Read this :As a long term flat renter I have regularly raged at how we are ignored in the perpetual hoo ha about house prices etc.
We are seen as pathetic creatures like Maggie Thatcher's "30 year old bus passenger" by the media, we have very few practical rights or protections and at whim of landlords and fellow tenants we can become homeless by the weekend, the list of problems is endless (chief among mine is a lousy fridge and a couple downstairs who get up at 6.15 am to shout at each other).
Thankfully and wonderfully Renter girl has written this great piece about the plight of us renters .
Please read it even if you own a house or live in a council flat, it's the only time this year you'll here from us and it might just add to the housing debate. Don't worry we can get back to moaning about house prices tomorrow.
4 comments:
As a former renter, I don't recognise any of this. We have tenants' rights in this country, and the people in the piece don't seem to be standing up for them. A landlord cannot legally turf you out without notice.
Thin walls and scummy neighbours -- these are features of /cheap/ rents (and of cheap buys). In property, whether rented or bought, you get what you pay for. Why would you expect it any other way?
Other problems are nothing to do with renting. I own my flat. That did nothing to stop the tenant upstairs stomping around at 3am (thankfully he's moved on).
Is your fridge actually faulty? And is it a furnished flat? Then you're entitled to a replacement. Don't stop pushing until you get one. Sometimes it helps to offer to buy one and bill it to the landlord (or knock some rent off in lieu).
John,
I think you are being hard, I don't think the tenancy laws are ever enforced properly, mainly because renters don't have the money or time to see it through and there's is the ever present unknowledged threat that you'll come home to find your stuff on in the street and the locks changed (I Know, Know this illegal but would you want to deal with a landlord who you've called the cops on).
We were conned out of £1,400 in deposit in one flat we rented, it was only after 6 months back and forward that we got 2/3rds of it back, we probably lost as much in wasted work time etc.
The problem about shoddy new build just adds to the downside of renting, ie you pay loads of rent and the place is made of cardboard and cellotape. landlords aren't investing in quality flats because they have no longterm need to as long as the rents come in they make money with the rise in house prices. We should have good quality housing for all.
The thing I liked most was that it was a piece about RENTING not about buying etc, you never hear about private rented accomodation, Kirsty and Phil wouldn't spend two days finding me a fantastic flat to rent , lawerence LB isn't coming round to restyle my studio flat into a tudor palace.
After Xmas I'll pester the landlord for a new fridge and maybe put a brick through the "breakfast time shouters" windows. Thanks for your comment I think it's an area that needs some discussion certainly more than it gets at the moment.
i've just had the joy today of starting paying stupid rent on a flat a can't move into for two weeks cos the estate agents is shut all the godam holidays. and it's a council flat where almost everyone else will be paying sensible rents. then again it's the only way i'll ever be able to live on the 15th floor of a block just off carnaby street with the most amazing view i've ever viewed and the oppurtunity to say 'you can see my house from here' from almost all the west end. and i get busses.
x
nice local, renting occasionally does have it's benefits
Post a Comment