Landlords From Hell

Whilst a lot of us will know someone who has had a few grumbles about a property they have rented, news stories about real landlords from hell are not uncommon. We aren’t talking about minor problems that haven’t been fixed for a short time or withholding some of your deposit for a petty reason. No, this is far more serious. Rogue landlords are guilty of forcing tenants to live in unacceptable and dangerous conditions; in fact a recent study by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health showed that one million rented homes in the UK are unsafe to live in. However, it is not only the conditions of the properties that that we have to worry about, these landlords from hell use harassment and even illegal eviction against their tenants, with 90 percent of environmental health officers reporting that they had encountered these behaviours from landlords.

Earlier this year a landlord in Reading was convicted of thirteen offences in relation to one property he had rented out. On this occasion the landlord had not maintained the supply of gas to the house, leaving tenants without sufficient hot water and heating.  He also failed to fix dangerous electric sockets and broken appliances, including a cooker, as well as leaving the ceiling in a state of disrepair. As this landlord was unable to pay the fine of £665, an additional day in prison was imposed upon him – he was already serving a four year sentence for another offence. Many would argue that this is too lenient a punishment for his omissions, which could have had serious consequences. Indeed, neglect by some landlords has been fatal. In March a landlord was convicted after a mother and daughter died in a fire at one of his rented properties. He failed to provide adequate smoke detectors and alarms, and had not ensured there was an escape route from their second floor flat.

Whilst landlords from hell may think that harassment and the threat of eviction pays, this is not so. A court case from 2011 saw one such landlord fined over £20,000 after making the lives of one set of tenants a misery over a 30 month period. The harassment campaign started after the tenants approached the council after their requests for repairs were ignored by the landlord. The utilities were initially cut off from the property and after a series of events, culminated in the landlord changing the locks and removing their property while they were out at work. Such events can have a devastating effect on people’s lives and for this couple led to the breakdown of their relationship.

However, when life is already tough, difficulties with a landlord can have a bigger impact. To add insult, it would appear that rogue landlords are targeting groups already considered as vulnerable, such as the elderly, those with a disability and who already have difficult social circumstances. These people may either be too frightened or unsure how to complain, or may feel they have no choice other than put up with atrocious conditions, as they have nowhere else to go. While unscrupulous landlords may think that they can take advantage of people who are less likely to lodge complaints against them, tightening up the law means that their behaviour is now less likely to go unnoticed.

Although the majority of landlords are reputable, the minority who aren’t still works out to be a significant number in the country as a whole. The problem largely lies in the motives of the people who are becoming landlords. Many have jumped on the bandwagon of buy to let mortgages, seeing it as an investment for the future, but without familiarising themselves with the rules and regulations and the need for rent guarantee cover that govern private rentals. Landlords who think they can cut corners on the condition of their properties to maximise their income should think again, as prosecutions against landlords is on the increase.

Anna Holt is a freelance finance writer from England who specialises in the rental market. She was shocked at just how many people had been to hell and back thanks to their landlord.

 

Sunderland; Looking Forward

The rich history of Sunderland has seen the city establish a world-renowned reputation for innovation and industry, with several sectors becoming synonymous with the area in recent times. Perhaps the best-known of all is shipbuilding, which had taken place on the River Wear between the 14th century and the 1980s, when the last shipyard sadly closed down.

The local area was also synonymous with coal-mining, and the abundant seams of Durham provided employment for vast numbers of Wearsiders. The final colliery to close in the region was at Wearmouth, and is now the site of the Stadium of Light, home to Sunderland Football Club.

However, if you thought the locals were content to sit around feeling sad for a past that’s no longer there, you’d be wrong. Sunderland has a wonderful can-do attitude, and is home to a large number of high-tech businesses which reflect the enterprising spirit of this truly unique metropolis.

In the 1980s, the city began a huge regeneration project which has transformed various areas, particularly in the central zone. New shopping centres and leisure facilities stand as monuments to the forward-looking atmosphere, and the coming decade promises more developments which will enhance the city’s reputation as a centre for growth.

One of the major employers in Sunderland is the Japanese car giant Nissan. Their Washington plant was first opened in the 1980s, and continues to produce vehicles at an impressive rate. Located at the junction of the A19 and A1232 roads, it’s now the largest car plant in the whole of Great Britain.

It’s pleasing to note that Sunderland is one of those cities that is more concerned with looking to the future than mourning for the past. The world’s economy has been unkind to the north-east of England in recent decades, but that doesn’t mean everything has to be doom and gloom.

The local authorities are keen to attract further international businesses to the area, and the early signs are that their initiatives will prove fruitful. The 21st century business sector is a constantly changing one, of course, and it would be foolish to be more optimistic than is strictly necessary, but the ever-cautious Wearsiders are certainly looking to a brighter tomorrow.

The next ten years will be crucial for the city of Sunderland in particular and the north-east region in general. With continuing hard work and innovative use of incentives, by the time 2020 comes around the map of British industrial powerhouses may look very different than it does at the moment.

David Rice is based in the UK and works for a go-ahead company that specialises in matching the right organisation to the best office space. Sunderland is one of his favourite cities, because he likes the combination of heritage and enterprise. With the low price of office space to let in Sunderland, he knows the city offers superb facilities for an affordable cost.

 

Three Reasons To Leave Work Early

While we all have different opinions about how long the working day should be, there are some things that, when they come up, should make just about anyone want to switch off the computer and make a dash for the exit. Here are three good reasons to shut down, ship out and show a leg.

They may not be everyone’s idea of a once in a lifetime opportunity, but most people will surely want to drop everything should they arise. Even the most hard-hearted boss would have trouble telling you it would be better if you stayed in the office and worked on those all-important budget proposals instead.

Your child’s first steps

While not an easy event to predict, you should do all you can not to miss this unforgettable occasion. Even if you think your presence in the office is absolutely necessary, this would be a million times more important. Make no mistake, nobody ever laid on their death-bed and thought “I wish I’d worked harder”.

Those first steps will be repeated over and over again, of course, but nothing compares to the first time they happen. One small step for a very a very small man, or woman, but it’s one giant leap for everyone in the family. And if you stayed in the office to finish those budget reports instead, how would you feel when you found out what you’d missed?

An important medical appointment

You may be forgiven for ignoring the odd twinge of pain to stay at work and finish a task, but it’s always worth remembering that your health is more important than a conference call with a client. If you are concerned about anything that could in some become serious, you should make tracks to the doctor as soon as you possibly can.

Your boss won’t want to be responsible for your cavalier attitude towards your own health, so will invariably encourage you to get yourself checked. And while we’re on the subject, you owe it to your family to make sure you’re in good condition. Don’t ever make the mistake of thinking your health only matters to you and no-one else.

Insert your own third reason

No matter how conscientious you are about work, there must be at least one thing that would mean you simply have to leave work for the afternoon. It may be the opportunity to have lunch with Kate Moss or George Clooney, perhaps, or to get 18 holes in at St Andrews, or maybe because you have tickets to the final day’s play at Wimbledon.

Whether you have the chance to drive a Ferrari around the Top Gear test track or you simply want to take your mum shopping, always remember there are some things in life which are more important than work. As the old saying goes, you should work to live, not live to work.

David Rice is based in the south of England and didn’t see his child’s first steps, but only because he was in a Ferrari on the way to St Andrews to play golf with Jodie Kidd. He works for a company which finds office space for business clients throughout the UK.