15 December 2015 13:39 PM
I have to comment on this, being a landlord operating in Wales. I have sent an email to the Housing AM asking her to explain to me how the new legislation is going to combat the problem of 'rogue landlords'. As yet I have not received a reply, just an acknowledgement that they have received my email. This legislation will do NOTHING to combat the problem as the rogues are 'off the radar'. In my area of South East Wales, there are a large number of properties being rented out for cash which is subsequently not declared. How these new regulations are going to identify and make these people compliant is anybody's guess? I am certain that the non-compliant will not be attending the seminars in order for the Assembly to decide if a 'landlord is a fit and proper person' to rent out his or her property and also, it is unlikely that they will register each property as is required. Who are they to decide, it is my b****y property and as long as I am not contravening the law in any way, I fail to see what it has got to do with them anyway? If this debacle were taken to the European Court, it would probably be deemed to be an unlawful restriction on the human rights of the landlord! The author has already alluded to the situation which may result in Landlord's deciding whether it is worth continuing to rent out properties? It is ill thought out and places yet another burden on genuine landlords who are wholly compliant and it will not go any way to addressing the problem it set out to address.
From:
John Hughes
07 December 2015 10:44 AM
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From: John Hughes
16 April 2019 14:19 PM
From: John Hughes
16 April 2019 13:47 PM
From: John Hughes
16 April 2019 08:01 AM
From: John Hughes
16 April 2019 07:49 AM
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15 April 2019 11:25 AM
From: John Hughes
12 April 2019 09:18 AM
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09 April 2019 14:10 PM
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09 April 2019 09:34 AM
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08 April 2019 10:50 AM
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08 April 2019 10:46 AM
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08 April 2019 10:40 AM
From: John Hughes
05 April 2019 08:09 AM
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04 April 2019 09:27 AM
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04 April 2019 09:24 AM
From: John Hughes
30 March 2019 14:07 PM
From: John Hughes
30 March 2019 13:15 PM
From: John Hughes
30 March 2019 09:04 AM
From: John Hughes
30 March 2019 09:00 AM
From: John Hughes
30 March 2019 08:58 AM
From: John Hughes
21 March 2019 17:34 PM
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15 March 2019 10:02 AM
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15 March 2019 09:49 AM
From: John Hughes
12 March 2019 09:00 AM
From: John Hughes
12 March 2019 08:41 AM
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11 March 2019 14:20 PM
From: John Hughes
11 March 2019 12:12 PM
From: John Hughes
08 March 2019 11:39 AM
From: John Hughes
06 March 2019 14:04 PM
From: John Hughes
05 March 2019 15:18 PM
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01 March 2019 13:12 PM
From: John Hughes
26 February 2019 11:47 AM
From: John Hughes
26 February 2019 10:21 AM
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26 February 2019 08:51 AM
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23 February 2019 08:32 AM
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23 February 2019 08:19 AM
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21 February 2019 08:57 AM
From: John Hughes
14 February 2019 10:48 AM
From: John Hughes
14 February 2019 10:45 AM
From: John Hughes
14 February 2019 08:49 AM
From: John Hughes
13 February 2019 12:05 PM
From: John Hughes
13 February 2019 11:59 AM
From: John Hughes
08 February 2019 08:02 AM
From: John Hughes
04 February 2019 09:15 AM
From: John Hughes
01 February 2019 11:38 AM
From: John Hughes
30 January 2019 17:08 PM
From: John Hughes
30 January 2019 17:01 PM
From: John Hughes
30 January 2019 09:02 AM
From: John Hughes
29 January 2019 10:50 AM
From: John Hughes
25 January 2019 09:07 AM
From: John Hughes
24 January 2019 16:07 PM
From: John Hughes
24 January 2019 15:18 PM
From: John Hughes
24 January 2019 15:13 PM
From: John Hughes
24 January 2019 15:04 PM
From: John Hughes
23 January 2019 08:36 AM
From: John Hughes
22 January 2019 16:12 PM
From: John Hughes
18 January 2019 12:31 PM
From: John Hughes
18 January 2019 10:15 AM
From: John Hughes
18 January 2019 10:03 AM
From: John Hughes
15 January 2019 14:49 PM
From: John Hughes
15 January 2019 14:40 PM
From: John Hughes
15 January 2019 11:13 AM
From: John Hughes
14 January 2019 10:11 AM
From: John Hughes
14 January 2019 09:19 AM
From: John Hughes
11 January 2019 13:49 PM
From: John Hughes
11 January 2019 10:40 AM
From: John Hughes
09 January 2019 10:07 AM
From: John Hughes
08 January 2019 17:36 PM
From: John Hughes
07 January 2019 09:50 AM
From: John Hughes
07 January 2019 09:46 AM
From: John Hughes
03 January 2019 09:46 AM
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03 January 2019 09:01 AM
From: John Hughes
21 December 2018 08:44 AM
From: John Hughes
19 December 2018 10:07 AM
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18 December 2018 10:41 AM
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17 December 2018 09:51 AM
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14 December 2018 09:31 AM
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14 December 2018 09:30 AM
From: John Hughes
14 December 2018 09:22 AM
From: John Hughes
12 December 2018 12:39 PM
From: John Hughes
07 December 2018 09:14 AM
From: John Hughes
05 December 2018 12:55 PM
From: John Hughes
04 December 2018 09:43 AM
From: John Hughes
04 December 2018 09:27 AM
From: John Hughes
03 December 2018 13:42 PM
From: John Hughes
03 December 2018 13:38 PM
From: John Hughes
29 November 2018 08:56 AM
From: John Hughes
26 November 2018 14:03 PM
From: John Hughes
26 November 2018 08:05 AM
From: John Hughes
21 November 2018 08:56 AM
From: John Hughes
15 November 2018 09:40 AM
From: John Hughes
15 November 2018 08:48 AM
From: John Hughes
15 November 2018 08:47 AM
From: John Hughes
14 November 2018 09:06 AM
From: John Hughes
14 November 2018 08:14 AM
From: John Hughes
13 November 2018 19:10 PM
From: John Hughes
13 November 2018 18:53 PM
From: John Hughes
12 November 2018 16:25 PM
From: John Hughes
12 November 2018 16:22 PM
From: John Hughes
12 November 2018 15:28 PM
From: John Hughes
12 November 2018 14:59 PM
From: John Hughes
12 November 2018 14:48 PM
From: John Hughes
09 November 2018 10:57 AM
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09 November 2018 10:43 AM
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09 November 2018 09:40 AM
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09 November 2018 09:29 AM
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06 November 2018 10:35 AM
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06 November 2018 10:28 AM
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29 October 2018 12:34 PM
From: John Hughes
26 October 2018 17:31 PM
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26 October 2018 08:46 AM
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26 October 2018 08:41 AM
From: John Hughes
20 October 2018 10:11 AM
From: John Hughes
16 October 2018 14:40 PM
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15 October 2018 10:15 AM
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15 October 2018 10:07 AM
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13 October 2018 16:33 PM
From: John Hughes
11 October 2018 14:48 PM
From: John Hughes
08 October 2018 13:53 PM
From: John Hughes
02 October 2018 15:36 PM
From: John Hughes
02 October 2018 15:35 PM
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02 October 2018 15:30 PM
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01 October 2018 17:09 PM
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25 September 2018 09:37 AM
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25 September 2018 09:25 AM
From: John Hughes
25 September 2018 09:25 AM
From: John Hughes
24 September 2018 15:12 PM
From: John Hughes
19 September 2018 10:26 AM
From: John Hughes
19 September 2018 10:13 AM
From: John Hughes
18 September 2018 11:03 AM
From: John Hughes
17 September 2018 09:42 AM
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13 September 2018 08:26 AM
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11 September 2018 10:20 AM
From: John Hughes
06 September 2018 09:56 AM
From: John Hughes
06 September 2018 09:36 AM
From: John Hughes
05 September 2018 12:14 PM
From: John Hughes
03 September 2018 09:29 AM
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30 August 2018 09:36 AM
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23 August 2018 08:34 AM
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23 August 2018 08:18 AM
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22 August 2018 09:13 AM
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20 August 2018 10:33 AM
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20 August 2018 10:26 AM
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15 August 2018 16:33 PM
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14 August 2018 08:52 AM
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14 August 2018 07:59 AM
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14 August 2018 07:55 AM
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10 August 2018 10:17 AM
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10 August 2018 09:07 AM
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10 August 2018 08:35 AM
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10 August 2018 08:25 AM
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09 August 2018 11:54 AM
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08 August 2018 09:20 AM
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08 August 2018 09:17 AM
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07 August 2018 16:47 PM
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06 August 2018 09:42 AM
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03 August 2018 12:00 PM
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02 August 2018 09:04 AM
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31 July 2018 09:21 AM
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31 July 2018 09:19 AM
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30 July 2018 13:12 PM
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20 February 2017 08:40 AM
From: John Hughes
25 July 2016 13:57 PM
From: John Hughes
13 July 2016 16:03 PM
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02 March 2016 11:20 AM
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05 February 2016 09:43 AM
From: John Hughes
28 January 2016 13:28 PM
From: John Hughes
28 January 2016 10:49 AM
From: John Hughes
28 January 2016 10:45 AM
From: John Hughes
27 January 2016 11:27 AM
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25 January 2016 10:08 AM
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25 January 2016 10:00 AM
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20 January 2016 11:12 AM
From: John Hughes
19 January 2016 09:52 AM
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19 January 2016 09:50 AM
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18 January 2016 10:02 AM
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08 January 2016 09:19 AM
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07 January 2016 09:42 AM
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07 January 2016 09:39 AM
From: John Hughes
05 January 2016 14:51 PM
From: John Hughes
05 January 2016 14:42 PM
From: John Hughes
05 January 2016 11:58 AM
From: John Hughes
28 December 2015 15:28 PM
From: John Hughes
23 December 2015 11:39 AM
From: John Hughes
22 December 2015 09:49 AM
From: John Hughes
21 December 2015 12:23 PM
From: John Hughes
21 December 2015 12:21 PM
From: John Hughes
18 December 2015 08:50 AM
From: John Hughes
17 December 2015 10:47 AM
From: John Hughes
17 December 2015 10:23 AM
From: John Hughes
15 December 2015 13:39 PM
From: John Hughes
07 December 2015 10:44 AM