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Lou Valdini

Director

3377 Profile Views

About Me

Not much to say!

my expertise in the industry

'Amateur' landlord for 18 years. Director of 1 RTM company. Good understanding of the issues faced by 'small' landlords in the private rented sector.

Lou's Recent Activity

As soon as Khan opens his mouth, I switch off. Time for Londoners to vote him out.

From: Lou Valdini 07 August 2023 19:27 PM

Growing up in rented housing in the centre of London in the 60s, we had 2 lodgers on the top floor and me, my parents and 3 sisters were crammed in below. We had one outside loo (with cut-up newspaper - best use for the Guardian!), no bathroom, and no heating apart from a coal fire and electric wall heaters. Our lodgers were very happy with what they had. What renters have today, and the protection they are given in law, is a million miles away from what we had. When did they become so entitled?

From: Lou Valdini 17 February 2021 11:38 AM

The most important discussion was where to go for dinner!

From: Lou Valdini 19 December 2020 16:53 PM

Ha Ha! Funny you should say that... I've definitely had too much time on my hands since March, when my day job disappeared and I got covid. Time for retirement, I thought. So, I popped over to Dubai to visit my son last week, and spent time lazing on a sun-drenched beach, sipping cold beer. I can see why tenants think they shouldn't have to pay their rent when their landlords have such an easy life! I came back to an offer of a part-time contract, so retirement no longer beckons... for 2021 at least.

From: Lou Valdini 19 December 2020 11:06 AM

I certainly intend to make a money claim. I have no expectation of getting any money from him, but as you say, he needs to realise his actions have the most severe consequences, and when he can't find a decent place to live, he may just think.. if I'd paid my rent when I had the money, instead of thinking I'm so clever ripping-off my poor old landlord who can't touch me, I'd still be living in that lovely, warm, safe apartment.

From: Lou Valdini 18 December 2020 17:32 PM

My tenant is certainly better off than before covid. He is self-employed and hasn't stopped working throughout. He has claimed all his government handouts and received a tax rebate, but decided he didn't need to pay his rent in March... because the landlord (me) didn't have to pay his mortgage, so he shouldn't have to pay his rent. Oh, and thought it acceptable to hold wild drug-fuelled parties and intimidate his neighbours at all hours. S.8 served for 6 months arrears and nuisance, but who knows when it will get to court, and then, when I can kick his sorry arse out. I'll shut up now!

From: Lou Valdini 18 December 2020 16:53 PM

Oh, how my friends would laugh at me being called a Guardian reader! I've been a landlord since 2003 and currently have a tenant who is £3000 in arrears and not budging. I've served a S.8 but am unlikely to get him out until next year some time. I may be angry about the situation, and certainly don't agree with councils coming cap in hand, but I can't see any benefit in casting all LHA tenants in the same light. I have another tenant; single mum, who lost her job at the start of lockdown and had never claimed benefits before, but she had no choice. We helped her obtain her UC and she continued to find the money to pay her rent in full until her UC came through. And before you continue your rant against tenants on LHA, and how you will weed them out during referencing, perhaps you can comment on what you would do if one of your perfectly vetted high IQ tenants suddenly ends up on UC. Do they suddenly become feckless?

From: Lou Valdini 18 October 2020 19:43 PM

What incensed me about Javad's comment was his statement that these types of tenants will be low IQ. My daughter receives LHA and can be quite intelligent... at times! Kids, eh? I can give him the benefit of the doubt that he didn't mean ALL these tenants will be low IQ because that simply cannot be true, and in which case, yes, I grant that many are uneducated and many are simply bad tenants who don't value the roof over their heads. But I won't give the benefit of the doubt to Paul Barrett who's attitude gives all landlords a bad name.

From: Lou Valdini 18 October 2020 17:14 PM

You are neither a decent landlord or decent human being!

From: Lou Valdini 18 October 2020 17:04 PM

You may be right about some tenants receiving LHA but not paying their rent, and therefore you need to get an APA in place. But I think your comment about these tenants being 'low IQ' is pretty appalling. I suspect you'll find many who are much better qualified than you and me, but have either fallen on hard times or simply cannot manage their finances. There will soon be a huge number of highly intelligent and previously well-paid people receiving LHA as the lockdown plays out and people have to start claiming UC for the first time in their life.

From: Lou Valdini 18 October 2020 16:08 PM

From: Lou Valdini 16 October 2020 11:54 AM

I don't know where Landlord Today got this story, but it is absolute nonsense. Apart from the large professional Ltd companies, every landlord is concerned, and a significant percentage cannot see a future for them in BTL. Personally, I have already sold one property in London because the income and mortgage would have resulted in a significant increase in personal taxation. It went to an older couple who had downsized, bought a country cottage, and wanted a London pad. Contradiction of the Government's view that their attacks on the small BTL landlord will level the playing field and benefit FTBs.

From: Lou Valdini 08 March 2017 10:28 AM

Shelter's uninformed political lobbying and meddling e.g. s.24, will be responsible for the decimation of the private rented sector, increases in rents, evictions, fewer properties available for rent (especially to tenants on benefits), consolidation of rental properties in the hands of a few large and 'untouchable' landlord companies, fewer properties for first time buyers because the large property companies will snap them up, etc... I hope Shelter will accept its responsibilities for this ...Not!

From: Lou Valdini 06 February 2017 14:03 PM

Just about sums it up! Yes, why isn't there any mention about s.24. Look at the ridiculous article about the DPS. They make life even harder for the PRS landlord, by favouring tenants in disputes.

From: Lou Valdini 31 January 2017 11:06 AM

Why isn't the Government attacking corporate landlords and holiday lettings? This drop is no surprise. I've already sold in London, and it went to an older couple who sold their house to buy a country cottage and a London pad! If the objective of the constant attack on 'smaller' landlords is to help first time buyers, where are the figures to show they are benefiting?

From: Lou Valdini 09 December 2016 15:43 PM

I've already sold in London because the impact of s.24 would have turned a modest profit into a loss due to the new [irrational] tax liability. My 2 bed flat had been providing much needed good quality accommodation to young people for 10 years, but the previous Chancellor imposed a new tax on ONLY smaller landlords, while permitting the large [limited] property companies, and [strangely] holiday let owners serving the leisure industry [not providing much need rental homes!] to escape the tax. Not only is that unfair, it is perverse and irrational, and will have a devastating impact on both the private and social rental market. Most small landlords are caring, provide good quality accommodation, are responsive to their tenants needs, and do not make huge profits. So why punish them for providing that service? They will be forced to sell, and it won't be first time buyers who pick them up at a bargain price, it will be the big landlords getting even bigger, and even less accountable to their tenants! Well done Osborne! For all those charities that forced his hand ...be careful what you wish for; you may [will] receive it! My flat did not go to a first time buyer; it went to an older couple who had sold up and bought a cottage in the country, but also wanted a flat in London. 2 more beds removed from the rental market!

From: Lou Valdini 11 November 2016 10:20 AM

Congratulations to Chris and Steve for this initiative. I will be signing up. However, what appears to have been missed is that this ill-conceived tax change will not be applied to those who buy properties for 'holiday letting'. I will be hard hit by the BTL changes, but my partner, who has owned a holiday cottage for 15 years, will still be permitted to claim mortgage interest against her income!! The 'holiday let' industry is growing exponentially, especially since the pension changes, and is hugely more damaging in large areas of the Country than BTL i.e. in rural areas, where employment is predominantly agricultural and relatively low paid, and private rented and low(er) cost family homes are essential. However, rural properties are being snapped up for holiday lets and farms are converting outbuildings and 'tied' cottages, and therefore removing them from the market. These properties remain unoccupied for many months each year, yet the Government sees no problem with the owners claiming tax relief on their mortgage interest payments.

From: Lou Valdini 05 January 2016 11:25 AM

LRS is not a comprehensive listing, and relies on landlords participating, but it is a start: http://www.landlordreferencing.co.uk/tenant-alerts/

From: Lou Valdini 05 January 2016 11:05 AM

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