MPs are cooking up a plan to allow councils to insist landlords fit out kitchens for tenants on benefits to improve their diets.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger says too many low-paid tenants eat processed food and takeaways because landlords fail to provide kitchens with cookers and fridges so they can keep fresh food and cook their own meals
In a report on food poverty in Britain, the group chair, Labour’s Frank Field claimed many landlords only offer tenants on benefits a microwave for cooking and many had no fridge, saucepans or other cooking utensils.
In one of 77 recommendations, the report urges councils to monitor all private furnished letting homes to make sure they offer a fridge and at least a two-ring electric hob to all tenants on benefits.
Councils would only pay housing benefits if the new standard was met.
If the proposed rule is broken, the group wants councils to have a power to fine landlords.
The report ignores the fact that HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) withdrew white goods tax breaks for landlords in April 2013.
If the measure goes ahead, landlords renting out homes to tenants on benefits would have to pay for the white goods and could not reclaim the cost as a property business expense unless they were integrated kitchen appliances.
“Some food banks expressed concerns to the inquiry that some of their clients do not, or cannot, cook the contents of their food parcels at home because they lack basic cooking equipment and facilities,” says the report.
“We heard how some landlords may offer tenants only a microwave or one rings on a cooker while calling these facilities a kitchen for rent purposes.”
We let ALL of our properties without any white goods whatsoever. If this proposal became law we would be unlikely to let property to anyone in receipt of benefits.
more likely tennants dont know how to cook, due to lack of home economic lessons in schools, and their mothers not showing them how to cook 1
We let all our properites with white goods. Sadly those on benefits usually nick them when they leave… can’t win!
We don’t provide any white goods either. Not that many are housing benefit but it would be less if it was conditional!
In my experience, tenants prefer it this way because otherwise their own white goods need to be stored which costs the them more money on top of the rent. They nearly all have hand me down white goods from family (good excuse for parents to get some shiny new items).
Student lets are clearly different and the market expects these facilities to be provided but otherwise it’s getting less common.
We manage over a 140 properties furnished/unfurnished properties for our clients and they all have gas/electric Hobs and ovens or stand alone cookers. Labours Frank Fields quoted “Many landlords” obviously not based on research or statistics just a bit of a guess or tarring all landlords/agents with the same brush. I find it bizarre that low paid tenants can afford takeaways but can’t afford a second hand fridge or a saucepan. Housing benefit tenants already struggle to find suitable accommodation with the 30 percentile rule for local rents. Benefits are not guaranteed and paid 28 days in arrears this is already enough to put many landlords/agents off homing benefit tenants.
More legislation loaded against the landlord is not going to help the people that probably need it most.
I’ve come across several people on benefits that received a brand new cooker and fridge from the benefits agency and went ahead and sold them on eBay and through facebook..and these the people we are going to have to provide these white goods for…..madness!!!!!
Having read Mr Field’s proposal it appears that landlords will have to provide everything for tenants to prepare meals with. I really hope I’ve misunderstood it. Some people who work receive HB so it’s not just he unemployed, but the low paid too who will find it impossible to get a property. I wonder what will happen to a tenant who is working then becomes unemployed gets HB and sells off all his food prep items?
Speaking to housing association employee and other landlords, when a tenant on benefits takes on a property with no white goods, they are given a set of brand new white goods at taxpayers expense. So no incentive to provide them, and no incentive for them to care for any provided as if they thrash your property they get moved into another place and new goods provided.