Generation rent is wrong and landlords are supporting tenants

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Generation Rent is wrong to claim that the majority of landlords are failing to support tenants needing help during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A yet to be published survey by the National Residential Landlords Association of over 4,500 landlords has found that 90% of landlords who had received a request for support from a tenant responded positively.

The post Generation rent is wrong and landlords are supporting tenants appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Generation rent is wrong and landlords are supporting tenants

Two thirds of landlords have rejected struggling tenants’ requests for rent relief

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Controversial claim is made by campaigning group Generation Rent, which says it’s based on survey of 1,542 renters. But the NRLA says it will publish its own data tomorrow morning on the same subject.

An ongoing information war between the National
Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) and Generation Rent over how significantly
the Coronavirus lockdown is affecting tenants has broken out again.

This follows the claim by Generation Rent that the
government’s strategy of relying on landlord compassion and asking both sides
to ‘work things out’ isn’t working.

Generation Rent says that its research shows that just under
a third of landlords who have been approached by struggling tenants have either
given them a rent reduction or deferral during the crisis.

This comes from a survey of 1,542 renters. It found that
868 (56%) of tenants had lost income since the lockdown started.

Of those, 38% had asked their landlord for a lower rent, 25%
were considering an approach to their landlord and 37% said they probably
wouldn’t ask them.

Of those who did, in 7% of cases the landlord offered a
lower rent that wasn’t repayable, 25% offered a rent deferral and 56% had asked
for the full rent to be paid. The remaining 12% were waiting to hear back.

Dan Wilson Craw, director of Generation Rent, says: “Some landlords are doing the right thing by reducing rents for tenants who have had their incomes slashed.

“But most tenants who have approached their landlord for
help are getting nothing – except more dread that they’ll be evicted. Relying
on landlords’ compassion isn’t working.” 

The NRLA is expected to publish a rebuttal in the
morning. Watch this space.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Two thirds of landlords have rejected struggling tenants’ requests for rent relief | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: Two thirds of landlords have rejected struggling tenants’ requests for rent relief

Housing market to reopen

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Landlords can now hold viewings and allow tenants to move in and out of rental homes – provided they follow social distancing measures. The changes to the rules -­ amendments to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) regulations in England – means estate and letting agents’ offices can open; viewings are permitted; show homes can open; […]

The post Housing market to reopen appeared first on RLA Campaigns and News Centre.

View Full Article: Housing market to reopen

BREAKING: Rental market to reopen tomorrow after travel restrictions are lifted for landlords, tenants and agents

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Short but hugely important changes have been made to the key travel ban legislation this evening, amendments which are due to go live at midnight tonight.

The government has pushed through legislative changes
tonight that will see the rental market reopen tomorrow in England.

In an obscure update to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020, landlords will now be free to let their properties and tenants now have the green light to move home.

This bill has been – and continues to be – used to restrict travel during the Coronavirus crisis and includes a short list of exemptions such as travelling to a hospital and to buy food.

This list has now been joined by five new exemptions that enable members of the public to visit both sales or lettings agencies, developers’ sales offices and show homes; view properties for sale or rent; prepare properties prior to moving in; and move home.

Agents and landlords are also allowed to visit any rental property to get them ready for sale, which means appraisals, property valuations and photography.

The new travel exemptions also apply to the sales market,
and landlords will therefore be able to begin buying investment properties once
more too.

“It’s great news for consumers and the industry that the housing market is being opened up and people can let, rent, buy and sell properties again,” say David Cox, Chief Executive of ARLA Propertymark and Mark Hayward, Chief Executive of NAEA Propertymark in a joint statement.

“Safety of course will be paramount, and we would encourage everyone to ensure that they follow Government guidelines closely to protect others and themselves.”

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – BREAKING: Rental market to reopen tomorrow after travel restrictions are lifted for landlords, tenants and agents | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: BREAKING: Rental market to reopen tomorrow after travel restrictions are lifted for landlords, tenants and agents

Bounce Back Loans for property businesses – Part 2

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Our last video on the Bounce Back Loan Scheme and how property businesses are eligible, has given rise to a lot of discussion on Property118 and elsewhere on social media.

In this video Andrew Roberts and I return to give an important update including:

–

The post Bounce Back Loans for property businesses – Part 2 appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Bounce Back Loans for property businesses – Part 2

MPs quote NRLA policy proposals during Covid-19 inquiry evidence session

admin    Uncategorized     agents

NRLA policy proposals were quoted by MPs during a virtual oral evidence session of the Housing, Communities and Local Government select committee yesterday. The committee heard evidence virtually from Luke Hall MP, the Minister responsible for tackling homelessness, as part of the inquiry on the impact of Covid-19 on the PRS and homelessness. During the […]

The post MPs quote NRLA policy proposals during Covid-19 inquiry evidence session appeared first on RLA Campaigns and News Centre.

View Full Article: MPs quote NRLA policy proposals during Covid-19 inquiry evidence session

‘This is what your evictions extension plan could mean for landlords, Mr Starmer’

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Landlord Action claims any extension to the three-month evictions ban would have a catastrophic effect on an already desperate situation for many landlords stuck with non-paying tenants.

Thousands of landlords are
stuck with tenants who haven’t paid rent for months and who could be living
rent-free in their properties until at least September.

Those with pre Covid-19
possession cases could be forced to cover more than a year’s worth of rent if
the courts can’t resume existing cases from 25th June, according to Landlord
Action – after the Labour Party suggested an extension to the ban on evictions
from three to six months.

Landlord Action says of 25,000 cases stuck in the legal system, 10,000 are from private landlords. With more than 500 live possession claims with the courts, founder Paul Shamplina is being contacted daily by landlords who’d launched eviction proceedings against tenants for non-payment of rent before the ban and now face financial collapse.

“Existing possession claims should be treated separately to any tenancy issues that arise as a result of Covid-19,” he says.

“Cases
where rent arrears had already built up for months and landlords had sought
action prior to the pandemic should be prioritised, as these landlords will be
taking the biggest financial hit.”

Landlord David Walters’ tenant owes him £12,000 but her refusal to leave or pay means he can’t return from abroad to his London flat.

The tenant was consistently
late paying rent so was given two months’ notice last June. David raised court
action in October when she refused to leave, and then sought a baliff’s order which should have happened in April, but the
lockdown meant no further action could be taken for 90 days.

“I’m
in a desperate situation as I have no home to return to in the UK,” he says.
“I’ve no idea when this situation can be resolved. Even when the central London
court reopens there will be a huge backlog of cases.”

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – ‘This is what your evictions extension plan could mean for landlords, Mr Starmer’ | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: ‘This is what your evictions extension plan could mean for landlords, Mr Starmer’

LATEST: Scottish government to allow University students to exit tenancies early

admin    Uncategorized     agents

Scotland is first to solve the ongoing problems between corporate landlords and students over rent waivers and is to pass emergency legislation to give existing and new tenants the right to quit contracts early.

Scotland is to introduce emergency legislation to give students living in both purpose-built private rented apartment blocks and halls of residence the right to give just seven days’ notice to quit a tenancy.

The new regulations, which are subject to approval by the country’s parliament, will cover existing tenancies while those starting new ones will have to give 28 days’ notice while the temporary legislation is in force.

These measures are designed to protect both existing tenants who have been told to ‘go home’ by their universities, and student renters who are considering a tenancy for the next semester, but who are not sure if their campus will be re-opening in time.

The measures will only allow early exits from tenancies for Coronavirus-related reasons and will prevent students exiting contracts just because they’ve decided not to go to university, for example.

Today’s announcement is in stark contrast to England, where the government recently said it had no plans to intervene in the student rental market, as LandlordZONE reported on 28^th April.

“During this time of great uncertainty and financial hardship for many, these proposals would relieve a significant extra financial burden on students,” says Michael Russell, the Scottish government’s Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs.

“Introducing a 28-day notice period for contracts entered into during the lifetime of this Act recognises the uncertainly around the impact of ongoing lockdown measures, as well as providing the same rights as for those students renting in the mainstream private rented sector.”

The new legislation is within Scotland’s latest Coronavirus specific bill, which was published yesterday afternoon.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – LATEST: Scottish government to allow University students to exit tenancies early | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: LATEST: Scottish government to allow University students to exit tenancies early

Will it get the green light? Croydon Council approves bid to continue huge licensing scheme

admin    Uncategorized     agents

The London borough operates one of the largest selective licensing schemes in the UK with over 36,000 properties not included within its area, which is now set to continue for another five years.

Croydon last night gave the green light to renewing its landlord licensing scheme for another five years, LandlordZONE can reveal.

After being approved by the council cabinet, the plan will now go to the Secretary of State. It includes an improved support service for landlords and tenants in the London borough, including a tenants’ welcome pack and template documents so it’s easier to do inspections and safety checks.

Croydon
council consulted residents, landlords, letting agents, community groups and
the public, and found most support for the most comprehensive scheme, which
covered the whole borough, targeting antisocial behaviour in six wards in the
south and poor housing conditions in 22 wards, mainly in the north and centre.

The council
launched its borough-wide scheme in 2015 which now covers more than 36,400
properties but is due to end in September.

The existing
scheme has inspected over 13,000 properties, served more than 1,000 enforcement
notices, issued 75 prohibition orders, and fined or prosecuted over 40
landlords.

Councillor Alison Butler (pictured), deputy leader and cabinet member for homes and Gateway services, says:“Over the last five years our landlord licensing scheme has raised living conditions for thousands of private tenants across the borough, but we want to do more.

“With a rise
in private lettings, these proposals are all about working with landlords and
tenants to further improve the standard of rented homes in Croydon while
tackling antisocial behaviour.”

The standard
cost for a five-year licence remains £750, with some discounts available
including a £350 fee for current licence holders.

©1999 – Present | Parkmatic Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | LandlordZONE® – Will it get the green light? Croydon Council approves bid to continue huge licensing scheme | LandlordZONE.

View Full Article: Will it get the green light? Croydon Council approves bid to continue huge licensing scheme

Stepping up further and offering a free basic single or joint Will

admin    Uncategorized     agents

For many years, Property118 and H D Consultants have worked very closely together. The Team at H D Consultants has provided experienced, qualified and fully insured mortgage, life cover and estate planning advice.

At this time, whilst more and more people are worried about their current jobs and businesses

The post Stepping up further and offering a free basic single or joint Will appeared first on Property118.

View Full Article: Stepping up further and offering a free basic single or joint Will