The National Landlords Association, the representative body for private residential landlords, has condemned outright the practice of erecting ‘naming and shaming’ signs on the properties of those tenants who have failed to pay their rent.
Residentiallandlord.co.uk recently reported how one agent in Liverpool had erected two signs on properties where the tenants owed back rent in order to act as a deterent.
But Simon Gordon, Head of Communications at the NLA, has spoken out against this ill-advised practice
He said: “It is surely just a matter of time before someone gets hurts. This kind of behaviour will only serve to alienate the tenant and the authorities are certain to take a dim view. This practice is almost certainly illegal.
“While we understand the threat to both landlords and letting agents of tenants failing to keep up with their rental payments, this form of public humiliation is a recipe for disaster and does nothing for the reputation of the sector.
“The credit crunch affects everyone. The bottom line is if a cash-strapped tenant is consistently failing to pay the rent, then the landlord should seek possession of the property as soon as possible and cut their losses. It’s then up to the landlord to pursue the tenant for monies owed through the proper and legal channels.
“The NLA would advise landlords and letting agents against taking the law into their own hands. Instigating some kind of medieval witch hunt against their tenants is a very bad idea.”
