The cost of living may be ‘extremely challenging’ but so is being a landlord. Costs are high, regulations onerous and financial risks abundant.

Section 21 does NOT allow landlords to give two months’ notice without reason. The reason is always the agreed term has expired and the landlord is entitled to possession.

This statutory provision was introduced to give certainty to investors who would otherwise not be interested in private rentals. Removing Section 21 is a disaster. Landlords throughout the country are issuing Section 21 notices to sell up while they can.

Landlords make a living renting out homes. They make a loss when homes are empty and don’t give notice unless they have to; when a tenant doesn’t pay and/or behaves appallingly.

We have tenants with us over twenty years who started with a six-month tenancy. We don’t invoke Section 21 because providing homes is our livelihood. Throwing out good tenants isn’t what happens.

The housing crisis cannot be solved by rent controls. It is throwing petrol on a fire. It makes more landlords leave the market with few investors willing to replace them. Also, financial institutions will not fund an enterprise with rising costs and a fixed price cap.

Politicians should stop bashing landlords and make it easier, not more difficult, to become housing providers.

Matthew Laverack, Landlord, Architect, Developer,

Lord Mayors Walk, York

 

Rip-off BBC

How much longer is this weak Government going to allow the BBC to ‘rip off’ the public with the licence fee?

They do this while providing a very inadequate ‘service’ - mainly by showing repeats of previous programmes, up to and including at 9 o’clock. It’s the same every summer.

It’s no better on the other channels. The British viewing public deserves better.

And don’t get me stated on the ‘overkill’ of sport.

R. Hutchinson, Sherwood Grove, York

 

Queueing Brits

Standing in a longish queue waiting to pay for my shopping in Boyes in Goodramgate I noticed how many people of different ages and ethnicities were patiently queueing. There was no complaining and no-one trying to jump the queue - just ordinary people queuing in an orderly fashion.

DM Deamer, Monkgate, York