Private rented sector survey - why?

[Mortitia]

Since May this year I have noticed a big divide opening up in the conurbation I let in and I am guessing that the current government is using this survey to correct benefit rents as they are proabably being ripped off.

One part of my area with a high density of population has a lot of DHS lets and the rents seem very high for some of the rubbish, poor quality properties offered - but all quickly taken. I researched this quite closely in June as I was about to let for the first time 3 brand new props converted from an old building and I don't do DHS.

Whilst constructing I had several neighbours call by asking about my new lets for their offspring - usually the single mother on benefit and was shocked to find that they were allowed up to £730 pcm for a 2 bed flat. I was only expecting to get £650 pcm from working people. I would argue that the high benefit allowance has pushed up the market price of DHS lets up in this area of town. In the end I let to a working couple from NZ who particularly wanted to be in that location for £680pcm.

The other part I let in is 12 miles away in a semi-rural, hghly desirable (allegedly) market town. There are very few on benefit here but rents have not inceased by much in the last 3 years. There are few rental properties. I advertised a 2 bed flat with 2 brand new bathrooms last month with my usual agent at £680 but got no takers and loads of viewings. On the agent's advice 2 weeks later I dropped the price to £660 and got flooded out with enquiries from single mothers on benefit. I intereviewed one who was already living on the same development whose landlord had given her notice as he wanted the property back.

My talk with this pleasant lady with one child was quite revealing......... she seemed to know that in October the government were going to pay less in benefit for rent and as the local council were already subsidising her to the tune of £100 pcm to live in some style in a house with 2 baths, garage and garden she saw the writing on the wall. She was prepared to downsize to a 2 bed flat with 2 baths and no garden/garage to come under the 'new pricing' and choose her location. (She came with a list of her requirements right down to the boiler size and did not like use of the word benefit!) All the other applicants probably had the same information on decreasing benefit payments.

It would seem to me that the previous Labour administration allowed themselves to be manipulated into paying high prices to some DHS landlords and this may be about to be corrected. The survey offered on this site could be part of the overall revamp of DHS rental payments. As a British tax payer I welcome it.

Any constuctive views on what I have said or trends noticed elsewhere are welcome.

Thanks for reading.

Mortitia

[Melboy]

Interesting Mortitia................

I have to say I was well aware of what you are saying and I don't do DSS either. I know of several Landlord's personally who do DSS and they have made a small fortune from DSS Tenants over the past years but not without their problems I might add which has led to loss of rent for long periods or receiving damaged properties back.

The previous Government were over-generous with their rent allowances and this has been well documented in the local and National newspapers and it was really unsustainable to keep these rent allowances rising as they have however, my biggest grumble, if I was a DSS Landlord, is the fact that the Landlord's were not paid rent directly but the rent allowance was going straight to the tenant......you don't have to be Brain of Britain to work it out that this system was going to be abused and of course it has been by many.

I prefer working couples, professional or not and I have had very few problems as such especially when you read some of the horror stories on this forum over the past 5 years.

Mel.