Don’t use the ‘L’ word

Don’t use the ‘L’ word

8:32 AM, 5th January 2022, About 2 years ago 71

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The majority of the Buy to Let community say they would prefer not to be called “landlords”, according to research from mortgage intermediary Mortgages For Business. Some parts of the US media, including regional divisions of NBC, have reportedly stopped using the word “landlord” due to complaints from the community.

When it came to the UK, 59% of those surveyed by Mortgages for Business said they wanted the British media to stop using the word “landlord” and that the term was dated.

When the Buy to Let community was polled on their preferred name, 43% said “Small Housing Providers”, 36% said they would prefer to remain “Landlords”, and 21% opted for other options including “Rental Accommodation Provider”.

Gavin Richardson, managing director of Mortgages for Business said: “Sections of the media have vilified the buy-to-let community.  The government has hammered them – think Theresa May’s 3% Stamp Duty surcharge and other tax deterrents.  It’s got to the point where the buy-to-let community doesn’t want to be associated with the term ‘landlord’ anymore.  The term carries much more baggage than it once did. No wonder the community wants a rebrand.”

Additionally, 73% of those surveyed said they felt “unfairly portrayed as this generation’s financial bogeyman”.  Only 8% felt that landlords were not “financial bogeymen” at all while the remainder accepted that their notoriety might not be entirely unwarranted.

Gavin Richardson said: “The majority of landlords are paying 40 per cent tax on their rental income – plus stamp duty – which means the Government is profiting hugely from Generation Rent.  And to what end?  Hammering landlords over the last five years has done first-time buyers no favours – research from Nationwide suggests first-time buyers now need to save a huge 113 per cent of their annual salary for a typical home deposit of 20 per cent!

“What would happen if we took landlords out of the housing equation?  The impact on the property market would be significant and almost entirely negative.  It’s not as if the Government is pouring money into social housing – or making any progress on house building.  Frankly, the Government should be championing landlords and lauding their contribution to the housing sector – landlords are bailing the Government out!”

“On top of that, millions of Brits face a financial crisis in retirement by not putting enough money aside for their pension.    Two thirds of employees aged 45 and over face poverty in old age unless they act soon.  One in five Britons say they have no form of private or workplace pension.  It is regularly drummed into us that we need to invest for a comfortable retirement.  And yet, when people start building a nest-egg – investing in property to try to ensure they have an income for their retirement – they are reviled!”


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Comments

Seething Landlord

14:11 PM, 8th January 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by philip allen at 08/01/2022 - 13:49
No, but perhaps you had better start with re-naming the Landlord and Tenant Act - assuming that Government are prepared to go along with it the new name should be agreed, after appropriate consultation, within the next 50 years or so and enacted soon after that, say 75 years in all.

Shakespeare said "What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;"

Not sure what adjective would be applicable to the smell of a landlord, I guess it depends on your perspective, but the principle remains valid.

philip allen

14:22 PM, 8th January 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 08/01/2022 - 14:11
No need to re-name the Act. As stated in my original reply to your comment I am not a landlord. I am a 'lessor' and a 'lessee'. My name does not appear on any ASTs associated with my properties. I don't even smell like a landlord.

Seething Landlord

14:33 PM, 8th January 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by philip allen at 08/01/2022 - 14:22In your relationship with the Housing Associations you might find that you are in fact their landlord.
L&T Act: S36 Meaning of “lease” and “tenancy” and related expressions.
(1)In this Act “lease” and “tenancy” have the same meaning.
(2)Both expressions include—
(a)a sub-lease or sub-tenancy, and
(b)an agreement for a lease or tenancy (or sub-lease or sub-tenancy).
(3)The expressions “lessor” and “lessee” and “landlord” and “tenant”, and references to letting, to the grant of a lease or to covenants or terms, shall be construed accordingly.

philip allen

15:05 PM, 8th January 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 08/01/2022 - 14:33
...and there was me hoping to encourage you to become our 'Seething Property Investor'!

Bemused

15:47 PM, 8th January 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Smithy at 08/01/2022 - 13:56
Careful with the ‘more likely’

Pixie Props

16:31 PM, 8th January 2022, About 2 years ago

What a load of old Toffee, can't believe this poll for one moment. Just another example of the Woke, Media Driven, Gender Neutral, Snowflakes wanting to influence our world without regard for the English language formed over thousands of years from many cultures and civilisations.
If you behave like a landlord, walk like a landlord, talk like a landlord, you are a Landlord (or Lady).
I Dread to think how many documents I have that would need updating.
Call yourselves what you want. I sometimes use 'Portfolio Manager' as a title but I'm still a Landlord
Don't mess with the Daily language that we all know, respect, understand, without mis-interpretation. How far do you go with changing stuff. Terrorists renamed Pals?

Chris @ Possession Friend

16:49 PM, 8th January 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Pixie Props at 08/01/2022 - 16:31
Couldn't have said it better.
It is the Wokes that are taking over the asylum.

Seething Landlord

17:04 PM, 8th January 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by philip allen at 08/01/2022 - 15:05
You nearly wore me down but I have survived thus far 😜.

Seething Landlord

17:08 PM, 8th January 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Pixie Props at 08/01/2022 - 16:31
So what do we make of the soon expected Renters Reform Bill?

Will tenant still be a permitted term?

Will we have to start using phrases such as "renter like behaviour"?

Freda Blogs

17:17 PM, 8th January 2022, About 2 years ago

Most of this thread focuses on the first part of the article - about our title. However, subsequent paragraphs are more of interest to me, regarding the rest of the message that it is being sent out by the author, using his platform to support the landlord community against its constant and unnecessary vilification, which is to be commended. I wish there were more voices that did that, unlike the lightweight and largely ineffective messages being churned out by NRLA et al.

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