Problems with private rental properties

Low standards of properties. Ludicrous rents, ludicrous agency fees, low take home pay, you are unable to create a home as constant fear of being sold/rent increases etc etc. Being expected to flatshare into your 40s and beyond if your single and low-mid income, No privacy, impossible to co parent in flatshares (can't have kids round as no space etc and other tenants).

Landlords tax evasion, sub lets etc. Can't report them to councils due to making yourself homeless. Councils can't help anyone who is childless and single even if you live in a flat thats condemned.

I've been renting for 20 years across the UK, during that time I've only had one decent landlord. Most happy to treat you like a cash cow and will fight not to make essential repairs or use dubious non trades people to bodge it on the cheap. Current flat is in disrepair but unless i flatshare I can't afford to move as most flats in my budget are even worse, I'm 39 I honestly think living in a glorified bedsit isn't asking for too much. Being a freelancer its not so easy as I'm classed as a zero hours so again its awkward via some letting agents. Basically I'm the embodiment of Government policy failure, a gig worker renter. I'm looking at leaving London as I simply can't sustain the outgoings indefinitely and have a shot at buying. But long term something has to give, London will lose its creative and professional (but not well paid) workers if it doesn't act soon. Its too late for my generation but the future is bleak. I have no children for many reasons but one is because I could never afford a stable decent home, not even a seperate bedroom. How many other lives have been stunted? Its been utter dispair at times. What happens to all the life long renters when they all get too old or ill to work? No council flats, no decent pensions? Its a time bomb.

We need rent control in this country. For example, in France a standard tenancy is 3 years and the landlord cannot ask you to leave before then. If the tenant wants to leave, they must give 3 months notice or one month if there is a job transfer/death/divorce etc. Rent can only be increased once a year and only by a % set by the government. Gives tenants much more security. There is rent control and strict regulations in all countries where renting actual works well as a housing option.

As previously said, landlords and lettings agents have too much power. They own tenants' deposits and in case of disputes the law and all the regulations seem to be more on their side than tenants'. I have experienced it myself. I've lived in London for 12 years and I've seen a drastic change in rental market. Before prices were set according to the size of the property, standard and location. Now it seems that nobody takes any notice of those things anymore. The prices are unaffordable across the whole London with landlords asking for high rent in zones 3 or 4 as well as setting unreasonable prices for tiny box rooms. It's getting out of control and there seems to be no regulations to it whatsoever. When before deposits were a month's rent now lettings agents like to ask for 6 weeks with a month's rent upfront which means people need to save up for months to be able to move houses. In many cases people are stuck living in awful properties because they simply can't afford to move. On another hand it takes up to a month for a tenant to get their deposit back because landlords are allowed to take their time. And they do as they do with repairs or replacement of any broken equipment. To say that one needs to accept those conditions and pay the rent if one wants to live in London is simply arrogant and condescending. Even the Mayor of London acknowledges the fact it's not right. Rich and privileged are buying properties to exploit those who have not been so fortunate in their lives to get an easy start. That will only widen the gap between the rich and the poor and make the whole society worse off in the long run. The general attitude of the landlords in London is disgusting. A landlord does not do anyone a favour for letting people to rent their property. People pay landlords for a service and the service is hardly of a satisfactory standard. And there's nowhere really to complain to that would act immediately upon it.

As a landlord of four properties in central London, I take exception to the widespread assertions that all Landlords...... Each property I own has been substantially improved from my own pocket. I respond to all tenant complaints or questions within 24 hours. Repairs are made as quickly as possible and almost always within a week. My experience with Deposit Protection agencies, such as TDS, is that they are almost always partial towards tenants, ruling damage to carpeting or glass 'fair wear and tear'.

I know it is popular to rip into landlords as greedy and unfeeling, but this is not the case for most landlords. Consider the number of local and national changes which have been created to soak landlords in the past few years. Local boroughs have been busily redefining HMOs so that they can collect license fees to top up their reduced revenues from government. The Chancellor has changed the tax code affecting all landlords who pay over the basic rate of tax. Mortgage providers have been told to tighten their facilities for buy-to-let mortgages through a wholly new set of regulations, and worst of all, landlords have been forced to perform the job of immigration officers by checking the right to reside status of potential tenants. I know no one but landlords will shed a tear for any of this, but we do provide a public service. The best of us do care about our tenants and lament when our tenants do not show the same care and concern about our properties as do we. ALL of my properties have achieved lower rents this year than they did last year; so the notion that rents just keep going up is factually wrong. Yes, my properties have increased in value, but this is not guaranteed; it is a gamble and is at least partly down to the improvements I have made to my properties.

So please do try to see the other side of the issue of private rentals rather than just relying on the old and rather silly stereotypes.

Private landlords have only one agenda which is to make a profit out of people who are on a low income. This is not a criticism, why should a private landlord have any sort of responsibility for the welfare of their tennants. Under Section 15, they can evict any tennant without providing a reason after the end of their shorthold tennancy agreement - which can be as little as 6 months.

Yes, there is a court fee of £200 or so, which invariably the court asks the tennant to pay.

When it comes to Deposit Holding Companies, they are meant to be impartial, but as they rely on landlords to place the money given to them from their tennants, they will always side with the landlord for fear of losing their 'custom' in the future. When the tennant who disputes a witheld deposit has to show their evidence to the landlord, the landlord in return does not have to share their counter argument to the tennant, only the deposit company. It is an unfair system. surely it would be wiser to have hold this cash in a Government scheme, any interest made, to be ploughed back into the housing system, or housing benefit system, which truth be told is where the money for such ridiculous high rents in London ultimately comes from.

Private Landlords receive only profit for their role, tennants live in temporary housing which can often fall below standards, and the local council has to allocate vast amounts of money paying for it.

Therefore, the main problem is that tennancies are not secured long enough, and I think they hold the councils to ransom when it comes to property standards, as councils can't really supply the logisitcs to check and implement housing standards especially if they have to engage legally with private investors - sorry landlords.

There is no security. I am always expecting notice to move as have been promised a long tenancy in the past then landlord decided to sell. The costs involved when you privately rent make you get into more debt. There should be a 5 year lease as a minimum

landlords buy properties knowing that they will be worth significantly more in a few years so dont really care about their tenants as long as they're getting the rent thats their sole interest.
complain and you'll be gotten rid of by the most appropriate means. increasing the rent so it becomes affordable is one method or simply refusing the renewal / continuation of a tenancy.

letting agents set rent levels so once one property is increased to ridiculous proportions the others follow suit. if a letting agent sees one property on a road at £1500 pcm when the rest were £1000 pcm the rest are very quickly increased based on the £1500 property whether warranted or not.

Estate / letting agents are a big part of the problem because of this as the higher the rent the higher their fee