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Interesting programme, I found the 'studios' which were actually tiny bedsits very depressing. They are paying £90 a week, not much less than I pay for a one bedroom self contained flat.

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Interesting programme, I found the 'studios' which were actually tiny bedsits very depressing. They are paying £90 a week, not much less than I pay for a one bedroom self contained flat.

 

You are right, they certainly were very depressing indeed. But if the only alternative is to be on the street, at least it's a roof over their head that someone has to provide and take on all the risks of doing so. You can only imagine the amount of management needed to keep control of a LHA HMO.

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You are right, they certainly were very depressing indeed. But if the only alternative is to be on the street, at least it's a roof over their head that someone has to provide and take on all the risks of doing so. You can only imagine the amount of management needed to keep control of a LHA HMO.

 

Maybe something to consider are the human costs of using such housing. If these homes are making people ill or worsening their problems then how well placed are the landlords to help? And ultimately the cost of any problems created is going to be met by the taxpayer anyway. You see the risk is not purely a financial one.

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Maybe something to consider are the human costs of using such housing. If these homes are making people ill or worsening their problems then how well placed are the landlords to help? And ultimately the cost of any problems created is going to be met by the taxpayer anyway. You see the risk is not purely a financial one.

 

Problem is, most of these tenants are so troubled in one way or another that the standard of accommodation is the least of their concerns. They bring to the HMO accommodation many issues to begin with. One of those guys said if he got chucked out he'd be back in prison. To him, it was either staying at this last resort HMO or prison. I personally don't agree with the condition or size of some of those rooms, and it seems strange that HMODaddy didn't carry out regular inspections like other landlords do, but he's probably be doing it for so long he knows that whenever he turns up the rooms are going to be a terrible mess, so he just doesn't bother. Unfortunately, even given opportunity after opportunity, some people either refuse or are unable to help themselves and they need housing meanwhile.

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Charging £100 a week for a tiny room in a grotty shared house is bad enough, but adding on another £20 for the use of the kitchen and bathroom is really taking the p***

 

And don't forget we are the ones paying this landlord with his 800 houses.

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Problem is, most of these tenants are so troubled in one way or another that the standard of accommodation is the least of their concerns. They bring to the HMO accommodation many issues to begin with. One of those guys said if he got chucked out he'd be back in prison. To him, it was either staying at this last resort HMO or prison. I personally don't agree with the condition or size of some of those rooms, and it seems strange that HMODaddy didn't carry out regular inspections like other landlords do, but he's probably be doing it for so long he knows that whenever he turns up the rooms are going to be a terrible mess, so he just doesn't bother. Unfortunately, even given opportunity after opportunity, some people either refuse or are unable to help themselves and they need housing meanwhile.

 

Yeah that surprised me too, when he said he'd not stepped foot in the room for 4 years. My flat gets inspected every 6 months, last time was yesterday. They never complain about anything so I guess I am a good tenant :)

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Yeah that surprised me too, when he said he'd not stepped foot in the room for 4 years. My flat gets inspected every 6 months, last time was yesterday. They never complain about anything so I guess I am a good tenant :)

 

If they are only inspecting every 6 months they must really trust and like having you as a tenant.

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Problem is, most of these tenants are so troubled in one way or another that the standard of accommodation is the least of their concerns. They bring to the HMO accommodation many issues to begin with. One of those guys said if he got chucked out he'd be back in prison. To him, it was either staying at this last resort HMO or prison. I personally don't agree with the condition or size of some of those rooms, and it seems strange that HMODaddy didn't carry out regular inspections like other landlords do, but he's probably be doing it for so long he knows that whenever he turns up the rooms are going to be a terrible mess, so he just doesn't bother. Unfortunately, even given opportunity after opportunity, some people either refuse or are unable to help themselves and they need housing meanwhile.

 

Because they have problems it doesn't make it OK to house them in such cramped conditions. It's like a human scrap heap. And it costs us a lot of money both in the short term and the long term as it's hard to see how many people could improve in such circumstances. HMODaddy fills a gap in the provision and to be fair bedsit land never really went away and he's just a businessman at the end of the day. The issue for me is that it's so cynical, he clearly knows that the state funds his business, and IMO his business model is not the the best way (or necessarily a cheap way) to provide housing for vulnerable people.

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Because they have problems it doesn't make it OK to house them in such cramped conditions. It's like a human scrap heap. And it costs us a lot of money both in the short term and the long term as it's hard to see how many people could improve in such circumstances. HMODaddy fills a gap in the provision and to be fair bedsit land never really went away and he's just a businessman at the end of the day. The issue for me is that it's so cynical, he clearly knows that the state funds his business, and IMO his business model is not the the best way (or necessarily a cheap way) to provide housing for vulnerable people.

 

Nobody is forcing anyone into his accommodation, they have to view the room, they have to sign an agreement to live there. If they choose to take the room then the paperwork gets sorted out. Choices. And who else is going to provide accommodation for this sector? I'm certainly not because I don't want the hassle regardless of how profitable it may be. His business model he claims works for him and fair play to him, he will earn his money. I may not personally agree with how he operates completely, but I don't have a solution so I'm not going to knock him until I do because he is providing a service that a lot of other people won't. In the meantime, where do these people live, on the street, in prison, a hostel. Some people won't help themselves ever, and these people need a roof over their heads.

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He talked about his unhappy up bringing in care homes, but didn't seem to have much empathy for his tenants, it seemed to be all about money and outward appearance

 

I felt for the drunk man, he was clearly in need of help, which I hope he gets. He was in tears when the housing lady helped him out.

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This LandLord does not care about the tenants, he is just after the money,

pack them in and stack them high, He knows that he is getting druggies/alcho's in his bedsits, he just dont care.

 

He's more worried about his dog going into 1 of these bedsits but ok for his tenants,

these property's are too small to live in, it will add to existing problems.

 

At the start of this film, the LL says that its all in with the rent, but part way through he says, he charges £15 for services, what services is he on about ?

 

But i must admit, i was disgusted with how some of the tenants have left there properties,

 

just read ur post Isabelle,

my LL came yesterday for first time since i got this house ( 21st Aug 2012 )

and previous LL never visited until the week before i left his property, which was about 8 years.

But personally, i would not have a LL check more than once a year.

 

 

I know there are bad tenants there always will be, and it does not matter what checks are carried out, nor on gut feeling when you meat them, there always be afew that get through,

Same with Landlords, there will always be some bad LL's that really dont care about the tenants, that dont get repairs done & let the property run down until its unlivable.

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Nobody is forcing anyone into his accommodation, they have to view the room, they have to sign an agreement to live there. If they choose to take the room then the paperwork gets sorted out. Choices. And who else is going to provide accommodation for this sector? I'm certainly not because I don't want the hassle regardless of how profitable it may be. His business model he claims works for him and fair play to him, he will earn his money. I may not personally agree with how he operates completely, but I don't have a solution so I'm not going to knock him until I do because he is providing a service that a lot of other people won't. In the meantime, where do these people live, on the street, in prison, a hostel. Some people won't help themselves ever, and these people need a roof over their heads.

 

I think one of the most interesting things said on the programme was by the eviction specialist. When I first saw the guy I thought he was going to turn out to be another nasty piece of work operating on the fringes of the rental game. But he turned out to be the sensible, level headed and fair person on the programme. Anyway, what he said was that the state of social housing in terms of availability was the worse he'd ever seen. People who used to be helped and housed by the authorities now end up in private rented units. The solution I guess is a return to assistance from the authorities for certain sections of people.

 

---------- Post added 20-07-2013 at 09:16 ----------

 

He talked about his unhappy up bringing in care homes, but didn't seem to have much empathy for his tenants, it seemed to be all about money and outward appearance

 

I felt for the drunk man, he was clearly in need of help, which I hope he gets. He was in tears when the housing lady helped him out.

 

She was fantastic to him and clearly cared. But at the end of the day she was an amateur social worker, probably on minimum wage, and the only thing she could do for him was keep giving him new houses to trash.

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