Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

[Guest]

16th June 2012
[I was alerted to this acting chairmanship by VIP Member SpringerSpaniel by Private Message]
Dear Mr Gilbert (chair of the Housing All Party Parliamentary Group)

1. Re. standards in the private rented sector

I see you sit on the housing committee.

After many years of private tenancies, I've come to the conclusion that properties need standard, tick-box forms to fill in to demonstrate they're ready to be let. These should be standardised and some entity outside the system should make sure it's done. Or make it the law and allow tenants to claim compensation for non-compliance.

i.e.
1. cooker clean
2. cooker parts all present
3. cooker parts all intact

These could also be done on tenant exit, and linked to deposit and energy certificate schemes.

Why? Because landlords and letting agents are able to enter coercive, distressing and unfair relationships with the their tenants, over whom they can have undue influence, due to the right to evict at short notice for no reason.

Is this too small an issue for your committee? If so, who would I send to, please?

2. Re. brutality v. civilisation

I see you are lib dem and I think that's as close as it gets ideologically to my ideas on housing.
I feel that no man should be able in law to put another man out of his home.
The concept of ownership of another man's home is repugnant to me.
I feel that no person should be homeless, ever.
I feel a huge part of the problem is the commercialisation of housing.
I understand tribes get together and build a house for one of their own, and that person owns it for life.
No mortgage, nothing. They help each other.
I welcome your comments.

Many thanks,

[seduraed]

Re: Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

I feel that we will continue to have a problen as long as two conditions hold . The first is increasing population . amd the second is the governemtn not grasping the nettle of insufficient building. solving both of these needs a sea change in the thoughts of those who run the country .

[SpringerSpaniel]

Re: Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

In the past a fair rent Tribunal was helpful, it was abolished under the Thatcher Govt in I think 1986. Restoring this would help imho

[Guest]

Re: Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

Letter to My local MP through Shelter petition campaign - 16th June 2012
[I was alerted to this campaign by VIP Working Groups Member charitynjw here]
Dear My Local MP,
I am supporting Shelter's campaign to evict rogue landlords. Tenants shouldn't have to put up with squalid, dangerous living conditions or face harassment, intimidating behaviour or illegal eviction.

As the number of people living in the private rented sector grows, I believe there should be a national system in place so that landlords can demonstrate their commitment to providing quality homes and tenants can check to make sure that their landlord is reputable.

My area does not have a landlord accreditation scheme. Why not?

Putting in place a landlord accreditation scheme would provide an objective benchmark for landlords to operate against, while informing and empowering tenants in the area to make good choices about who they rent from.

Many local authorities with schemes have seen more sustained tenancies, improved standards and issues being resolved earlier with lower costs to authorities.

I think its time we implemented a system.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

[Guest]

Re: Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

Reply from Assistant to my local MP to letter above, #4 - 18th June 2012
Thank you for your email to My Local MP about the private rented sector.

The Liberal Democrats are broadly in favour of some regulation of the Private Rented Sector (PRS), and we’re including a big section on this in the housing policy paper which will be debated at our Autumn conference. Unfortunately our Conservative colleagues in government are not very keen so we will have to do a lot of work persuading them to take any action.

Since the coalition government was formed in 2010, we have made some moves that are linked and will help improve the quality of PRS houses. The Energy Act 2011, for example, contains a provision to prevent landlords from renting out properties that are rated F and G for energy efficiency from 2018, which was a key policy pushed into the Bill by Lib Dems and will require landlords to insulate some of the coldest and draughtiest properties, or face being unable to rent them out. The policy paper will be going further and faster on this.

Councils also have some power to act on PRS regulation as well (and some do), as they can introduce their own landlord accreditation schemes. The link to a consultation paper that the Liberal Democrats put out at our Spring Conference is here:

http://www.libdems.org.uk/siteFiles/...AIN%20TEXT.txt

which shows we’re asking a lot of questions on what to do with the PRS and are taking it seriously.

Do come in and have a chat about this with Martin. We can make you an appointment at one of his advice centres. Just give us a call.

xxxxx xxxxxxx
Assistant to My Local MP
Tel no.

[Guest]

Re: Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

My Reply to My Local MP's Assistant - 18th June 2012 - also forwarded to Stephen Gilbert, MP
Dear xxxxx,

Thankyou for your detailed and considered letter to me. I very much appreciate it.

I have scanned your policy underpinnings. I would like very much to contribute, if I am able. Please find below a copy e-mail sent by me, to Stephen Gilbert MP, who is chair of the Housing All Party Parliamentary Group.

It is based on my findings of some 16 continuous years' experience as a private tenant in xxxxxxxxxx. In that time I won my own possession case in xxxxxxxxxx, in which landlord had representing counsel from London.

I have worked extensively on my own situation with xxxxxxxxxx Housing Aid and xxxxxxxxxxx Law Centre, including currently.

I have very little knowledge of politics, but visited your office once and heard some very cogent remarks on housing from both xxxxx xxxxx MP and his then aide, xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx (now sadly deceased).

I am an active member of Legal Beagles consumer forum, where I will be posting this letter.

Please note, my e-mail below constitutes:-
a) a major but simple, unifying policy reform which I invite anyone to "dispute" with me, and
b) the clear points in law which underline the situation, causing the housing instability you speak of in your report, not to mention the unjust enrichment of landlords, at the expense of tenants' lives.

I also note that my fellow forum members at Legal Beagles have commented on a) the need to build more housing due to growing population, as you have, and b) the loss of the Fair Rent Tribunal - where your letter to me will be posted, here (I think you would need to become a forum member to read it, I do apologise). Thread started by me, and will continue indefinitely.

I would welcome any reply and will continue to co-operate with you or any other party on the matter.
Coalition device noted, and remembered this morning

Yours sincerely,


QUOTED "

	Jun 16 (2 days ago)
to steve

Dear Mr Gilbert,

1. Re. standards in the private rented sector

I see you sit on the housing committee.

After many years of private tenancies, I've come to the conclusion that properties need standard, tick-box forms to fill in to demonstrate they're ready to be let. These should be standardised and some entity outside the system should make sure it's done. Or (here I will add AND 18/6/12) make it the law and allow tenants to claim compensation for non-compliance.

i.e.
1. cooker clean
2. cooker parts all present
3. cooker parts all intact

These could also be done on tenant exit, and linked to deposit and energy certificate schemes.

Why? Because landlords and letting agents are able to enter coercive, distressing and unfair relationships with the their tenants, over whom they can have undue influence, due to the right to evict at short notice for no reason.

( For Steven Gilbert only): Is this too small an issue for your committee? If so, who would I send to, please?)

Note added 18/6/12: the right to evict at 2 months' notice for no reason has been tried in the European Court of Human Rights. It failed. But the above points are derived from other points in law, are clearly the true position, and clarify that point for everybody. They came from "me".

2. Re. brutality v. civilisation

I see you are lib dem and I think that's as close as it gets ideologically to my ideas on housing.
I feel that no man should be able in law to put another man out of his home.
The concept of ownership of another man's home is repugnant to me.
I feel that no person should be homeless, ever.
I feel a huge part of the problem is the commercialisation of housing.
I understand tribes get together and build a house for one of their own, and that person owns it for life.
No mortgage, nothing. They help each other.
I welcome your comments.

Many thanks,

[Guest]

Re: Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

Response from Stephen Gilbert's office to letter sent #1 - 19th June 2012

MCCAULEY, Stephen stephen.mccauley@parliament.uk	12:37 PM (1 hour ago)
to me

Dear xxxxxxxxx,


Thanks for your email. Stephen has asked me to reply to say that he’s very sympathetic to your proposals and will feed them into the work of the Select Committee he sits on. They have a few topics they are focusing on at the moment but they do decide together what to look into.

I believe you’ve already received a detailed reply from Martin Horwood regarding Lib Dem policy? I’ve attached an article Stephen wrote for the Social Market Foundation that may be of interest.

Best wishes,
Steve


Stephen McCauley | Senior Parliamentary Researcher
Office of Stephen Gilbert MP
Liberal Democrats | St Austell & Newquay

Tel: 020 7219 0499 | Fax: 020 7219 4180
House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

[Guest]

Re: Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

My reply to Stephen McCauley - 19th June 2012

xxxxxxxxx xxxxx	12:53 PM (1 hour ago)
to Stephen

Dear Stephen,

Thanks for your email.

I could be threatened with eviction at this time due to repair dispute, LHA withheld, so I'm going to Law Centre tommorrow on this. I'm an active case ~smile~

No time for theories, I hope Stephen is going to look at the Tick-Box Scheme - it could prevent this happening to others.

Best wishes

[Guest]

Re: Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

P.S. to above letter to Stephen McCauley
P.S. Thread on these letters between myself and parliamentary members here (points to this thread)
I will be updating it as long until the law or whatever gets changed.

(I will be updating it for as long as it takes to get the law changed and until the law or whatever needs to be, is changed).

[Guest]

Re: Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

Why I have used the word "scam" in the original post
Meaning of scam - here - Wikipedia
This is my reference to my own situation
Where letting agent let property to me
After I moved in, almost EVERY major appliance/function was not working
Hot water, main heater, cooker, 3/5 door locks, etc, etc

Note, it is not possible for tenant to check hot water, night storage heaters, etc, are working properly
And anyway, a tenant needs a roof over their head - i.e. no bargaining power!!

THIS IS WHY THIS INDUSTRY SHOULD BE REGULATED IN THE UK, AS SHELTER ARE SAYING

So, in using the word "scam", I am referring to the ability to trick the tenant
By not preparing or checking the property
But nevertheless charging a fee to both tenant and possibly landlord
Other methods (some used in my present case) are:-
- no interior/exterior photos
- use of wide-angle lenses to make rooms look bigger
- serious ommissions of information, in some cases amounting to fraud
- presenting themselves as 'letting agencies" when they're not doing the work of one
- putting the landlord before the tenant in order to keep business with landlord,
- e.g., not paying for repairs because landlord says (= misappropriation, breach of fiduciary duty + unjust enrichment)
- also collusion with landlord, e.g. in my case saying I'm wrecking fittings because that means they don't need to repair!
- letting agent also accused me of being anti-social for wearing once, which affects app. for social housing
- these two above threaten my reputation which is why I've had to DPA SAR letting agent

THIS IS A CONFIDENCE TRICK - OR "SCAM"

[Guest]

Re: Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

Further correspondence with Stephen Gilbert, MP, on unfair housing system/laws - at Facebook
(Stephen Gilbert, MP, is now a Facebook 'friend' of mine. He is the chair of the All-Party Housing Committee)
13th August 2012
Christian Passy
Monday
Today I will see a legal advisor and I will ask him if we can do anything (else) to change the housing laws that allow people to be pushed out of their homes in this country by unscrupulous landlords and letting agents. I have been warned that I am an unfit tenant, because I demand repayment of rent when I have no hot water, heating, cooker, etc, for months on end. This allows 'them' to evict me. This is allowed by our government. I have asked my friend Stephen Gilbert to intervene, but I have heard no news as yet. Today, we begin the tide of change. No more will this country tolerate the abasement of one section of our society in this cruel and degrading manner. We will rise up and we will not be going away. The end of unfair housing laws is near and it WILL be accomplished. We're not paying for what we don't get, and we won't be pushed around any more.

Unlike ·

• You, Mike Stephens and Sue Godden like this.
• • Stephen Gilbert hey Christian, I have long argued for a similar scheme and have raised in Parliament on a number of occassions - I have some casework at the moment that shows the need for such a scheme for extreme cases.
    Monday at 09:45 · Unlike · 1
  • Christian Passy Let me edit my last comment (which was basically delight + surprise). I will be in touch Stephen - thankyou.
    Monday at 16:15 · Edited · Like
  • Christian Passy Social tenants + private tenants = more than 10% of the population, and rising dramatically.
    Monday at 11:35 · Edited · Like
  
  

[Guest]

Re: Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

Letter to Stephen Gilbert, MP, regarding unfair housing system
"Dear Mr Gilbert,

Further to communication via Facebook:

Could you please explain to me the difficulties you have encountered with bringing a fairer housing system (including but not limited to the difficulties with bringing changes to the laws governing this area)?

Can you please tell me what can further be done by myself and others, including tenants, to bring change?
(I note that over 10% of the UK's population are now social and private tenants, and this figure is rising dramatically).

I am currently losing my home* of 2.3 years after several thousand pounds and hundreds of hours of investment, due to repair issues, right to evict, and unregulated letting agent. I note that HMRC would like me to pay them some £5,000 and others are making various demands, but without a stable home I have difficulty establishing a life, let alone meeting said demands. I work at home (when allowed to have a home, and to work at home) as a clairvoyant. I have long noted the inability of the law to keep me in any home (my home has changed every 1 to 2 years, for the last 16 years, as a private tenant) and to compensate me for loss of 'home'. I have read your comments in the press, demonstrating your empathy with these issues.

I see a subjugation of one section of society here by the rest, which I view as similar to slavery and subjugation of rights of those in same-sex relationships. At the heart of it, I see use of 'home' for profit. No-one would tolerate use of 'marriage', 'children' or 'privacy' for profit being written in to law - and use of 'home' for profit (the legalisation thereof) should not be tolerated in a civilised nation.

Thankyou in anticipation.
Yours,
xxxxxxxxx xxxxx"

* this letter to Stephen Gilbert was written after receiving warning of landlord applying for court order for possession.

[Guest]

Re: Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

Reply from Stephen Gilbert, MP, to the above

GILBERT, Stephen stephen.gilbert.mp@parliament.uk	8:29 AM (5 hours ago)
to me

Thanks Christian, what's your address please?

SG

Sent from my iPhone

(My address was, of course, sent).

[Guest]

Re: Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

Recently launched Lib Dem Policy on Housing Issues
This was sent to me this evening by Stephen Gilbert, and can be read here

[Guest]

Re: Letter to Stepheb Gilbert re. the UK housing scam

Reply to Stephen Gilbert re Lib Dem Housing Policy
"Hi Steve,

Thankyou so much for your policy document. Self-government seems to be a major theme (although I will read it through).

I have just discovered, through weeks of intensive counselling process, that I never actually wanted the flat I'm in - but I buried that truth (someone 'rescued' me by giving me a big cheque to get out of appalling shared housing). To discover your self again and allow your authentic voice to govern your actions must be - what's the word? - analogous to the theme in your policy, of self-government.

Therefore I proclaim your policy excellent in that respect, after merely scanning 1 or 2 pages!

Meanwhile, I would not underestimate the importance of what is true in my case - any maybe for others - I don't want to live alone - the company of human beings has become irreplaceable, and I'm content in knowing that. I will soon be back in shared housing!

I remain interested in my original question to you. And I can say, I'm impressed and amazed that you would take the trouble to write to me - and so quickly, and thankyou for so personal a touch from Westminster!"