OV9

Rachel Reeves with ChatGPT right now:

Another clanger this morning from Reeves having to admit she's renting property without the required license from Southwark Council.

Whilst I have sympathy in that I don't think that licences for non HMO properties should be needed in the first place, its another example of not having your shit together. More damaging is probably the disclosure that her house is being rented out for £3,200 a month. That's nothing unusual in London but doesn't paint her as in touch with the average voter in her constituency of West Leeds and Pudsey where that's about the average gross monthly salary.

Also personally amusing / interesting as I didn't realise she lived in Dulwich and the letting agent she's using is the same one selling our house

Have none of them heard of accountants ffs!? I can see this as being an honest mistake, but come on!

I think it's really important for all rented property to be licensed mainly because I live in Newham, and the absolutely fcking state of some of the rentals around here means I believe that landlords should be held to high standards and if that means registering and licensing every property, then so be it!

My stepdaughter was looking to rent a house in Chelsea for 4 of them as they’re all on internships this year.. HMO/non-HMO is a pain in the arse and enables landlords to charge more per head than 3 person (non-HMO) property.. so I agree with Gav, licences for all! (They went 2 + 2 eventually for much nicer property)

IanF wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 11:53 am Have none of them heard of accountants ffs!? I can see this as being an honest mistake, but come on!

Why would you expect an accountant to advise her that a local authority licence is required to grant an Assured Shorthold Tenancy of a whole house to a family? I can see that Dulwich Village is excluded from the licensing area for some reason.

Jobbo wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 12:15 pm

IanF wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 11:53 am Have none of them heard of accountants ffs!? I can see this as being an honest mistake, but come on!

Why would you expect an accountant to advise her that a local authority licence is required to grant an Assured Shorthold Tenancy of a whole house to a family? I can see that Dulwich Village is excluded from the licensing area for some reason.

There will be some reason for the Village being excluded I'm sure, but not exactly sure why. Technically her property is on the Dulwich Estate as well so in theory it is subject to the Scheme of Management in the same way as a Georgian property in the middle of the Village so no distinction there.

Gavster wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 11:54 am I think it's really important for all rented property to be licensed mainly because I live in Newham, and the absolutely fcking state of some of the rentals around here means I believe that landlords should be held to high standards and if that means registering and licensing every property, then so be it!

Interestingly it now transpires the tenant can apply for a 12 month repayment order so in theory it could cost her £38,000...

Annoyingly journalists are now hounding the estate agents which isn't great for them focusing on selling our house!

Jobbo wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 12:15 pm

IanF wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 11:53 am Have none of them heard of accountants ffs!? I can see this as being an honest mistake, but come on!

Why would you expect an accountant to advise her that a local authority licence is required to grant an Assured Shorthold Tenancy of a whole house to a family? I can see that Dulwich Village is excluded from the licensing area for some reason.

Because an accountant would advise on regulatory financial compliance and tax laws, which I would assume covers licensing, and if not would at least recommend she gets legal advice. Her apology suggests she did it herself.

She spoke about these special licenses 10 days ago, but only checked her own after the DM contacted her.. post-Rayner I’d have expected everyone in the Cabinet to get independent advice on their financial activities. Not a good look for Chancellor of the Exchequer

In fairness, she went through a lettings agent. They should have either sorted out the licence or at least advise her that she needed one.

GG. wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 2:12 pm

Gavster wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 11:54 am I think it's really important for all rented property to be licensed mainly because I live in Newham, and the absolutely fcking state of some of the rentals around here means I believe that landlords should be held to high standards and if that means registering and licensing every property, then so be it!

Interestingly it now transpires the tenant can apply for a 12 month repayment order so in theory it could cost her £38,000...

I expect that legal challenge will be paid for on behalf of the tenant by The DailybTelegraph/Daily Mail/The Sun…!

Rich B wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 2:22 pm

GG. wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 2:12 pm

Gavster wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 11:54 am I think it's really important for all rented property to be licensed mainly because I live in Newham, and the absolutely fcking state of some of the rentals around here means I believe that landlords should be held to high standards and if that means registering and licensing every property, then so be it!

Interestingly it now transpires the tenant can apply for a 12 month repayment order so in theory it could cost her £38,000...

I expect that legal challenge will be paid for on behalf of the tenant by The DailybTelegraph/Daily Mail/The Sun…!

To be honest its worth anyone who owns property within the M25 funding it at this point.

240PP wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 2:22 pm In fairness, she went through a lettings agent. They should have either sorted out the licence or at least advise her that she needed one.

I doubt letting agents do it on your behalf if it is an application for a license for a property held in your name but it does seem like they can potentially. They should have flagged it to her, certainly.

GG. wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 2:27 pm

240PP wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 2:22 pm In fairness, she went through a lettings agent. They should have either sorted out the licence or at least advise her that she needed one.

I doubt letting agents do it on your behalf if it is an application for a license for a property held in your name but it does seem like they can potentially. They should have flagged it to her, certainly.

That would depend on what she asked them to do ie manage the tenancy or just advertise it..

IanF wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 3:11 pm

GG. wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 2:27 pm

240PP wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 2:22 pm In fairness, she went through a lettings agent. They should have either sorted out the licence or at least advise her that she needed one.

I doubt letting agents do it on your behalf if it is an application for a license for a property held in your name but it does seem like they can potentially. They should have flagged it to her, certainly.

That would depend on what she asked them to do ie manage the tenancy or just advertise it..

It also transpired that she actually tweeted about the licensing scheme on twitter ON MONDAY LAST WEEK. Unbe-fucking-lievable.

Two possibilities here - the "I was not aware" it was needed was either a lie or a negligent statement given she knew all about such schemes. Or it had already come to light before that and she had the gall to still post about it but that seems so stupid as to be implausible.

As ever - the cover up becomes worse than the crime.

IanF wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 2:17 pm Because an accountant would advise on regulatory financial compliance and tax laws, which I would assume covers licensing, and if not would at least recommend she gets legal advice. Her apology suggests she did it herself.

Tax, yes - but I would not expect any accountant to give advice or guidance on how to let a residential property. I avoid doing that and I'm a property lawyer; an accountant almost certainly wouldn't be covered by their PI insurance because it's outside their remit.

Filling all these new black holes feels like a Red Dwarf storyline.

Dave!

Jobbo wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 4:02 pm

IanF wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 2:17 pm Because an accountant would advise on regulatory financial compliance and tax laws, which I would assume covers licensing, and if not would at least recommend she gets legal advice. Her apology suggests she did it herself.

Tax, yes - but I would not expect any accountant to give advice or guidance on how to let a residential property. I avoid doing that and I'm a property lawyer; an accountant almost certainly wouldn't be covered by their PI insurance because it's outside their remit.

Accountant here. I would agree, an accountant wouldn't advise on local licensing/law. If she required to submit an ATED return then it is in the remit of an accountant to advise when this is required (I'm not saying it's required in this case).

I'm less interested in how incompetent she is on this, and rather ask how a Joe Public landlord would be treated, cos I'm willing to bet they get the book thrown at them. If so, the same should apply here.

Barry wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 5:18 pm I'm less interested in how incompetent she is on this, and rather ask how a Joe Public landlord would be treated, cos I'm willing to bet they get the book thrown at them. If so, the same should apply here.

Interestingly Southwark have supposedly already answered that in saying they only pursue landlords if they don't respond within X days from a notice being sent to them (basically implying its unreasonable for people to be able to follow all their bureaucracy).