Significantly more needs to be done to financially support landlords and renters during the existing Covid-19 pandemic, according to Housing Hand.
The rent guarantor service is concerned that the challenges in the private rented sector are only going to intensify as the coronavirus crisis continues to put a strain on the economy.
The clock is certainly ticking. According to research by LSE London and Trust for London, the number of private tenants in rent arrears in England could treble in the coming year.
That could mean as many as 700,000 tenants – and their landlords – in financial difficulty.
Housing Hand points out that letting agents, too, are suffering, as many firms continue to operate with a reduced income.
Housing Hand’s group managing director, Jeremy Robinson, said: “The intentions of the eviction ban to protect individual tenants are excellent, but the situation unfortunately doesn’t take all those involved in the rental transaction into account.”
“The financial impact of tenants who can’t afford to pay on landlords is devastating.”
The eviction ban is currently due to run until 21 February but there is growing speculation that it could be extended in line with continuing lockdown restrictions.
Such a move would mean that landlords, and the letting agents whose businesses they support, could face further weeks or even months of financial struggle.
Terry Mason, group operations director at Housing Hand, commented: “The government must stop using private landlords to house tenants who are unable or unwilling to pay their rent.
“These are difficult times for all concerned and a new solution is needed – one that supports all those involved in the rental sector.”
Comments (16)
Yes I did respond but after a long post the mobile battery conked out. I couldn’t be bothered to type it all out again. So simply I make a judgement of any tenant type that is prone to continuous and regular cooking of noxious food. That could be any tenant type. Noxious cooking isn’t necessarily the province of any particular tenant type. I make a holistic judgement of tenant types Not dealing with families especially those of multi-generations enables me to avoid those who are prone to such noxious cooking which definitely damages the fabric of a property. That is about it as far as my DD goes when deciding on who to take on as a tenant. There are no hard and fast rules I operate under. Just through circumstance that I tend not to be involved with households where there may be a propensity for noxious cooking. But I get if I operated in more diverse areas I would struggle to achieve the sorts of tenants I would want. Just one reason why I choose not to operate in diverse areas. It is a business decision I made many moons ago. Good luck to LL who have made different business decisions to me.
There was never the need to stop all possession hearings. Time this was put right. Many tenants are playing the system at the cost of good landlords, putting two fingers up to rent arrears which they receive via Universal Credit and has absolutely nothing to do with Covid. The courts should decide on the facts for the possession. Isn’t this what Government are indicating they will be moving towards with Housing Courts?
You are totally correct. There was never ANY need to suspend ALL repossessions. But it has been very politically expedient to have a policy that isn’t electorally damaging. Govt couldn’t give a toss about LL votes. It has also been a very useful strategy to enable Govt to hasten the exit of many LL from the PRS. From the Govt perspective What’s not to like!!?? The way Govt behaves is entirely commensurate with their bonkers ideology to see the back of small LL. They know the electorate won’t care a jot if small LL are forced out of business. The eviction ban is a sort of constructive dismissal for many LL. I just find it unbelievable that such bonkers policies are being enacted by an alleged Conservative Govt. I consider they are now well to the left of old New Labour potentially veering further over to the left and catching up the lunatic Corbyn as we speak!!
The electorate will care when it is they who have no roof over their heads. Far too much politics is pandering to supposedly the masses wishes and is utter nonsense looking over their shoulder to really find no-one is there. Fear rules. Driven by permanent civil servants advising MP’s what to do and looney opposition ideology. Not many a politician will stand up today and argue. Ducks and dives, no straight answer or one that could come back and bite them later, ‘in fear of the media’ and opposition parties who enjoy stabbing them.
Believe me NOBODY from the electorate will blame Govt for a much reduced PRS. The electorate isn’t clever enough to see the connection between bonkers anti-LL policies and reduced rental supply resulting in higher rents. The Govt’s useful idiots; Shelter and GR certainly will continue to support the idiot Govt anti-LL policies which will actually be contributing to homelessness. Tenants are too stupid to realise how ludicrous Govt policies have affected them. Bonkers incorrect ideologies are causing massive damage to peoples’ lives. Govt is intent on getting rid of small LL to be ideally replaced with big corporate LL. Just that Govt strategy alone proves how incompetent the Govt is with it’s supposed understanding of the UK property market. The most recent example of this is the pathetic response to the flat cladding issue. It solves absolutely nothing!! Even with cladding remediated without an EWS1 form the flats are still unsellable and will bankrupt many as other construction defects aren’t covered. Lenders would be totally justified in refusing to lend UNTIL all defects revealed by an EWS1 firm have been revealed. This is just the latest example of Govt incompetence over probably the most important part of the UK economy namely the housing market. The Govt lack of understanding about the cladding issue is astounding. Believe me Govt by it’s actions is attempting to get rid of small LL and will do nothing to assist those victim LL. It can’t prevent the Scottish and Welsh Govts from assisting LL but it knows the real wealth lies in the South. Forcing LL to sell up will garner vast amounts of CGT. So from a Govt perspective it has nothing to lose from continually bashing LL. Few tenants will blame Govt for getting rid of LL by their bonkers policies. Such tenants simply aren’t clever enough to see the connections.
Paul, last week you said you wouldnt rent to “Noxious cooking tenants” just wondering how you identify “Noxious cooking tenants” ?
Yes I did respond but after a long post the mobile battery conked out. I couldn’t be bothered to type it all out again. So simply I make a judgement of any tenant type that is prone to continuous and regular cooking noxious food. That could be any tenant type. Noxious cooking isn’t necessarily the province of any particular tenant type. I make a holistic judgement of tenant types. Not dealing with families especially those of multi-generations enables me to avoid those who are prone to such noxious cooking which definitely damages the fabric of a property. That is about it as far as my DD goes when deciding on who to take on as a tenant. There are no hard and fast rules I operate under. Just through circumstance that I tend not to be involved with households where there may be a propensity for noxious cooking. But I get if I operated in more diverse areas I would struggle to avhieve the sorts of tenants I would want. Just one reason why I choose not to operate in diverse areas. It is a business decision I made many moons ago. Good luck to LL who have made different business decisions to me.
So by looking at and talking to someone you can tell if they are prone to “Noxious Cooking” ?
No looks of prospective tenants don’t give any propensity to engage in constant noxious cooking. Lifestyle queries are an important part of my overall referencing criteria. I adopt a holistic referencing process. Very hard to write down the criteria. Interview or application would form part of my queries. However I haven’t needed to bother so much as the occupants I have I know aren’t any risk to my properties by their lifestyles. I am in fairly regular attendance at my properties so I know my occupant choices have been relatively wise ones! .
I have a good idea where you were going with this and I think most letting agents know to but the answer was avoided.
If anyone expects that the UK Govt will assist English LL they are deluded.
Govt is attempting to eradicate LL.
Consequently they are on the basis of never letting a crisis going to waste using the eviction ban to put further pressure on LL to sell up.
I predict the eviction ban will be extended at least to the end of December 2021.
Consequently Govt will not wish to lessen the effects of the eviction ban on LL.
Fairness has got nothing to do with it.
The Tories are driven by a bonkers anti-small LL ideology personified by the introduction of the lunatic S24 tax policy.
As such LL need to plan if possible for continuing rent defaulting for about 3 years.
I doubt many small LL can survive this situation.
There will be many LL bankruptcies with many losing their homes to BTL lenders who will force sales of their homes to cover mortgage shortfalls on the BTL properties.
LL will end up as homeless as their tenants due to the dysfunctional eviction process.
Credit ratings and business prospects will be trashed for at least 12 years.
12 years is how long a lender may pursue a borrower for mortgage default.
The debt might disappear after 6 years on credit files but the mortgage debt remains recoverable for another 6 years.
So woe betide any former LL buying a property after 6 years as they will find a charge slapped on the property title by their former BTL lender who can force the sale of the LL new resi property.
Essentially such LL who have been victims of rent defaulting tenants and the eviction ban will need to rent for 12 years rather than wasting time and money on buying another resi home.
Govt is attempting to eradicate LL.
Really!
Really you believe Govt is NOT attempting to eradicate small LL!? Really!!!!??
I certainly do not believe they are intentionally trying to eradicate the small landlord or any big landlord. They want to control landlords. Big difference. They need the housing stock but some politicians are blind to small landlords concerns and leaving the market.
A LL made a business decision of their own free will. They did not set up a charity to help the rest of society. They did it to make money.
if they made a mistake it is for them to deal with not the taxpayer.
I think you’ll find that LL invested on the basis of prevailing conditions at the time.
This is why S24 was so unfair
Moat LL including me wouldn’t have any problem if S24 affected only new investment.
To make S24 retrospective was ridiculous.
Retrospective policies are unfair.
Agree absolutely that LL invest on current conditions.
But LL cannot undo investment decisions from years ago.
It is unfair to penalise them for decisions made decades ago.