About the PDPLA

The Association's Early Years

• 1985

  Formed in March 1985 by Keith & Malcolm Atkins Brothers, Estate Agents in Albert Road, Southsea. They were nominated Chairman & Vice Chairman/Secretary, along with approx fifteen other Founder Landlord Members. Meetings being held in their office.

  The rights of Landlords being fought for as at that time, student accommodation was urgently needed, with very few student residential houses but rent payable at a lower rent than the norm causing Landlords financial hardships. Meetings with officials and letters to members of parliament were recorded in the PDPLA minutes and this ethos of fighting for the rights of local landlords whilst also seeking to provide a forum to educate and inform them continues to this day.

• 1988

  Nick Hall ( Sabre Sales, Castle Road, Southsea ) then took the Chair in 1988 just as the introduction of the Housing Act 1988 came into force. "The Protection from Eviction Act". bringing B & B accommodation into the scope of the act making amendments from the eviction act of 1977.

• 1990

  In 1990 Bill Thomas took the Chair just as the Local authority were asking Landlords to take in Housing benefit Homeless claimants in private residencies and B & B. This was frowned upon as the rents being paid direct to the Homeless, many weeks in arrears, allowed many of the persons to leave without paying their Landlords at all. After many meetings and discussions with PCC Housing benefit departments and with lobbying visits to the Prime Minister in London, Landlord Directs were granted and at this stage more Landlords took in Housing Benefits claimants. However, Landlords problems were many. Apart from late rent monies, there were electric and Gas meters constantly being broken into for the monies or alterations of the dial movements. Perpetual thefts and damage to furniture and goods. One resident lighting a wood fire directly on to floor boards in the very middle of the room! With the introduction of Houses in Multiple occupancy and the beginning of several unrelated persons living under one roof, numerous arguments were repeatedly the cause of a Police call out to deal with the problems.

• 1992

  Irene Strange was nominated Chairman in 1992, holding the Chairmanship for four years with an increase in membership to approx 70 Landlords. Meetings being held at the Pendragon Hotel on South Parade, Southsea.... then in 1993, seeing in the new statutory instruments of Accelerated Possession Procedures under the office of the Lord Chancellors Department. However Housing Benefits lack of administration caused payments to fall behind by 20 weeks, when Landlords could not survive and residents and B & B were being given notice to vacate premises. This causing extreme problems for all concerned, so on 23rd June 1993 an unusual Demonstration with Placards held high was led around the Guildhall Square by Irene, with both Landlords and Tenants in procession which was remarked to as an "Unholy Alliance" at the time with headlines and photos in the Portsmouth Evening News.

  Eventually some four weeks later this was paid by PCC local authority but by this time, great animosity was rife to all concerned, having resulted in up to Seven months of unpaid dues and rents. Irene Strange has been the ONE constant member and has remained so in all the 25 years and was made an Honorary Member in 2005. More recently Chairman have included :- Alan Dines, Tony Hamlett, Julian Cloakie, Martyn Winfield and currently Martin Silman.

  An AIDE MEMOIRE was issued to all member Landlords in 1992 containing a mine of information. The Association 'Book of Knowledge' containing all the forms and information up to date... from The Constitution of the Association to Council Tax, Multiple Occupancy, Environmental Health, Guide to Housing, Housing Benefits, Standards of Housing including room sizes (to that date) in all categories as well as Strategy and Policy framework.

• Present

  In more recent years PDPLA has become a Limited company and has affiliated to National organisations to update members on the changes in regulations such as the need to use deposit protection schemes, gas and electrical safety checks and the introduction of the Local Housing Allowance etc. The membership has continued to grow to over 250 and in 2015 the association celebrated it's 30th Anniversary. If you have any further information or would like to add to the above, please contact Malcolm Drew.

Happy Renting!