I absolutely agree that a working tenant can just as easily not pay the rent and cost a landlord just as much but the fact remains that thousands of DSS claimants are not paying their rent that the government is providing them to have a home and it’s also true we do have a a culture now where fit and healthy people are choosing to live an on benefits lifestyle. To be honest I know some landlords would be happy to rent to DSS because it was more secure as the government paid landlords direct.
I do understand that there are rogue landlords too which is also driving legislation changes. All I’m saying is there is a lack of common sense when creating legislation it needs to be a level playing field where’s the protection for landlords who are being left out of pocket why do landlords that are already owed thousands in rent then have to spen thousands in court costs to even get them out not to mention that as soon a landlord takes action they are then at risk of the angry tenants causing damage to the property! I am a tenant and I treat my landlords property as if it were my own but we all know this is not the case in a lot of situations. The law needs to be rebalanced.
rebalancing will not happen . It is not a vote winner.
You’re probably right but if this new legislation leads to a huge reduction in private let’s and a huge increase in homeless families with no hotel spaces left then something has to change but as is typical the government will be bolting the stable door after the horse has bolted. It’s such a bleak outlook unfortunately.
My son has several non-visible disabiliries and cannot work continuously. This has led to him claiming HB, and for the last 8 years, he has rented a studio flat in London, through Gumtree, without too much referencing etc. He has been an excellent tenant, looking out for the whole property at times when asked. He has never missed a rent payment, nor his bills contribution. However, now, his flat has to be gutted for black mould remedial work (it was behind shower panels and fridge). The landlady’s daughter has changed the lock (said it was faulty) and wants him to give notice, but won’t evict him. They want to double his rent basically, although will have him back with a discount. It is west London, near Hampstead, so he has been lucky. My point I guess is - not every HB tenant is feckless! He is hoping that withi his health problems, the local Council might help.
Hi Julie
I am absolutely with you, I do know how landlords discriminate just with the label DSS.
They are those that usually get worse tenants because they attract them with their negative thinking!
It’s a life full of prejudice but the intellectual one only knows that being judgmental is wrong.
We can’t change the world but we can all change the law and enforce it
Please take it easy and let them be, they always get the worse when they think worse 
All the best
Armin
Thats so ironic it’s actually funny. That in its self is prejudiced! So if you were a landlord you would select “educated” tenants over any other I imagine.
Throughout this thread you’ve made such a big deal of saying that those university “educated” have superior opinions and judgement!
Whereas life experience and those qualified in being a landlord (and even common sense) are the wise ones in this scenario. They have the first hand real life experience and are qualified to be able to understand the risks, stress and implications that more often goes with this type of tenancy. The unfit benefits system attached to it adds to the issues. They base their opinion on facts, not airy fairy Ill understood idealisms.
Everyone will instinctively take the less risky option to protect their hard earned investment. There’s a reason why those on benefits cannot typically get mortgages.
Armin, if you were a landlord and had 80 applications on a property (typical), do you let everyone who enquires view the property, or do you narrow it down based on those who are proven to typically be the most reliable type? Would you want someone unemployed, knowing the arduous benefits route, or the long term employed tenant who’s got excellent job security (iE public sector worker who’s basically unsackable!), and with clear credit and high amount of disposable income?
Would you select someone with a dog or without a dog?
Smoker or Non smoker?
Good morning Mark
I am still up and doing my project. I don’t judge anyone but I am clever enough to first ask for a previous landlord reference. I would take that reference seriously by checking all the details through it, and then I meet the person and I see how can they handle the situation ( are they trustworthy or not ), then their education makes a difference in my mind. Being a smoker or non-smoker, a variety of different sexuality, their life situation (whether life has been nice to them or terrible ), having a fabulous job and the beauty of Greek god, it’s entirely their private business. It’s nothing to do with me asking about people’s private life or judging them by their cover. I am kind of good at recognizing character, so if I see someone who does not look right or can’t even have a proper manner and the basic social class, I refuse to rent the property but no, it’s nothing to do with me if people have been unemployed, employed or they are gay, lesbian, black or white or English or middle eastern.
That is rather rude if I get involved in private people’s business but certainly their previous references, their ability to pay the rent by checking their income, and their mannerisms would be enough for me. I would also use a new background software which they charge but give you all individual personal
but give you all individual personal backgrounds ( between us as it is not legal to use this software but nowadays companies discreetly do, it’s an age that googles give you all I formation u want if you buy that software but it’s not for me to introduce it here ).
I would also enhance criminal records research, which again charges.) The universe always gives us what we think deep inside and if we think people are all bad and criminal then we do get criminals.
Believe me that my uncle has more than 10000 properties in the UK and I used to work with him, most of the tenants who were, some DSS were absolutely beautiful. Trustworthy people but, some of them lost their loved ones and we’re going through a hectic time, etc.
some that we thought they are amazing, with all those posh clothes and cars with fabulous jobs and posh queen accents, came out as being a group of criminal gangs, who were using the property for selling drugs, and illegal acts and even police found the dead body in the wardrobe after a year of spending money to get into that flat. He owned the law field and he was very sophisticated so we can’t judge a book by its cover. I do enjoy our conversation and I hope you don’t take any of my opinions personally.
Please highlight the fact that I am not attacking your opinion or proving that you are wrong in any way but I don’t like judging, discriminating and just negatively looking at the world.
Forgot to say that unemployed people can get a mortgage, it’s some specific places where they should apply for a mortgage and they automatically can buy a property by Boris Johnson law since 4 years ago but not through ordinary, absolutely yes to pet owners with an adult pet ( cat and dog only), I am a dog lover myself.
Armin
so Many statements there that are just unbelievable
No time to respond fully yet…
Here we go again “clever enough”!
Previous landlord reference cannot be relied upon. If a tenant is bad the landlord will still give a good reference to get rid of them.
So you would meet all 80 applicants before deciding?
So many contractions, you don’t judge people yet you will meet them to judge them face to face??
I did already say some DSS can get mortgages.
So you would be happy for a tenant to have 3 dogs running around your property? Knowing you’ll be the one sorting out the mess afterwards? This would not enter into your decision making process? So if 2 tenants are equally suitable, apart from the dogs, how would you decide?
What if tenant doesn’t speak English, would you consider this a problem?
So by your standards, someone able-bodied who has never worked and has spent 10 years claiming benefits would be just as suitable as someone who is in full time stable employment?
(As long as both have degrees of course). Is an OU degree acceptable?
Armin appears far to clever from his intellectual stance and superiority, knowing far more than the ignorant unintelligent and uncaring LL on this blogg.
To make such an ignorant statement neither helps this blogs contribution to issues raise and certainly shows huge disrespect and statistically bias against good landlords, generalising as a statistician in inconclusive.
It’s such a shame their massive experience of life and business has no relevance when running their successful businesses in light of changing legislation, finances and government incompetence. The governments interference in the housing market over decades has magnified our current situation and they are on track to totally cause mayhem over the coming years. Nevertheless the ignorance, as mentioned, of us LL will continue to be mentioned by those thinking they are superior and far to far up that dark tunnel.
Just for the record I have no bias to any tenant, they just have to fit the business profile whether working or UC assisted, to ensure the property is looked after and rent paid. Which is what any LL wants.
Wow, it’s been a while since I posted, same names, same opinions…
As I have pointed out repeatedly, it has been “unlawful” for years 'No DSS' letting bans 'ruled unlawful' by court - BBC News. So this change is move it from unlawful to illegal. Nothing has/will change. Same goes for discrimination against families.
But…
As long as landlords are free to ignore the law, you are right, nothing will change. What we need is an enforcement agency. A few high profile cases will soon break the culture of “wild west” landlords.
just because a law is passed does not make it sensible. We will contiue to put into OUR properties the “best” tenants for us Affordability is the key to any letting and “gelling” with the tenant
I think, we never get anywhere by trying to convince ourselves, Mark!
I can only respect your point of view but I can not judge it,
My point is “ NOTHING IS PURELY BLACK AND WHITE, there are a million colours between them. I rest my case here and wish you ever best of Luck in finding a good, decent tenant.
Thank you for chat
Armin
of course we will have the same opinions we have a great deal more experience .A few high profile cases of tenant evictions due to non payment of rent will soon break the culture of “wild west” tenants
Landlords often have had experience of both sides of the coin. Tenants typically only understand from one perspective and simply do not have the scope nor inclination to consider from the landlords viewpoint.
Outrageous ignorant comments said with authority continues to amaze.
I have worked in homes where the customer owned it and for other landlords who rented out a place Did so for 50 years . I know which group of people looked after the place better. I also saw the wear and tear on family places and whether single men or single women looked after the place better. Seen the workers and the shirkers . I do not speak out of ingnorance but out of experience just as Mark 10says
There is a huge void between idealisms and actual real world practicalities of trying to enforce them.
The idea of people holding no prejudices based on their own experience is simply not possible. It is not realistic to even suggest we can’t hold them. You have proven your own bias throughout this discussion and being very dismissive.
In order to advance with anything, decisions must be made with knowing only restricted information, otherwise everyone would just tread water whilst they collate all of the details. We would go backwards.
It seems you have avoided answering questions that would clearly contradict your argument if you were to answer them honestly.
99 % of ‘statistics’ are made up on the spot just like this one .
The main reason HB/HA recipients are overall a riskier group is they have much less incentive to avoid CCJ’s therefore not paying rent is an easier option when budgets become tight and choices have to be made .
That is a lot of property