Posts with tag: tenants

Tenants are Poorly-Informed on Their Rights, NLA Blames Government

Published On: June 25, 2019 at 8:44 am

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A recent report commissioned by The National Landlords’ Association (NLA) has found that more than three quarters – 79% – of tenants need more information about their rights and responsibilities.

The NLA believes the government isn’t doing enough to make tenants aware of their rights despite their latest push of their How to Rent Guide. Currently, landlords are compelled to hand copies of the guide to their new tenants, but whether through landlords and letting agents not doing so, or tenants simply not reading the guide, the program has been ineffective. 

The study found that 67% of surveyed tenants weren’t even aware of the Government’s How To Rent Guide. 

Richard Lambert, CEO of the NLA, commented: “It is alarming that so few tenants seem to know about the government’s flagship guide on their rights and responsibilities. It’s clear that compelling landlords to give tenants copies of the How to Rent Guide has made little impact.” 

Whilst the study did bring to light that 68% of tenants had never had any cause to complain to their landlord: a definite positive, Lambert is concerned: “Unless the government tackles this problem quickly, there is a danger that there will be a breakdown of trust between landlords and tenants at a time when this relationship is already coming under strain because of overregulation in the PRS.”

The Guide is designed to inform tenants of their rights and responsibilities. According to gov.uk: “It provides a checklist and more detailed information on each stage of the process, including what to look out for before renting; living in a rented home; what happens at the end of a tenancy and what to do if things go wrong.” 

The guide can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-rent 

More Millennials Looking to Remain Renting, According to YouGov Data

Published On: June 24, 2019 at 8:28 am

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It’s good news for landlords, as new research from The Nottingham Building Society reveals that only one in ten millennials plan to get a mortgage in the next 12 months. This is despite a third of respondents claiming that they are currently saving for a property.

It seems that this age group is set to continue renting for the time being, and this analysis from The Nottingham looks at the situation in further detail, which provides insight for landlords on what younger tenants value in a let.

The building society analysed the data from YouGov Profiles with the objective of looking into the current living arrangements of those aged 20 to 37. The respondents were questioned on their attitudes towards buying their first home as well as their overall thoughts about housing and the economy.

This data also found that 64% of those involved with the survey agreed that a better quality of life could be obtained in the country. A third of them claimed that they could never live in a big city.

The research indicates that millennials are rejecting inflated city prices and central locations in favour of locations where they can feel more at home.

They also value a sense of community in the area, with 52% wishing there were more community activities in their area. Only 20% feel that there is a better sense of community within cities, indicating that the generation will increasingly move away from properties in central city areas, to focus on more rural locations.

26% of respondents stated that they are currently living with parents. 12% currently live rent-free with parents, friends or family.

Despite Brexit uncertainty and the affects it may have on the housing market, there is still a positive outlook. 38% agreed that they are “better off” now than they were a year ago. 32% have admitted that they feel their household financial situation will improve over the next 12 months. This is compared to 20% of the overall national population sharing this outlook.

35% of those aged 20 to 37 have been taking into account news about the economy before making big purchases. The Nottingham believes that this implied Brexit could be a major factor contributing to why just 11% are planning to take out a mortgage and only 3% own their property outright.

Ben Osgood, Senior Mortgage Manager at The Nottingham, said: “Getting onto the property ladder can be a daunting experience, particularly in periods of economic uncertainty. People regularly compare a range of providers when it comes to their energy and insurance so it’s surprising the research found that just one in ten millennial house owners used a mortgage broker, meaning they don’t do the same for their mortgage. Especially considering it’s likely to be their most expensive outgoing.”

“That’s why we introduced the whole of market mortgage comparison for our members provided by Nottingham Mortgage Services. It’s important to us they leave with the right mortgage, regardless of provider. Getting the right advice and product should help the millennial generation feel more confident about their house purchase and know they have a mortgage that suits them, giving them the confidence to make that first leap.”

Increase in Brits Over 50 Looking to Rent Their Homes

Published On: June 18, 2019 at 8:32 am

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Renting has become a popular choice for many across the UK, either due to lifestyle preference or simply because of affordability. 

Now, new information from an analysis of Countrywide branch data has highlighted that there has been a particular increase in the number of renters aged over 50.

The analysis, undertaken by Hamptons International, has found that 15% of rented households in the UK are tenanted by those over 50. This is up from 11% in 2012, which was when the data was first recorded. 

Going into further detail, Hamptons International, which is part of the Countrywide Group, has estimated that 791,580 homes have been rented this year by those over 50. This is a 61% increase on the 2012 figures and 8.2% more than last year.

The results state that this age group will pay £9.2bn in rent this year, which is up from £5.1bn in 2012 and £8.5bn in 2018.

Most of the renters in this age category are in the southeast, making up 19% of the total. The southwest and northwest both contain 16% of the homes let to those over 50.

% of homes rented by over 50s in each region

Region% of homes let by over 50’s
South East19%
South West16%
North West16%
Wales15%
North East15%
West Midlands14%
East Midlands13%
Scotland12%
Yorkshire and the Humber11%
London11%
East of England11%

Source: Hamptons International

Aneisha Beveridge, head of research at Hamptons International, said: “The number of over-50s renting in Great Britain has reached a record high.

“With younger generations much less likely to be home owners, tenants are getting older, and an ever more diverse group of people are calling the rented sector home.

“Rising rents in the South drove rental growth in Great Britain in May. The South West recorded the strongest rental growth, with rents rising 4% year-on-year. Wales and the East were the only regions to record small rent falls.”

Tenants to Save £192m a Year Thanks to Lettings Fee Ban

Published On: June 6, 2019 at 9:29 am

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Private tenants in England look set to save a total of £192m a year thanks to the recently-introduced lettings fee ban, which came into force on 1st June 2019.

A new study, undertaken by property app Bunk, has assessed the cost saving for tenants as a result of the Tenant Fees Act.

Bunk analysed the number of rental transactions within the private rental sector in England, along with the average tenant fee paid prior to the ban, to ascertain just how much the nation’s renters will be saving now that fees are prohibited.

According to the latest Government statistics on churn in the private rental sector, some 860,000 rental transactions are recorded per year.

Data from the English Housing Survey 2017/18 shows that the average tenant was charged £223 in fees alone.

Based on these statistics, a total sum of £191.8m will be saved per year thanks to the ban.

The Government believes that the Tenant Fees Act will make renting properties in England fairer and more affordable for renters, by reducing the costs they have to pay at the outset of a tenancy, at the same time as improving transparency and competition in the private rental sector.

Our Editor, Rose Jinks, spoke to Sky News Sunrise on the day the ban was introduced, to give her thoughts – take a look here

Landlords and letting agents in Wales will be banned from charging fees to tenants from 1st September 2019.

Tom Woollard, the Co-Founder and CEO of Bunk, comments: “For far too long, letting agents have essentially been writing their own rules when it comes to the fees they charge tenants for all manner of things, and, as a result, it has left a very sour taste in the mouths of many in the rental sector.

“The ban on tenant fees is undoubtedly a step in the right direction, as we now have a clear piece of legislation that letting agents, landlords and tenants can all adhere to, with a good level of accountability when this isn’t the case.” 

He continues: “Until this point, the majority of letting agents have essentially been taking extra money above and beyond any justified fees for no additional work, and so the thought that they might try and recoup this lost revenue through rental hikes or any other means is quite laughable. 

“Only time will tell if this does happen, and there will no doubt be a knee-jerk reaction of some sort by the industry. Hopefully, it will act as a catalyst for the sector to stand up and show it can provide a good service for a reasonable fee, and that letting agents still hold some value in a world where technology and innovation will undoubtedly render them obsolete.”

4 in 10 Tenants Face Issues with Having Essential Repairs Fixed

Published On: June 6, 2019 at 8:53 am

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Almost four in ten (39%) tenants face issues with having essential repairs fixed in their properties, leaving more than a third being stuck in poorly maintained homes, according to a survey from the HomeOwners Alliance.

The study of more than 2,000 UK adults found that 39% of private tenants have trouble getting their landlords to conduct essential repairs, while 38% live in cold and damp homes, and 36% have anti-social neighbours.

At the same time, 35% claim to live in poor quality housing, 32% have a limited choice of rental properties, and 20% are worried that their homes do not meet safety or fire standards.

Meanwhile, the majority of tenants in the UK fear that they will never get onto the property ladder, with six in ten concerned that they will not be able to afford to buy a home.

The research also highlighted people’s concerns and criticisms regarding the shortcomings of the Shared Ownership and Help to Buy schemes aimed at helping them buy homes, although the survey found that build to rent is forecast to become a more suitable solution, with the longer tenancies that it offers.

Furthermore, almost half (48%) of respondents supported the ban on tenant fees, 40% would like to rent from a responsible housing provider, 38% wish to see high quality safety and energy efficiency standards in their homes, and 35% want the option of a longer tenancy.

Paula Higgins, the Chief Executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, says: “We have a crisis on our hands. A majority living in rented accommodation desperately want to buy a home of their own – yet most think this is a pipedream. This shouldn’t be the case in the fifth strongest economy in the world.

“Not only that, but it is disgraceful that such high numbers of people living in rented accommodation are putting up with damp, cold properties and reluctant landlords who do not maintain their homes to the required standards. It has been incredibly unfair that such high charges have been put on those living in the rental sector, and the HomeOwners Alliance welcomes this overdue ban.”

She adds: “Help to Buy continues to be a popular scheme, despite fundamental leasehold problems, while features offered by build to rent developments are also attractive to consumers, including security of tenure. Shared Ownership has also lost some of its shine.”

Landlords, we encourage you to always offer safe and secure homes to your tenants, responding to essential repairs in a timely fashion. 

Labour Plans to Scrap Council Tax for Private Tenants

Published On: June 6, 2019 at 8:00 am

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Private tenants would no longer have to pay Council Tax under new plans being put to the Labour Party.

A Labour-commissioned report, Land for the Many, calls on the Party to intervene to cool the housing market if it wins power, by introducing a new “progressive property tax” set nationally, rather than by local councils, and paid for by landlords.

As part of Labour’s proposed new property laws, empty housing, second homes and those owned by people not resident in the UK for tax purposes would have to pay the next tax at a “significantly” higher rate. Also paying proportionately higher rates would be family households with bigger gardens.

The idea behind the proposed shake-up of the property tax system is to “discourage the use of homes as financial assets, reduce the tax paid by the majority of households, and encourage more efficient use of the housing stock”.

The report states: “We recommend that a Labour government replace the regressive and unpopular Council Tax with a progressive property tax based on contemporary property values.

“Unlike Council Tax, this tax would be payable by owners, not tenants.

“This would result in significant administrative savings, lower levels of arrears and less court action.

“Unlike Council Tax, the progressive property tax rate would be based on regularly updated property values, and the rates would be set nationally, rather than locally determined.”

While landlords might want to pass this tax bill onto their tenants in the form of higher rent prices, it seems unlikely that they’ll be able to do so, as, among the new policies included in the report, rent controls are being considered.

Some ministers have branded the proposal “extraordinary and deeply damaging”, warning that Labour’s move amounts to a “tax bombshell”.

The policy idea, contained in the report, suggests that, if Labour wins the next general election, the Party should make public all information about land ownership and control, urge the Bank of England to do more to cool the property market, and give public development corporations the power to purchase, develop and sell land “in the public interest”.

As well as shaking up the property tax system, Labour is also urged to “end the buy-to-let frenzy”.

The Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, Jon Trickett, welcomed the report, vowing to study its recommendations “in detail”.

However, the Housing Secretary, James Brokenshire, said that the plans were “extraordinary and deeply damaging in equal measure”.

He explained his stance: “Labour will stop at nothing to hammer families with more tax and make homeownership a pipedream for future generations.

“Plans to seize land into public ownership also show Labour’s true colours of more and more state control.

“This tax bombshell for families would mean family homes with gardens paying far more and higher taxes on pensioners by abolishing the single person discount.”

The full, independent report, commissioned by Labour, can be found here: http://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/12081_19-Land-for-the-Many.pdf