Only 15.75% of NLA landlords now support Tories
Private landlords have lost faith in the Conservative Party, with only 15.75% of NLA members now saying they would support them in an election. Are Landlords now the elephant in the room for the Tories?
This polling, conducted shortly after the once strongly pro-business party announced its intention to abolish the no fault section 21 possession process and end fixed-term tenancies, found that more than two thirds (69%) of the landlords responding had voted Conservative in 2017. However, of those, only 25% said they would do so again were an election called today.
Meanwhile, 85% of landlords stated they would be likely to vote against any party proposing to remove Section 21 and 89% would vote against any party proposing rent control.
Richard Lambert, CEO of the NLA, said: “It’s hardly surprising that landlords are losing faith in the Conservatives given the way their Government has overturned the economic, and now legislative, foundations of the private rented sector since 2015. The Tories’ attitude seems to be “Well, who else are landlords going to vote for?” The response is coming back loud and clear, “Not you”.
“The Conservatives’ mantra that they are the party for business has a hollow echo to the 2 million plus landlords in the UK who see the party and its Government refusing to recognise them as having legitimate business interests.
“Our members have told us that removing Section 21 would be devastating and costly for their businesses. Conservative Ministers need to take the time to understand what’s actually happening in the private rented sector or it may end up costing them dearly.”
*NLA Member Survey May 2019 (1,700 respondents)
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1st time UK buyer and stamp duty?
Member Since September 2016 - Comments: 2533 - Articles: 73
11:49 AM, 21st May 2019, About 7 years ago
This is what I argued in my article here:
https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2019/05/rosalind-beck-its-not-just-eu-policy-thats-driving-conservative-voters-towards-the-brexit-party.html
What the NLA doesn’t mention is that whereas landlords had no real alternative to voting Conservative, there is now the option of voting for the Brexit Party, who at least look like becoming a party of business.
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 60
12:00 PM, 21st May 2019, About 7 years ago
15.75% still support the tories…are you certain it’s really this high!!
Member Since January 2015 - Comments: 91
1:02 PM, 21st May 2019, About 7 years ago
We still (!) have as Prime Minister someone who only listens to a small group of personal advisers and her housing adviser is a former senior policy maker at Shelter. While she is there nothing will change.
Member Since February 2016 - Comments: 1056
2:31 PM, 21st May 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Michael Bond at 21/05/2019 – 13:02
Ah, that explains May coming out with the Shelter mantra “S.21 is the biggest cause of homelessness in Britain today” – which is a blatant lie.
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1020 - Articles: 47
2:34 PM, 21st May 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Michael Bond at 21/05/2019 – 13:02
In June 2016 Toby Lloyd wrote “George Osborne’s recent reforms to the taxes paid (or not paid) by Buy to Let landlords are a positive step.”
https://blog.shelter.org.uk/2016/06/should-private-renters-get-the-right-to-buy/
He went on to approve of Right to Buy in the PRS, something which Corbyn had suggested in his paper on housing in 2015 before anyone imagined he could ever be leader of a party.
Lloyd wrote “Civitas’s proposal is much the same as the existing Right to Buy for social tenants, with two important modifications. As in the social sector, after three years in a home, the renter would be able to buy it at a discount of 35% – up to a cap of £77,900 outside London and £103,900 in London.”
That must be why the government consulted recently on whether to introduce tenancy agreements with a minimum of three years.
Lloyd continued “The two modifications are that the discount would never be allowed to mean the landlord actually lost money: in effect, this would limit the discount to the amount that house prices had gone up since the landlord bought the home (or 35% or the cap, which ever was lower). And secondly, new build properties would be excluded from the Right to Buy for 25 years, to avoid discouraging landlord investment in new development.”
So the discount could be all of the increase in value since purchase, or 35% of the market value, or £78k/£104k, whichever is the lower. But they don’t want to discourage landlord investment! As if landlords would invest in new build after watching other landlords forced to sell to tenants at a discount. Incredible.
I hope the next Conservative Prime Minister does not appoint socialist advisers.
Member Since August 2018 - Comments: 158
3:58 PM, 21st May 2019, About 7 years ago
But who else do you vote for? The others, Labour, LibDems and Greens are even worse! The Brexit Party is good to have a protest vote at the Euro elections but I’m not sure about them governing our country.
The sooner May and her former Shelter advisor go the better! May has screwed up the Brexit negotiations, she must not be allowed to screw up the PRS!
Member Since April 2014 - Comments: 985 - Articles: 2
4:03 PM, 21st May 2019, About 7 years ago
Well done Teresa May et al. That means you have lost 1.7 million landlord votes (assuming all were originally conservative voters). Whilst tenants out number landlords 3 to 1 they may seem a more attractive target, but seriously I doubt many tenants will transfer their traditional Labour allegiance over to the Conservatives! Announcing the end of section 21 when T May did was very naïve. Poor strategic planning!
Member Since March 2015 - Comments: 1969 - Articles: 1
4:53 PM, 21st May 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Martin Thomas at 21/05/2019 – 15:58The Brexit Party cannot be any worse than any of the traditional parties. At least their candidates are standing on conviction, Farage has tenacity and is a better orator than any of the current crop and has proven capabilities nobody else I can think of could achieve…
Member Since March 2018 - Comments: 15
8:23 PM, 21st May 2019, About 7 years ago
I have been a Tory all my life, now I will be voting BREXIT PART
I shocked to say that Tory G Osbourne & T May out PM , have made and taken away my livelihood.
I will never vote Tory again but BREXIT for economic reasons only
After this if Tory MAY needs to leave , and I am from boughs K&C london
I will have to I decided I will never Vote Every politician is their for the self interest
Not our country I have great safe upto date clean safe Properties my tenants NEVER min 5 yrs
I have worked hard taken on huge finance commitments , but to tax 24 & now section 21
Will leave huge hole of not enough rental properties in the capital
Member Since March 2018 - Comments: 15
8:23 PM, 21st May 2019, About 7 years ago
I have been a Tory all my life, now I will be voting BREXIT PART
I shocked to say that Tory G Osbourne & T May out PM , have made and taken away my livelihood.
I will never vote Tory again but BREXIT for economic reasons only
After this if Tory MAY needs to leave , and I am from boughs K&C london
I will have to I decided I will never Vote Every politician is their for the self interest
Not our country I have great safe upto date clean safe Properties my tenants NEVER min 5 yrs
I have worked hard taken on huge finance commitments , but to tax 24 & now section 21
Will leave huge hole of not enough rental properties in the capital