Tenants in Double Trouble
Saturday 10th June 2023
The property industry and landlords seem resigned to The Renters ‘Revenge’ Bill going through and becoming law, despite its obvious idiocy.
I used to think Michael Gove had some sense but he has lost it this time falling for the nonsense that the housing civil servants, Shelter and other naive lobby group have spoon fed him.
Tenants will regret this.
Private landlords (on the whole the nice ones) are now leaving the market in droves. Those properties that remain available are so sought after that the rents have gone up hugely. How does that help tenants?
The above has all been said by many but falls on the deaf ears of Tories who seem deluded that renters may vote for them.
Looking on the bright side -
There is one thing that could be good for landlords and will be very bad for troublesome tenants. Under this new legislation, landlords will be obliged to give a good reason for serving a Section 8 Notice to get a tenant out.
There are four main ones:
1. Landlord wants to sell.
2 Landlord or family member wants to move in.
3. Redevelopment.
4.Non-payment or repeated non-payment of rent.
On top, there are various grounds for gaining possession where a tenant has been anti-social or a nuisance to neighbours or has given false information to a landlord.
Currently, a landlord can serve a miscreant tenant with a Section 21 (no fault) notice and that tenant can move on without a stain on their record.
Once the legislation is in place, the landlord has to have a reason to serve notice and the referencing companies for the next landlord will naturally ask for a copy of the Section 8 notice requiring them to leave their previous property.
Troublesome tenants who have been served notice for reasons of misdeed on their part will find it very difficult to rent again. If they don’t get caught out the first time, they will the second or third.
Unfortunately, this will mean that landlords with bad tenants will have even more trouble getting rid of them because nobody will take on a bad tenant. Assuming the courts do actually, as promised, come down on a landlord's side, the tenants will ultimately render themselves homeless.
It will take time to work through but these bad tenants will eventually realise that not paying rent, being disruptive to neighbours etc. will not serve them well. Hopefully, most will improve their behaviour. Some still won’t!
Until next time,
PB
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