[fatgit]

The Bad Landlords issue is about several things :
Landlords that don't keep properties to a decent standard
Landlords that don't care who they rent to, or what their tenants get up to

Many tenants in the private rental sector are too scared to complain if their landlord fails to keep the property in a good state of repair. Many of the bad landlords will threaten and harass tenants that make any complaints, and not many people know their rights, or are too frightened to state those rights.

Having been in a property where the landlord continually failed to repair serious faults, I know what this is like. In the end, we had to bring in the council inspectors on two occasions.
Each time, the inspector made a list of the work needed, and placed a time limit on the repairs. After that deadline passed, and the work had not been done, they were given another 28 day, then another 21 days, and then fined ~£4000 (on both occasions), and THEN they did the work.

The other issues, surrounding anti-social behaviour of tenants, is made worse by the fact that some landlords don't care what's happening, as long as the rent is paid.
Again, having lived next door to heavy drinkers for several years, who were smashing windows, fighting, screaming and shouting until the early hours of the morning, I know how it affects you - especially when the landlord doesn't care.

Selective Licensing of Landlords will require landlords to register, and pay a license fee, in order to rent properties with that area, more or less the same as they do now for HMO's (Houses of Multiple Occupancy).
The landlords will have a legal obligation (as far as I understand it), to keep the property in good repair, and ensure that their tenants are not causing anti-social behavioour.
The council will then have additional powers to act in cases where the License is breached.
I may be slightly incorrect on some of the above, but it's pretty close.
Currently, the tenant has to report the landlords failure to remedy issues, and then go through a prolonged, stressful process. Licensing removes that burden from the tenant, and puts it on to the landlord - surely a good thing.

Simply stopping the Housing Benefit to bad landlords is not the answer.
I took legal advice regarding having Housing Benefit to my landlord held back until repairs were done, and was told that yes, I was within my rights to do so, but then the landlord was within HIS rights to apply to have me evicted for non-payment of rent.
You shouldn't penalise decent tenants because their landlord is bad.

How any councillor can support landlords that leave tenants to live in damp, dangerous properties, or allow drug dealers, thieves etc to continue living in a property, I will never know.


As for the hospital and Post Offices, we simply cannot sit back and let the Government and Hospital Trust's walk all over us. If we don't protest, complain, and campaign to keep our services open, then they will assume everybody is happy with everything that is happening, and I don't know about you, but I'm definitely not happy.