The industry’s major landlord trade body is urging its members to write to MPs to explains what it calls “the devastating consequences” some will suffer because of the extension of the eviction ban.
Earlier this month the government announced the ban would be extended for another two months, until late August, and now the National Residential Landlords Association wants any of its members put in difficult circumstances by the move to share their experience with Parliamentarians.
The NRLA points out that some landlords who had significant rent arrears before the Coronavirus lockdown face the possibility of five more months without rent if their tenants fail to pay in the knowledge that eviction cannot happen.
A standard letter drawn up by the NRLA calls for:
- a clear statement from the Government reiterating that those who can pay their rent should do so;
- support for tenants most in need to pay their rents by boosting the Local Housing Allowance, developing interest free hardship loans for tenants;
- providing compensation to landlords who have existing possession orders from the courts but cannot execute them, and have therefore will have missed five months’ of rent payments as a result of government actions;
- prioritising possession cases that began before the lockdown but were then paused, those related to rent arrears built before the lockdown, and cases of tenants committing anti-social behaviour or domestic violence;
- clear plans to ensure courts process legitimate possession claims more swiftly once they do reopen.
NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle says: “It’s essential landlords’ voices are heard as the process for possessions is agreed. Tenants affected by coronavirus need to be supported, but it is equally important that landlords are able to regain possession in legitimate circumstances – for example antisocial behaviour.
“The government also needs to recognise the financial impact on individual landlords of significant rent arrears pre-dating the coronavirus measures – and of a further five months without payment. We are encouraging members to write to their MP – sharing personal experiences carry a lot of weight.
“I would encourage members to include details about how they and their tenants have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak, and any actions they have taken to support those living in their rental homes.”
You can find more details of the standard letter here.
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Oh - And I wonder what the response will be.
I know! Bu88er all.....
Not the right attitude to say that will do nothing whatsoever, but , that will do nothing whatsoever.
Legislation decisions are now based not on what’s right or wrong they are based on where the most votes are
Might not be right, but it IS true......
For sure they (Government) will do nothing.
There's an average of just over 3,000 landlords per constituency.
That's more than enough to swing a marginal seat, if that vote could be mobilised & directed.
I am sure the government will really listen to this lobby.
Yeah...I bet they are on the case already after having seen that news!!!!!
NOT!
As always, mad-Mark, your mild sarcasm show how little you know, and how little you care about landlords.
As usual you are 100% unconstructive.
In reality its fairly clear you despise as well as probably envy us, which is why you hate us and are quietly doing all you can to create even more adverse opinion unfairly against us.
I'm sure many - probably most - people here can see right through your shallow pretence of being reasonable and well balanced, as opposed to being unreasonable and a little unhinged which seem a lot closer to the Mark to me!
Barry, I have no pretence, I only say it as i see it. And, if you think government is interested in the plight of BTL landlords, you are only kidding yourself. I turn it back you, your over inflated self importance is on the side of being unhinged.
@ Barry X
Mark's website states that he offers services to landlords. It must really hurt him badly to take their money.
As always with the NRLA…too little, too late, too quietly.
Just out of curiosity, what would you have them do? There is a very strong anti-landlord bias from most corners of the country, and the government for some reason thinks it will get a bunch of ideologically zealous millennials voting Tory by bribing them with pro-tenant legislation, not realising you're not going to win over a load of kids who don't understand the things they believe because they mostly parrot what their sociology professors at university say or what they read in the Guardian.
I get the feeling the NRLA might be stuck just trying to pull the government back from the excessive nonsense that Shelter and Labour spout. You've got to consider the broad picture in that there are genuine crackpot socialist activists who are trying to take us over the precipice and the sane people in society just trying to stop us falling into it.
For a start they need to stop actively supporting anti-LL measures. Then speak up and speak up loudly or simply fold. What is the point in being a practically mute LL voice?
James I understand where you're coming from but the NRLA/NLA/RLA have been completely useless over the last few years. So much so (IMHO) that I've just cancelled my membership.
I cannot think of one success they've had but instead, whenever Govt, or indeed Shelter, come up with some loony idea, it seems that the NRLA support it.
What can they do?? Get a damn sight more vocal and put up a fight instead of rolling over.
James.... that's EXACTLY why they should be REGULARLY making as big a noise and as big a fuss as they can to PROPERLY & VERY REGULARLY work to address the imbalance and KEEP PRESENTING **OUR** MUCH MORE REASONED & FACTUAL POINT OF VIEW.
Also, WITH THEIR HELP AT ORGANISING US, we should be MAKING AS BIG AND WORRYING A NUISANCE OF OURSELVES AS POSSIBLE!!!!
Don't you realise that is exactly how the liberal-left created the horrible downward spiralling mess we find ourselves in. If WE had used some of their tactics on them - but more honestly and properly informed by actual facts and real-life experiences - then I don't think we'd be facing the calamity we now find ourselves in and EVERY DAY WHILE WE DO NOTHING WITH "TEETH" IN IT THE SITUATION GETS WORSE AND THE DAMAGE HARDER TO REPAIR.
That's what they could and SHOULD be doing.... its not hard, it EASY to understand. Now they must get off their lazy arses and DO IT.
Generation Rent have far more presence in a budget of a few tens of thousand pounds than NRLA with its 7 figure income.
OK, so they need to be louder and more polemical. I certainly agree, they do need to be more vocal and I for one would be happy for them to just come out and call out Shelter and Labour for being quack Marxists who won't be happy until the concept of private property is abandoned.
I think a lot of the service they provide, the advice and materials are good, but yes admittedly there are problems with the campaigning side of things. I think to a certain extent that goes beyond their control, successive governments hell bent on interfering in the PRS as a vote-winner are going to continually bend to the will of the tenant voter until they realise that the landlords have abandoned the PRS and all the tenants who were housed by them turn up on the door of social housing. LIke with all things, common sense and empirical evidence mean very little against the emotive things that Shelter and the like put out and there isn't much of a public sympathy for landlords. Its difficult to balance criticising the government thoroughly, which truth be told would probably be just telling the Ministry of Housing that every they are doing is completely wrong and maybe a bunch of civil servants don't know how things work in the real world, but this would very quickly fall on deaf ears and would make it far harder for any concessions to landlords to be achieved. The government wouldn't even listen to putting back the electrical safety whilst the pandemic is on-going despite most landlords being unable to get sparkys in, never mind the fact that it is staggeringly incompetently written, so even small sensible concessions aren't forthcoming. I just think the tide has turned irreversibly to the point at which only catastrophe would turn it back. It'll go back to the same state of affairs when the old Rent Act tenancies were in place and the govt. had to make the market more attractive for landlords again to keep the PRS going. Whether anyone will have the Thatcherite will to do so though will remain to be seen.
James,
For a start, The Govt could have resumed Possession cases for NON-Covid from the 25th of June, and then asked ALL Tenants in Covid-related rent Arrears to apply to DWP - U.C for a payment to their landlord of out-standing rent. This could remain open for 6 months.
What the Govt did do, was transfer the cost of accommodating people from the State's social security budget, onto private landlords. Its called 'Sequestration' of private assets.
That isn't right or justified for votes or any other reason.
What they should do is insist that if people have to pay rent, then it has to be paid.
Non payment of rent should be made a criminal offence. If they do that the number of non payments will become virtually nil. And that will also be a smaller burden for the courts at the same time.
If they don't pay, then instant eviction. Just as Germany and Australia do.
To all intents and purposes there are NO defaults in those countries.
Now! I wonder why?
They are, as the saying goes, in office but not in power. THe majority of the press, civil service, judges, police, Shelter and Citizens Advice are now ruled by the left-wing so landlords are not welcome.
....agreed but we're not just "not welcome" we have been transformed by their lies and ideological campaigns into figures of hate who must be "brought down" - like Churchill's reputation and statue, in their warped and extremely ignorant opinions!!!
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