Shelter blames rising rents for temporary accommodation crisis as NRLA warns of landlord exodus

Shelter! Marxist agitators.

The reason there are folk in temporary acccom is that there are not enough houses.

The reason there are not enough houses are many, but try: Huge levels of immigration, loss of HMOs due to over regulation by councils and those SERCO contracts!
And of course dont forget the Gov does not like landlords, so they are pushing us out via the tax system, as we leave, housing options reduce.

“STOP PRESS! Shelter blames Shelter advocated policies for housing crisis!” .. “Alice Becomes a Landlord” – Lewis Carroll

Why don’t Shelter build some homes then ? Or they could purchase homes that landlords are selling ?

Of course, Shelter’s incessant lobbying successive Governments for more & more anti-Landlord regulations and higher & higher taxes on Landlords; has got nothing to do with the exodus of Landlords nor rents increasing.
TENANTS ARE STARTING TO REAP WHAT SHELTER, GENERATION RENT, ET AL. HAVE SOWN.

And don’t we all just love those £40,000 fines for administrative errors? Successive governments, with the assistance of Shelter, have caused this housing crisis, which the RRA will worsen,

As a medium portfolio landlord, I am grateful to Shelter for facilitating the recent rent increases.

Sarah Elliot the new CEO of Shelter on an an annual salary north of £135,000 per year. Fact.
Shelter that famous housing charity that provides 1000s upon 1000s of homes for low income families…. In your dreams! Fact.
There just a group of champagne socialists doing what socialists have always done, just moan and groan whilst the landlord take the risks by contributing to the housing situation in this country. Fact.
Shelter speak a load of claptrap! Fact.

Shelter should ask itself if in any way they have contributed to this housing crisis. Their answer I expect would be “NO. We just want decent homes at affordable prices for renters”
However they have gone about it like bulls at a gate, agitating and campaigning, didn’t think of the consequences of their continual tirade against private landlords and in the end have caused renters far more misery. Families living in hotel rooms, rentals like hens teeth.
Social housing woefully inadequate to meet demands, coupled with far more demand from new arrivals to this country.
I know there are other factors, the looming RRB and EPC, the MTD chañges are all possible reasons why landlords are selling up. We normally cope with changes, but it’s all too much at once and has tipped the scales in favour of selling up, sticking the proceeds in a safe investment and receiving a stress free income.

Reply to the comment left by Jill Church at 20/10/2025 – 11:09
What do you think is a ‘safe investment’, gold looks topy, gilts look set to tank with the inverse yield curve getting stronger, equities, really?

There’s a much wider impact to the RRB which will affect services and the economy. As an example take the NHS many doctors and nurses come from overseas. They are not in a position to buy a home when they arrive so need to rent. Also many need to be mobile should they be relocated to another area. It’s not just NHS workers for many workers renting is absolutely essential. I like watching that TV programme Wanted Down Under and it’s amazing that many Brits who emigrate to Australia want to rent for 12 months when they arrive. Most mortgage lenders will require a minimum term of residency before granting a mortgage so unless you have cash buying a home is out of reach in the early years. Economies need a healthy rental supply to function. All this of course goes over the heads of the Labour and Tory lot and the others criticising landlords.

The NRLA, Small Landlords, and the Impact of Recent Legislation
Background: The NRLA’s Changing Stance
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has recently offered minimal, last-minute support to small landlords. This shift appears to stem from their significant loss of members, a direct consequence of what many perceive as a betrayal of their so-called members’ interests. Notably, NRLA members voted against Section 21, yet the organisation—particularly its CEO—publicly endorsed it. Even in recent communications, the CEO continues the trend of criticising landlords by referring to “responsible landlords,” despite his position at the helm of a multi-company organisation that seems more invested in increasing profits than genuinely supporting NRLA members.
Commercial Interests Versus Member Advocacy
It is evident that the NRLA, rather than championing the cause of small landlords, thrives in a regulatory environment brimming with complexity and bureaucracy. The more red tape and regulation, the more opportunities arise for the association to profit. Even before the passage of new laws, the NRLA is already selling relevant courses, and its various associated companies are preparing to offer additional services, such as “Safe2Rent,” OpenRent, Rent Deposits, and a host of others, including EPC certificates, electrical and gas safety checks, rent collection, management services, inventories, rent and building insurance, property photography and floor plans, accompanied viewings, midterm inspections, legal support, no-fault eviction services, and even facilitating the buying and selling of landlords’ properties. All of this is presented under the guise of a humble small landlord association.
Demonisation of Small Landlords
Small landlords have been demonised, often labelled as “criminal landlords,” despite the fact that no other business sector is subject to as much regulation, penalty, and red tape. In the past decade alone, roughly 80 new laws, rules, and regulations have been imposed on landlords—with the NRLA’s full support. While, as with any profession, there are a few “rotten apples,” the law already provides ample power to act against truly criminal behaviour among landlords—far greater, in some respects, than in other professions. For example, it is possible for authorities to enter a landlord’s property without permission, something even the police cannot do in most circumstances. When compared to other respected professions, such as doctors or nurses, where the actions of a few individuals have led to tragic outcomes, landlords as a group have not committed crimes on a similar scale.
Policy Failures and Missed Opportunities
The NRLA missed critical opportunities to advocate for both their members and tenants. For example, when Article 4 was introduced—restricting more than two unrelated tenants sharing a house unless the property was converted to a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)—the association failed to make a robust case. As a result, many properties that could have housed more tenants, helping to alleviate homelessness and support small landlords’ incomes, are now restricted. This led to practical consequences: for instance, the author had to sell a six-bedroom house rather than face the expense and complexity of HMO conversion, contributing to increased homelessness. Meanwhile, politicians were seemingly preoccupied with hiring family members as consultants rather than addressing these pressing issues.
Proposed Solution
A practical solution for both landlords and those facing homelessness would be to reverse the approximately 80 punitive laws, rules, and regulations enacted in recent years. Instead, the focus should shift towards providing good, affordable housing to those in need, rather than maintaining a system that is unnecessarily punitive and ultimately fails to serve those it is meant to protect.