YOU THINK THE UK IS OK ?
One thing I forgot to mention before is that I find it surprising that second and holiday homes are exempt from this.
I would have thought that these, in particular, would be more likely to be left unoccupied for the 6 months as owners ride the property wave.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not disputing the facts, just the logic of the above.
I would have thought that these, in particular, would be more likely to be left unoccupied for the 6 months as owners ride the property wave.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not disputing the facts, just the logic of the above.
Yes,
A good point but I think if a house is empty there is no council tax paid on the property, a second home currently has a 50% reduction on council tax (soon to change), As that is the case it is easy for a council to identify potential target properties.
I find the whole thing rather disconcerting, but life in the old land is changing. His Tonyship talks Democratic but his actions are not. My view and I will just wait for the abuse to follow!
essbee
A good point but I think if a house is empty there is no council tax paid on the property, a second home currently has a 50% reduction on council tax (soon to change), As that is the case it is easy for a council to identify potential target properties.
I find the whole thing rather disconcerting, but life in the old land is changing. His Tonyship talks Democratic but his actions are not. My view and I will just wait for the abuse to follow!
essbee
With the exception of second or holiday homes, I'm amazed that there are so many properties left empty for so long? Why? The only reason I can think of is the owners have enough cash and are just waiting to cash in on a profit when prices increase in due course, or they are in such a poor state of repair, that it wouldn't be worth the while to fix them up?
Either way, with the recent increase of immigrants into the UK, plus the cost or of buying or renting property for those in lower paid jobs, demand for affordable housing is at a premium.
Theres only so much land and the recent ideas put forward by Prescotts office (defacto) have come in for major criticism.
I guess this is one way of redressing the balance. I need to find out more about this as I guess it will impact on my job. If the places are in disrepair, I guess its the taxpayer that will foot the bill again and thats likely to have an impact on local taxes unless the Govt. pays up. I also suspect a lot of the recipients will be on benefits, so its hardly a way of raising revenue to pay for the cost?
But as I say, I need to learn more.
Either way, with the recent increase of immigrants into the UK, plus the cost or of buying or renting property for those in lower paid jobs, demand for affordable housing is at a premium.
Theres only so much land and the recent ideas put forward by Prescotts office (defacto) have come in for major criticism.
I guess this is one way of redressing the balance. I need to find out more about this as I guess it will impact on my job. If the places are in disrepair, I guess its the taxpayer that will foot the bill again and thats likely to have an impact on local taxes unless the Govt. pays up. I also suspect a lot of the recipients will be on benefits, so its hardly a way of raising revenue to pay for the cost?
But as I say, I need to learn more.
Talk is cheap
Re: YOU THINK THE UK IS OK ?
Do you have a link to this article? It sounds too bizzare to be tru to me.essbee wrote:Its clear that there are many worried folk in Thailand who have purchased property in HH, but those who have empty property in England should be concerned by His Tonyships latest wheeze. If a house is empty for more that 3 months and is not on the market the local authority can enter the property, change the locks, take possession and move in a tenant of their choosing !!!
Caller,
The issue is not that a property is falling into disrepair, yes I agree if this is the case then it is only reasonable that someone makes use of it. The matter is that ANY empty house is a target of this recent law change. I discussed it with my solicitor and he confirmed this was the case, he to is looking into it further. This could have an impact on someone who does not wish to rent out his/her house and goes away for 6 months at a time (which I plan to do when I retire) and goes to live in HH. Then you could come home and find the locks changed and a council tenant installed.
From a practical point why "leave the doors open when you have run out of bedrooms" !!!! ............ from a UK perspective and by that I mean if you cant provide decent housing for those you have is it practical to take in more and more and ................................. If as it is a humanitarian issue (sometimes) then surely it for the political classes to find a pan European answer to the matter. It is also a point that under the Geneva Convention a political refugee has to claim asylum in the first country they enter. This is very rarely the UK but more often Italy, France, Spain.
Anyhow we have gone off subject.
This is a very serious matter as far as I am concerned and is another demonstration of how the political map in the UK is changing in a very worrying fashion.
Harry
This link was active a few weeks ago but may now be dead. This was from the guardian and their item was a subset of a story in the Times. Can't find the Times link.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/stor ... 12,00.html
The issue is not that a property is falling into disrepair, yes I agree if this is the case then it is only reasonable that someone makes use of it. The matter is that ANY empty house is a target of this recent law change. I discussed it with my solicitor and he confirmed this was the case, he to is looking into it further. This could have an impact on someone who does not wish to rent out his/her house and goes away for 6 months at a time (which I plan to do when I retire) and goes to live in HH. Then you could come home and find the locks changed and a council tenant installed.
From a practical point why "leave the doors open when you have run out of bedrooms" !!!! ............ from a UK perspective and by that I mean if you cant provide decent housing for those you have is it practical to take in more and more and ................................. If as it is a humanitarian issue (sometimes) then surely it for the political classes to find a pan European answer to the matter. It is also a point that under the Geneva Convention a political refugee has to claim asylum in the first country they enter. This is very rarely the UK but more often Italy, France, Spain.
Anyhow we have gone off subject.
This is a very serious matter as far as I am concerned and is another demonstration of how the political map in the UK is changing in a very worrying fashion.
Harry
This link was active a few weeks ago but may now be dead. This was from the guardian and their item was a subset of a story in the Times. Can't find the Times link.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/stor ... 12,00.html
Now if I'm not mistaken, there are literally thousands of unoccupied council properties in the midlands & the north (no bugger wants to live their you see). So what I say is that they look to sorting out their problems up there before resorting to nicking property off of us southereners to house romanian gypos & illegals.There is a case for action to put boarded-up and blighted properties back into use and councils need to reduce their empty housing stock.
[quote="essbee"]Caller,
item was a subset of a story in the Times. Can't find the Times link.
[/quote]
Esbee.Article was in page four of Sunday times property section on July 2nd.written by kevin.mccloud@sundaytimes.co.uk
Really do not feel this law threatens individual home owners as much as people like church commisioners who seem to own more property than the duke of westminster or developers who buy up parcels of property in the hope of pulling them down and developing site with twice as many homes but sit on them for 5 years waiting for permission even if they were initiatialy turned down.But you never know
item was a subset of a story in the Times. Can't find the Times link.
[/quote]
Esbee.Article was in page four of Sunday times property section on July 2nd.written by kevin.mccloud@sundaytimes.co.uk
Really do not feel this law threatens individual home owners as much as people like church commisioners who seem to own more property than the duke of westminster or developers who buy up parcels of property in the hope of pulling them down and developing site with twice as many homes but sit on them for 5 years waiting for permission even if they were initiatialy turned down.But you never know
The position is that the property has been empty for 6 months, period. Whether it is in disrepair, mortgaged, a second home etc is irrelavent.
The Council may serve notice and you have the rights to appeal, which are fairly extensive. If it is in disrepair, the Council can repair it and deduct the cost from the rent. The owner will get the rent less that and a few other deductions for management.
But don't panic. There are several things it would be prudent to do if you intend to leave the property empty for longer than 6 months, eg:-
1. Send a notice to the Council informing them of you current address or that of your solicitor.
2. Inform the Council it is your sole main dwelling house and intend to return on -----.
3. Let it and get an agent.
4. Have a house sitter. I must admit thinking of setting up such a service.
This is aimed at property speculators who buy derelict property and leave it until development or just to increase in value. Another of NEW Labour's words rather than action. Local Authorities have no stomach for all the hassle it will cause.
The Council may serve notice and you have the rights to appeal, which are fairly extensive. If it is in disrepair, the Council can repair it and deduct the cost from the rent. The owner will get the rent less that and a few other deductions for management.
But don't panic. There are several things it would be prudent to do if you intend to leave the property empty for longer than 6 months, eg:-
1. Send a notice to the Council informing them of you current address or that of your solicitor.
2. Inform the Council it is your sole main dwelling house and intend to return on -----.
3. Let it and get an agent.
4. Have a house sitter. I must admit thinking of setting up such a service.
This is aimed at property speculators who buy derelict property and leave it until development or just to increase in value. Another of NEW Labour's words rather than action. Local Authorities have no stomach for all the hassle it will cause.
Thai me to the moon
Well said. A storm in a teacup.johnrxx99 wrote:The position is that the property has been empty for 6 months, period. Whether it is in disrepair, mortgaged, a second home etc is irrelavent.
The Council may serve notice and you have the rights to appeal, which are fairly extensive. If it is in disrepair, the Council can repair it and deduct the cost from the rent. The owner will get the rent less that and a few other deductions for management.
But don't panic. There are several things it would be prudent to do if you intend to leave the property empty for longer than 6 months, eg:-
1. Send a notice to the Council informing them of you current address or that of your solicitor.
2. Inform the Council it is your sole main dwelling house and intend to return on -----.
3. Let it and get an agent.
4. Have a house sitter. I must admit thinking of setting up such a service.
This is aimed at property speculators who buy derelict property and leave it until development or just to increase in value. Another of NEW Labour's words rather than action. Local Authorities have no stomach for all the hassle it will cause.
The council are my freeholders in London - it's unusual to find freehold there.
When I came over here, 8 years ago, I was obliged to notify the council and my lenders that I was doing so.
That done, no worries as it's always on the market.
I give you another angle on the situation.
The council, as freeholders of my lease, are obliged by the terms of that to carry out repairs to various parts of my property " when reasonably necessary",
Now I've received a demand for nearly 4000 pounds for work that hasn't even been started yet. They're expecting the freeholders to pay up front for work that's going ahead all the way down my street - some leasehold, some council.
The worst of it is that the council wrote to my lenders and suggested that I would be in breach of the lease so etc etc and my building society contacted me.
Fcuk the council. The BS have given me 3 months to sort it out, or they'll pay and add it to the mortgage. BIG DEAL. If the money's owing, I'll pay.
Having spoken to my neighbours upstairs, it seems like a ruse for the council to "collect taxes" from the rich to pay for the poor.
Now, who's leaving their property in a state of disrepair? Could be me, if I don't go along with it.
Needless to say, I'm just a bit peeved off that anybody can write to my BS and come on the "BIG ONE", whilst also implying that the 300,000 Baht I spent in maintenance last year on my property wasn't adequate.
Theres's a rant from a man who's rented his house for the past 8 years and still gets grief from the council and is lucky enough to have a BS to "tell them to fcuk off" - for the next the months.
The council, as freeholders of my lease, are obliged by the terms of that to carry out repairs to various parts of my property " when reasonably necessary",
Now I've received a demand for nearly 4000 pounds for work that hasn't even been started yet. They're expecting the freeholders to pay up front for work that's going ahead all the way down my street - some leasehold, some council.
The worst of it is that the council wrote to my lenders and suggested that I would be in breach of the lease so etc etc and my building society contacted me.
Fcuk the council. The BS have given me 3 months to sort it out, or they'll pay and add it to the mortgage. BIG DEAL. If the money's owing, I'll pay.
Having spoken to my neighbours upstairs, it seems like a ruse for the council to "collect taxes" from the rich to pay for the poor.
Now, who's leaving their property in a state of disrepair? Could be me, if I don't go along with it.
Needless to say, I'm just a bit peeved off that anybody can write to my BS and come on the "BIG ONE", whilst also implying that the 300,000 Baht I spent in maintenance last year on my property wasn't adequate.
Theres's a rant from a man who's rented his house for the past 8 years and still gets grief from the council and is lucky enough to have a BS to "tell them to fcuk off" - for the next the months.
lom - sounds like you have a long leasehold interest with a service charge. It is normal for the Landlord to do common work and divide up the cost between the occupational tenants, like insurance, heating, cleaning and other costs to the common parts.
Same in all blocks of condos etc.
If the work is unexpected and large, depending how long ago you bought, did you get a survey? Also, various pieces of legislation to prevent landlords carrying out unnecessary work, also under professional guidelines landlords should get tenders and advance budget to plan for large expenditure. Is there a residents association?
If the landlord wrote to your mortgagor it sounds like there is a dispute which could lead to forfeiture and if so it is normal to put them on notice, just to apply pressure as lack of work could affect value.
One of the reasons I like freeholds rather than leaseholds.
Best of luck - has the resisdents association a good surveyor/solicitor? Must be a hassle not being there to sort.
Best of luck.
Same in all blocks of condos etc.
If the work is unexpected and large, depending how long ago you bought, did you get a survey? Also, various pieces of legislation to prevent landlords carrying out unnecessary work, also under professional guidelines landlords should get tenders and advance budget to plan for large expenditure. Is there a residents association?
If the landlord wrote to your mortgagor it sounds like there is a dispute which could lead to forfeiture and if so it is normal to put them on notice, just to apply pressure as lack of work could affect value.
One of the reasons I like freeholds rather than leaseholds.
Best of luck - has the resisdents association a good surveyor/solicitor? Must be a hassle not being there to sort.
Best of luck.
Thai me to the moon
Thanks for that.
It's actually a large house, split into two. The council, as freeholders, are obliged to carry out these works occasionally. It's happened once before since I bought the place, but they weren't asking for money up-front.
I spoke to them and they gave me a long list of possible works - roof repairs, new windows etc etc. Now, if these works are necessary, I certainly don't mind paying. But to pay in advance without a survey for work that may not be necessary and to see this money swallowed up in a Central Reserve Fund for the whole street dosn't seem right to me. The council will justify any costs after the event and it looks like any money owing to me thereafter will not be reimbursed, but held on credit in the Fund for maybe 6-7 years until work needs to done again.
There is a leaseholders' committee and my neighbour sits on it - hence speaking to her as well. I'm sure that her comments would put my rant above to shame.
As far as corresponding with my BS is concerned, I do object to them having done so when I am yet to receive an estimate for the works by post, despite two requests. The original went to my property, despite the council knowing for 8 years that I live here and they have my address. They've written to me many times before about other matters.
Anyway, rant over. It will be sorted out and I have my BS's backing which is the main thing.
The joys of being a non-resident landlord living abroad
It's actually a large house, split into two. The council, as freeholders, are obliged to carry out these works occasionally. It's happened once before since I bought the place, but they weren't asking for money up-front.
I spoke to them and they gave me a long list of possible works - roof repairs, new windows etc etc. Now, if these works are necessary, I certainly don't mind paying. But to pay in advance without a survey for work that may not be necessary and to see this money swallowed up in a Central Reserve Fund for the whole street dosn't seem right to me. The council will justify any costs after the event and it looks like any money owing to me thereafter will not be reimbursed, but held on credit in the Fund for maybe 6-7 years until work needs to done again.
There is a leaseholders' committee and my neighbour sits on it - hence speaking to her as well. I'm sure that her comments would put my rant above to shame.
As far as corresponding with my BS is concerned, I do object to them having done so when I am yet to receive an estimate for the works by post, despite two requests. The original went to my property, despite the council knowing for 8 years that I live here and they have my address. They've written to me many times before about other matters.
Anyway, rant over. It will be sorted out and I have my BS's backing which is the main thing.
The joys of being a non-resident landlord living abroad
lomu - it should all be spelt out in your lease. Sounds like there is a sinking fund as usually a landlord cannot hold onto money not spent, only bill on estimates and make a return, or ask for more, after the job is done.
Writting to the BS may be because they have a charge and the Councils policy is to notify everyone on their charges register but sounds heavy handed to me. But life is too short and as long as you have peole you can trust at home should be alright. You'll just have to put the rent up! You should be so lucky!
:-)
Writting to the BS may be because they have a charge and the Councils policy is to notify everyone on their charges register but sounds heavy handed to me. But life is too short and as long as you have peole you can trust at home should be alright. You'll just have to put the rent up! You should be so lucky!
:-)
Thai me to the moon