Critic says tenants paying off a landlord’s mortgage ‘can’t be right’
12:01 AM, 5th February 2025, 1 year ago
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John Bird, the founder and editor-in-chief of the Big Issue, has criticised tenant-landlord dynamics and highlights the urgent need for more public housing.
In an article for the magazine, he writes: “All I know is that we have to end the vulnerability of tenants who are caught in a trap that only enriches the landlord at their expense.
“Tenants in most agreements have only one role, and that is to pay off the landlord’s mortgage.
“That can’t be right in this day and age.”
He adds: “There must be a cleverer way to end this tyranny of housing over getting on with your life.”
Only benefit the landlord
Mr Bird argues that private rentals only benefit the landlord or the tenant depending on the prevailing legislation.
He notes that the new Renters’ Rights Bill could mark the beginning of a tenant-favouring period.
He goes on: “The vulnerability of the tenant, with such things as section 21 ‘no fault evictions,’ undermines the security of the tenant.”
Mr Bird points out that even the threat of eviction can cause stress for tenants, particularly those raising families or living alone.
He is advocating for a ‘vigorous public housing corporation’ which serves the community, including the homeless, trainee doctors, police officers, disabled individuals and students.
A well-thought-out public housing programme, he claims, could alleviate the century-old housing crisis and address the socio-economic disparities that have plagued the UK.
Shift the balance in favour of tenants
Mr Bird says: “Public house building for the public should include mixed usage, incorporating different demographics in need of housing.”
The Renters’ Rights Bill, he believes, could shift the balance in favour of tenants once again, much like Harold Wilson’s Rent Act of 1965.
He adds: “Ending section 21 has become a priority for those of us who do not want to see insecurity legalised.”
Mr Bird proposes borrowing land for temporary housing and utilising brownfield sites for new homes.
He also points to post-World War II prefabricated homes and says we need modern equivalents to deliver temporary relief while permanent solutions are developed.
Tags:
affordable housing, housing crisis, John Bird, landlord tenant laws, Landlords, public housing, renters rights bill, section 21 eviction, Tenant rights, tenants, UK Housing Policy
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Member Since June 2023 - Comments: 8
11:58 PM, 5th February 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Christopher Fielder at 05/02/2025 – 00:56
What he doesn’t realise is that we are proving decent quality homes for these tenants. I have one rental which is my investment for the future. I have good tenants who pay the rent and the house is clean and well decorated. They also whinge every couple of months about something that I end up paying for, which to be fair they shouks take a certain amount of responsibility for, they call the agents at a weekend whinging. They should think themselves lucky. If they owned the house, they would have to be responsible for these things and foot the bill for them. They get it pretty easy. There would be a lot less rental properties if landlods didn’t have mortgages to pay. If they don’t like it, they can either buy their own or go onto the housing waiting list for something nowhere near as good. I consider myself a good and reasonable landlord and try to do my best for them.
Member Since June 2023 - Comments: 8
11:59 PM, 5th February 2025, About 1 year ago
What he doesn’t realise is that we are proving decent quality homes for these tenants. I have one rental which is my investment for the future. I have good tenants who pay the rent and the house is clean and well decorated. They also whinge every couple of months about something that I end up paying for, which to be fair they shouks take a certain amount of responsibility for, they call the agents at a weekend whinging. They should think themselves lucky. If they owned the house, they would have to be responsible for these things and foot the bill for them. They get it pretty easy. There would be a lot less rental properties if landlods didn’t have mortgages to pay. If they don’t like it, they can either buy their own or go onto the housing waiting list for something nowhere near as good. I consider myself a good and reasonable landlord and try to do my best for them.
Member Since February 2025 - Comments: 3
7:34 AM, 6th February 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Jo Westlake at 05/02/2025 – 10:21Very sensible comment. Tenants do not pay landlords’ mortgage. Some landlords are running at a loss even with interest only. For Mr Bird, ignorance is bliss.
Member Since February 2025 - Comments: 1
7:50 AM, 6th February 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Neil Robb at 05/02/2025 – 12:34
Absolutely love this comment. We have saved and .managed to buy 4 properties (including our own home) over the years and are mortgage free. The people we have in there are actually very grateful to have a roof above their heads. If we ever sold them and gave up being private landlords none of them would be able to afford the style/size of houses they live in. One family we rented to were able to save a deposit to buy a house while they were our tenants as we kept our rent very fair die to them being good tenants. It is however getting much more complicated with all the regulations coming in and we are very nervous of how the new bill would affect our being able to carry on with our causing us stress.
Member Since March 2023 - Comments: 1
9:05 AM, 6th February 2025, About 1 year ago
I do hope that those who make decisions regarding housing are a bit more learned.
Member Since September 2015 - Comments: 1013
9:18 AM, 6th February 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Tam Williams at 06/02/2025 – 09:05
….. I wouldn’t bank on it.
Member Since March 2024 - Comments: 281
9:29 AM, 6th February 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Gromit at 06/02/2025 – 09:18
Lord Bird as he is, unfortunately is involved as he presumably has input into Bills reaching the House of Lords.
Member Since September 2015 - Comments: 1013
10:26 AM, 6th February 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Dare Ilori at 06/02/2025 – 07:34
…or he’s stirring things up.
Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2190 - Articles: 2
10:35 AM, 6th February 2025, About 1 year ago
Those who complain about rents funding landlord’s mortgages are surely the same individuals who are opposed to evicting tenants without giving a reason. One would think that the tenants would be only too pleased to told to leave and stop finding the landlord’s mortgage.
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1630 - Articles: 3
10:49 AM, 6th February 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by Slooky at 05/02/2025 – 21:24
I think the worst scheme was Help to Buy. This amounted to nothing less than taxpayers funding developers’ profits e.g. the Persimmon bonus scandal.
FTBs thought HTB was a cheap way of getting their foot on the ladder. Instead, new builds were vastly overpriced, requiring higher mortgages, often followed by negative equity when remortgages were needed to repay the loan, or the interest rate rocketed if you didn’t pay it off.