Reversal over Brexit really is the only answer

My tenant stopped paying me rent as soon as he could but continued to claim housing benefit.

DWP, in full knowledge of the circumstances, not only continued to pay him but refused to talk to me on advice from their “client”.

Not only that, agencies employed by the council gave him advice on staying in a property for as long as possible without paying rent.

From the moment I could legally invoke a section eight to his leaving the property was a period of ten months – a period during which he was skilfully advised on how to cheat me.

Obviously I am not going to give instructions on this enabling people in Shropshire to replicate his efforts but I have some advice for landlords. On top of lost rent are solicitors fees and court fees.

There is no guarantee on quality of work and even when pointing out obvious errors I was charged multiples of £20 per telephone call. Try and find a reputable solicitor and use him. Get a proper lease drawn up.

I had insurance at one time which when I needed it had so many terms and conditions it proved worthless. I hope I now have good insurance and it cost a reasonable £167 per year. This is because the insurance company do the referencing and credit checks for my estate agent

I have found that in Shropshire such checks are minimal and even when a problem was found it was with-held from me until the day before the tenant moved in.

The “little slip-up” was the worse credit rating the credit agency had seen. You must request previous landlord references. Employment records, salary details, personal references and even then that will fall apart if the agent has not disclosed they are the applicant’s mother.

Even worse is a drug dealer and addict as a tenant. Thank goodness my current tenant is a landlord’s dream come true.

Be aware that not only are there interest rate rises in the pipeline but the tax position is one where you used to pay tax on profit but will soon pay tax on the total rental revenue regardless.

The government is trying desperately to raise funds for people like the police the army and other public bodies but the upshot of this is that leases are expiring; landlords are taking possession of properties because they do not pay. In London in my area the number of vacant rental properties is about 100 when it used to be 260wo hundred and sixty.

Seriously think of selling up if you have a rental property. I do not intend to mainly because the Shropshire rental property shares land with my house.

I say this because London property values have collapsed. In one month the average value of a prime London property fell by £300,000. Yes that’s per month not year.

My local café was always full of builders and tradesmen. On my last two visits there was not one single person there apart from me. When the City boys leave bad will go to worse.

One thousand City solicitors are registering to practise in Ireland. Goldman Sachs, (known as Goldmine Sachs), are leaving with many other city names. Mark Carney expects 75,000 job losses in finance due to Brexit and it goes on and will spread. Could be worse I could be a farmer.

One part of the problem is that foreign workers are leaving of their own free will. They used to send home 145Euro per £100 now it’s about £110-£114. Mr Gove cannot guarantee the future of farming because currently 80 per cent-97 per cent of agricultural exports go to the EU and will run bang into a tariff wall and also there will be a flood of cheap imports coming in. The detailed analysis is so bad I dare not repeat it.

We have alienated Donald Trump. Theresa May’s phone call on Bombardier in Ireland fell flat on its face. Combining with Airbus in Alabama a whole new market has opened up and where do we think Airbus UK will go to if it’s a “no deal”?

I think one or two politicians are having problems just walking the streets in London and Theresa May’s health looks fragile.

There is only one solution. Reverse Brexit. Name one benefit that has been achieved so far, just one. I would like to see the City boys inviting the farmers to come to London and a combined march. That would get attention. Leave the wives behind boys. The City lads party hard and it’s not suitable for family viewing. Just guessing on that one.

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