‘As the saying goes, one person’s crisis is another person’s opportunity’

• GOOD to see the Camden New Journal is continuing to highlight “the cruel realities of the housing market” (July 13) and how the private rented sector is at the heart of this dysfunctionality.

Things have always been pretty grim in this sector of housing from a getting repairs done and landlord/agent behaviour point of view, but we have never known a time when so many people are either being faced with the threat of eviction or are being evicted.

We also know that many people are really struggling to find help from both local advice and council services, due to the increasing numbers of people approaching them, and therefore it’s really important that renters act sooner rather than later if they are facing such a situation.

If any of your readers have been issued with what is called a Section 21 notice, the first thing they need to do is check whether it’s legally valid and this can be done online by searching “How to check a section 21 notice is valid”.

This should bring up information produced by the likes of Shelter and Citizens Advice which will explain the specific circumstances in which this has not been done legally, for example if no gas safety certificate has been provided, or your deposit has not been protected, to name but a few.

It should also be pointed out that you cannot be legally evicted by email, phone call, text or WhatsApp message. If your landlord or agent does try to use one of these methods, as many do, then you need to get some advice immediately.

Sadly, the biggest evicter of private renters is unaffordable rents, because as we often say, your tenancy is only as good as your ability to pay the rent and, as your “Comment” points out, private tenants are the “collateral damage” in the “impersonal pursuit of profit”.

As we’ve said before in the CNJ, around 40 per cent of private landlords have no outstanding mortgages or debt, so the argument that increasing mortgage rates are one of the main factors driving eye-watering rent increases, does not tell the full story.

Again, as the saying goes, one person’s crisis is another person’s opportunity, and many landlords are putting up their rents because they see others doing the same, and because of supply and demand imbalances, they know only too well that private renters have no choice but to pay them to put a roof over their heads.

Finally, if you or your family are struggling financially, we can make referrals to the council’s money advice service on behalf of private tenants (and also housing association residents). This could also involve an application being made to the Cost of Living Crisis Fund as well.

To make an appointment with us, either email: admin@cfpt.org.uk or call 020 7383 0151.

ROBERT TAYLOR
Organiser
Camden Federation of Private Tenants (CFPT)