Renting in the UK

@ninalanyon I think mainly because the few sitting tenants in the UK tend to be elderly or medically vulnerable. If you sold a house with a professional family who had paid their rent without fail for five years and had even carried out their own improvements, that might actually enhance its attractiveness to another landlord (in the same way as selling an office building occupied by a high profile tenant such as a newspaper group).

@SunshineGirl The sub-standard homes are not only those owned by private individuals either. Some so-called "housing associations" have much to answer for.

One thing that all landlords, private or commercial, have to do is ensure properly-maintained gas and electricity appliances; but the standard of the building itself seems less important.

I think one overall effect of making it even harder for anyone to be landlords, will be even fewer homes to rent, except perhaps commercially where the homes are built for letting from the start.

@ArishMell Unfortunately in recent years that has mainly been due to the effects of inflation on labour and material costs.

I personally feel that 'professional' or institutional landlords are the best guarantee of improved housing standards. But I do have a conflicting interest as my employer invests in big private rented schemes.

@Sharon We need more homes full stop. If landlords sell up this will relieve pressure on the rental market by increasing supply in the equally constrained owner-occupier market. But yes, it does no favours for the most vulnerable renters.

@Sharon Landlords selling up might not be such a terrible thing. At least, that way housing associations get the chance to buy back some of their old stocks to rent out again...

Older properties are also cheaper than new builds, too, so it might tempt some first time buyers to take a step onto the property ladder.

@SunshineGirl It's more than a possibility it's starting to happen, local government will have a problem in regulating the supply of student accommodation in areas where buildings were built over a hundred years ago in established built up areas in the centre of our cities. Ha Ha Cardiff has an idea it looks like it will demolish the National Museum of Wales next to the University in the centre of Cardiff.

The student accommodation blocks are purpose built however they are too expensive for most students who prefer renting from the private sector where the rents are far cheaper, the University of South Wales insists first year students stay in their accommodation blocks unless they are mature students.

There were consultations regarding the removal of Section 21 the No Fault Evictions clause, sadly no one in government listened they have got it wrong, the students will eventually pay for the mistake which has been made around the Student catchments areas of our Universities.

I don't think you are 100% convinced I am right about this ok we'll see time will tell.

@senghenydd No, I just hadn't given much thought to that aspect. Students can hugely distort the local housing markets and create dilemmas because they essentially have a positive influence on the towns where they study. Planning is a big problem because some students are wealthier than local working professionals (owing to the bank of mum and dad), while some fulltime workers would benefit from the cheaper traditional student accommodation.

In Bristol, property guardian schemes (where people occupy empty offices or similar buildings for low rents while they await redevelopment) are increasingly popular.

@SunshineGirl The Majority of Students I have met lately are from abroad, they haven't a great deal of money to spend and simply just manage their way through obtaining their degrees, most of them like living here in the UK and don't intend returning to their original countries they like our cooler climate or feel there are better advantages living in the UK.

I honestly haven't met anyone who has bought accommodation for their children studying in my locality although it does sometimes happen.

I watched a programme on the television some years ago about a Guardian scheme run by a local authority I haven't heard of any such scheme in my locality.

@kutee This 👆

@kutee Yes, but not before the Right to Buy legislation has been repealed.

@zonavar68 They've come into focus in the UK recently as buying property is out of the reach of many and the younger generation is demanding a better deal for tenants.

@hunkalove Our government said that the court system would not be able to cope with the litigation. So tenants are denied justice 😟

@Entwistle now tell us what the law really said 🙄

@NativePortlander1970 The rights of tenants to live decently should always come before the rights of landlords to profit from their second homes.

@SunshineGirl At rents that are affordable.