Ahh, I haven’t blogged for ages. Being 100% transparent, it’s because I made my mindset that there was a specific way of writing and I’d get 0 views if I didn’t do it properly… it’s the social media comparison rubbish.
Oh and also apparently blogging is dead.
That being said, I still am reading and researching property related stuff. I still need an outlet to write it down the it’s not a podcast day.
I’m going back to the very roots that started NC Real Estate and just going for it.
Right…
Queens Speech: We’ve heard it all before STOP TALKING START DOING
As we all know, the Conservatives have a majority in Government, thanks to the 12th December General Election. I talked about why I was feeling optimistic about it (even though I’m not a conservative voter) in THIS PODCAST .
The sentiments of the Conservative Manifesto were repeated dutifully by HRH the Queen on the 16th December.
For the property industry, the following key points:
- There will be a new tenants lifetime deposit scheme
- Abolishment of no fault evictions (yawn, this was so Teresa May PM’ing)
- Strengthen the rights of Landlords to regain possession (Yaay!! but surely that’s what S21 notices do?!)
- First Home Scheme will give discounts of 30% to local First Time Buyers (Fabulous, but surely this is going to push the bottom end of the market up!? If FTB’s can afford more then they will buy more)
- Law to ban new houses sold on a leasehold basis and ground rents will be reduced to £0 (Which we know because the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced this back in June)
- Finally there will be a new Building Safety Bill which will overhaul fire safety in high rise buildings as a result of Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review of building regulation & fire safety… which was released in May 2018 (Shows what a priority fire safety really is if the Government only thinks about it 19 months later)
Is any of the above new?!
No
Has any of it happened?!
No
And there lies the problem in this industry. I’m optimistic because this now HAS to happen. The Government has been so sidetracked with Brexit that they’ve been all talk and no action.
This has to stop so that we can move forward as an industry. All of the above needs to happen and then we can start talking about something new.
Let me give you some topic suggestions:
- Managing agents using leaseholders sinking funds to pay for their own legal fees for action taken against said leaseholders, needs to be made illegal.
- Simpler to use redress systems for complaints handling
- Sustainability grants for property investors so that they can adapt to new sustainability standards, that currently they probably can’t afford because of the tax changes
- Teaching people how to save up a deposit for a property, rather than whining about it
- Lease reading classes for anyone with a leasehold property
2020 needs to be the year where we actually start moving forward with these property initiatives that we’ve been hearing for far too long. Fire safety has to be a priority. Getting rid of rogue landlords and rogue tenants needs to be a priority too. Meanwhile making sure that the private rental sector supports it’s Landlords and Tenants is the only way this thing works.
Over to you:
- What would you add to my topic suggestions list?
- Do you still enjoy reading blogs?
Natasha
