Private Landlords To Lose Control

[delite1]

Will this make life any harder for BTL?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,...2002180,00.html

[CrashedOutAndBurned]

Make it harder?

Unless you've caused real damagae genuine wear and tear you should get your deposit back 100% right on the dot.

Decent landlords have nothing to fear as they should be doing that anyway.

Scumbag landlords who steal should be punished.

That said, with the new legislation on HMOs and now this I tend to think making 'good landlords' out of the some of the dogy people I've encountered over the years is a bit like trying to make 'good childminders' out of paedophiles.

[El_Pirata]

Make it harder?

Unless you've caused real damagae genuine wear and tear you should get your deposit back 100% right on the dot.

Decent landlords have nothing to fear as they should be doing that anyway.

Scumbag landlords who steal should be punished.

That said, with the new legislation on HMOs and now this I tend to think making 'good landlords' out of the some of the dogy people I've encountered over the years is a bit like trying to make 'good childminders' out of paedophiles.

Does anyone know if existing deposits will have to be passed over into the scheme?

[Mr_Nice]

The real reason for this change is not to protect tenants but rather to create a convenient central list for the IRS to identify landlords and tax them.

I am all for this. Granted this could increase rents but if so it will increase supply of property for sale as BTL become an even less attractive proposition.

I suspect you may see a change where landlords don't require a deposit. In any case anyone who pays the last months rent is a fool.

[New Bear]

It will also put the wind up those naughty landlords who are not exactly being straightforward with the Inland Revenue about income from that BTL they went in for last year. If I were a tenant of such a landlord I would be dropping some little hints about that when it came to the next rent negotiation.

[matey]

If the tenant and landlord fail to agree how much deposit should be returned, the case will be sent to arbitration. This could mean inspectors visiting the property to examine the size of stains and the condition of furniture to distinguish between damage caused by a tenant, which can come out of a deposit and “reasonable wear and tear”, which cannot.

If it goes to arbitration I wonder if the property will need to be left has is and cannot be further let until the inspection / arbitration result.

[rogerthelodger]

Will this make life any harder for BTL?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,...2002180,00.html

about time.everytime i moved the landlord made up an excuse to keep the deposit.like £100 for "cleaning"

even though the place was spotless when i left.

[Without_a_Paddle]

Scumbag landlords who steal should be punished.

And so should scumbag renters who hold back on their last month's rent when they leave.

If you actually read the figures, the amount if scumbag renters and scumbag landlords are about the same.

So why the need for all this expensive beaurocracy?

Sounds like another excuse to create non jobs in the public sector at the taxpayers expense.

Thanks, Nu Labour....

In any case anyone who pays the last months rent is a fool.

I think 'thief' is more accurate than 'fool'

[dog]

Does anyone know if existing deposits will have to be passed over into the scheme?

The legislation will apply only to properties rented after October 1. Approximately 40 per cent of 2.2 million tenanted properties change occupant every year.

[Mr_Nice]

scumbag renters

BTL causing you grief? Its a shame when BTLTers end up actually being forced to work for a living. With your temperament i would not consider BTL for a profession. BTLers with a bad attitude can end up with polyfilla in their plumbing.

[Elizabeth]

The real reason for this change is not to protect tenants but rather to create a convenient central list for the IRS to identify landlords and tax them.

Don't agree. Thats just a lucky side effect of a social policy to make private tenants safer (and why should ANYONE be able to self select to opt out of tax anyway).

The reality is that we are moving from predominantly social tenancy to predominately private tenancy. This has never been looked at because all the social housing policy was on public sector tenants. I wrote to my local MP about 4 years ago after my bond was stolen (I confess I was an honest fool who thought I should comply with my resposibilities under the contract) with details of precisely how to do this (not my idea, I know because I am from a place where it is done, but pretty much exactly what they have implemented - got a very lenghty phone call to discuss it from his assistant).

I am all for this. Granted this could increase rents but if so it will increase supply of property for sale as BTL become an even less attractive proposition.

I suspect you may see a change where landlords don't require a deposit. In any case anyone who pays the last months rent is a fool.

Why will it increase rents? The money is not theirs in the first place. If they keep it, which a lot of scum bags do, then they are directly stealing.

It is also not expensive for the landlord, since all they need to do is what they do anyway which is take an inventory and submit the money to the fund. If the Councils play their cards they can make whatever tribunal / administrative arrangement they need pay for themselves via conservative investment of the deposits themselves. That is what happens in Australia. In fact it generates a surplus (hence keeping down taxes - and since the owner would probably have lost the lot rather than made any money on interest anyway and lost their "investment fund" to a shonky dealer I don't see how ANYONE can object to this.... and if you do, why weren't you screaming when landlords where making money on investment funds that weren't theirs?).

Someone asked will it apply to existing tenancies: I believe it will, there is some clause in there about the changeover.

[Mr_Nice]

I think 'thief' is more accurate than 'fool'

Oh dear. This really is a touchy subject for you.

However, being emotive about an 'investment' is sure to get you no where. If you suspect theft i would report it to the police. They are bound to be more sympathetic to your rants than this board.

[CrashedOutAndBurned]

And so should scumbag renters who hold back on their last month's rent when they leave.

Many who protect their deposits in this way are not scumbags. Many people can tell by repairs undone, calls unanswered, general vibe, if their landlord is scum or not.

If the Law is totally absent on helping renters secure their deposit of course people are going to resort to their own moral code - or 'law of the jungle' to be less charitible - to protect themselves.

This law sounds like it will help the problem. Who's going to not pay their last month's rent if they know their deposit return will be handled fairly by a third party?

[Mr_Nice]

Why will it increase rents?

BTW I agree tax evasion is wrong.

Re rents, I don't know whether this will be an affect. However, if the forced tax declaration reduces incentives to be a BTL then supply may decrease and rents may increase.

As before, i see this a positive as this puts more property back onto the market and increases owner occupiers.

Many who protect their deposits in this way are not scumbags. Many people can tell by repairs undone, calls unanswered, general vibe, if their landlord is scum or not.

If the Law is totally absent on helping renters secure their deposit of course people are going to resort to their own moral code - or 'law of the jungle' to be less charitible - to protect themselves.

This law sounds like it will help the problem. Who's going to not pay their last month's rent if they know their deposit return will be handled fairly by a third party?

Agreed. If the tennant has done genuine damage than the landlord has all their details and can pursue the matter through legal channels, not through confiscation which amounts to no more than summary justice.

[Without_a_Paddle]

Oh dear. This really is a touchy subject for you.

However, being emotive about an 'investment' is sure to get you no where. If you suspect theft i would report it to the police. They are bound to be more sympathetic to your rants than this board.

Actually, I'm not a landlord. I'm just trying to give a balanced and fair view. As a homeowner I have no vested interest either way (unlike you, perhaps?)

[Elizabeth]

I think 'thief' is more accurate than 'fool'

When your dealing with thieves it doesn't pay to take the road of honesty and integrity. I learned that the hard way (520 quid worth - after a year of water pouring into the kitchenette of my studio everytime it rained and getting to the point where I couldn't call the RE because I ended up screaming and crying in frustration, I was too tired and run down to be able to get it together and sue. I had tried calling the Council but they didn't have a department to deal with private tenants in slums).

Never happened in Oz through (not for 30 years at least) ... the government keeps the bond till the tenant applys for it back. The landlord can challenge that and then it goes to a tribunal, it cost the government nothing to run since it is paid for by interest from the deposits (which the landlord had no right to anyway and the tenant never got), .the sky hasn't fallen (not once in the 30 years I have been aware of it), the earth hasn't opened up, and the problems for the private rental sector at the moment (which is far larger than here) are only to do with the global economy and the HPC.

[Guest muttley]

Another piece of legislation that makes BTL less attractive.

I was the victim of a dishonest/niaive landlord who withheld part of my bond from my last tenancy.I am currently taking him to the small claims court.

If you would like to follow it,or if you would like to sue your landlord for dishonestly withholding your bond,then the thread is called "Another Deposit Withheld" on the All About Renting Forum.

[Mr_Nice]

Actually, I'm not a landlord. I'm just trying to give a balanced and fair view. As a homeowner I have no vested interest either way (unlike you, perhaps?)

In my view everyone has a vested interest as the rental and owner markets are very much interelated.

'Scumbag' is a very emotive term for someone attempting to give a balanced and fair view.

[Without_a_Paddle]

Who's going to not pay their last month's rent if they know their deposit return will be handled fairly by a third party?

How about tenants who know they won't see any of the deposit because they know they have caused more damage than the cost of the deposit?

You guys on here are so one sided and blinkered it's laughable.

[Guest muttley]

In my view everyone has a vested interest as the rental and owner markets are very much interelated.

'Scumbag' is a very emotive term for someone attempting to give a balanced and fair view.

He actually said "Scumbag renters who steal..." and it was a parody of COABs "scumbag landlords who steal"

[Without_a_Paddle]

In my view everyone has a vested interest as the rental and owner markets are very much interelated.

'Scumbag' is a very emotive term for someone attempting to give a balanced and fair view.

I 'borrowed' the term scumbag in the interests of balance. It had already been used by someone else.

[Guest muttley]

How about tenants who know they won't see any of the deposit because they know they have caused more damage than the cost of the deposit?

You guys on here are so one sided and blinkered it's laughable.

I know landlords who have not been paid for the last six months of a tenancy,and the place was trashed.Unfortunately there will always be tenants like this.Scumbags.

[Mr_Nice]

He actually said "Scumbag renters who steal..." and it was a parody of COABs "scumbag landlords who steal"

No. "And so should scumbag renters who hold back on their last month's rent when they leave"

As before. It only shows the weakness of your argument when you revert to this approach.

[dog]

BTL causing you grief? Its a shame when BTLTers end up actually being forced to work for a living. With your temperament i would not consider BTL for a profession. BTLers with a bad attitude can end up with polyfilla in their plumbing.

Or shrimps in their curtain poles.

[Without_a_Paddle]

When your dealing with thieves it doesn't pay to take the road of honesty and integrity. I learned that the hard way (520 quid worth - after a year of water pouring into the kitchenette of my studio everytime it rained and getting to the point where I couldn't call the RE because I ended up screaming and crying in frustration, I was too tired and run down to be able to get it together and sue. I had tried calling the Council but they didn't have a department to deal with private tenants in slums).

Why didn't you move out? Why live in that leaky house for a whole year? Living like that for a year sounds a lot worse than losing £520. (i.e. just 5% of the cost of a years rent?)

A general question:

How much are deposits these days? It used to be a month's rent. If you look at it from the LL point of view 1 months rent doesn't buy a lot of protection if your tenant turns out to be a lunatic...