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11:11 AM, 30th September 2022, About 2 years ago 53
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I cannot stay silent any longer because the continued attack on landlords will end in tears for us, tenants and the government.
I was taken aback when the Scottish government announced that it was introducing legislation for a rent freeze without any negotiation or discussion with the private rental sector in the country.
I was stunned when they also announced a moratorium on evictions. Both the rent freeze and moratorium will run until March next year.
However, the reason I cannot stay silent any longer comes after Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, took aim at the private rental sector with some unkind words.
There is a great story on Property 118.com that reveals what Starmer said about landlords. It was this bit:
“If you keep inflating demand without increasing supply house prices will only rise.”
He is right of course – it’s that old issue of supply and demand. The population is growing – but we aren’t building enough homes.
Let me help you, Sir Keir, with a reality that you and your colleagues don’t appreciate. Here’s my rewrite:
“Because if you keep inflating demand without increasing supply, RENT prices will only rise.”
There you go. How hard was that? Oh, wait, there was more nonsense. He said:
“And homes become less affordable for working people.”
I think I can leave that one right there! Rent rises hurt everyone.
To be fair to Starmer, I had already been irked by the smiling loon Lisa Nandy who had already told the party conference that Labour would bring in a decent homes’ standard – all landlords want to provide quality homes for tenants. We don’t all need beating with the same big stick.
However, since she and just about every other politician believes that all landlords are in it for the money and provide poor quality accommodation, she went on to say that Labour would tilt the power towards tenants with a new renters’ charter.
I can’t even begin to explain how angry this notion makes me.
Are we really expected to have tenants not paying rent or trashing our homes or cause problems for neighbours without having any route to repossess our property?
The big issue for me is that what Starmer said is likely to be in the next Labour manifesto.
And there will be a huge problem for landlords unless we have an organisation that stands up more vociferously for us and our rights or, I will explain more later, we organise ourselves with a real threat to the government that they will not be able to deal with unless they offer a realistic compromise.
Remember this date: Christmas 2024. That’s because it’s a month before the next General Election will be held – it will be before the end of January 2025 – according to the law.
I believe that we should organise a ‘Section 21 Day’ and hand EVERY tenant their notice so that the Government and local authorities, politicians and critics (Yes, I’m looking at you Shelter) can see what we do for our tenants.
While this is an unpleasant Christmas surprise for renters, politicians must stop the rhetoric and work with us. You can’t rehouse 4.4million households.
I can’t claim credit for this idea – there was a comment on Property118.com that suggested the same thing. I think it’s a great proposal. We can threaten it once we see the party manifestos and deliver it to give the campaigning politicians something to think about.
If we stay silent and do nothing, we should prepare for the worst. Because the worst will come.
So, I’m the Landlord Crusader and I will be highlighting the issues I have with the PRS and its potential future – it currently does not have a great one – and I look forward to the Conservative Party conference next week.
Yes, while I’m not expecting a lot from the new housing minister who is a former landlord, I am expecting fireworks from the Prime Minister Lizz Blundertruss and the Chancellor ‘Kami’ Kwasi Kwarteng.
Until next time,
The Landlord Crusader
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UK's annual house price growth slows to single digits
John Parfett
10:04 AM, 4th October 2022, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Paul Essex at 30/09/2022 - 12:55
Excellent idea Paul!! Can you imagine the uproar when no properties are available to let. The message would then be heard by the politicians from the tenants themselves.
Carol Beal
3:49 AM, 8th October 2022, About 2 years ago
We btl landlords must be given support by the government to help to keep people and families from becoming homeless. All governments announce affordable housing then let land go to extortionate developers who certainly do not build affordable housing. The government must wake up there is a small minority of bad landlords and tenants do your homework on them and penalise them not the decent ones just trying to make a difference and help
Helen Smitj
12:05 PM, 12th October 2022, About 2 years ago
Why is it the Scottish Government can impose caps on rental businesses without consultation and they can’t/won’t do the same on energy businesses who are the ones making millions because of their price increases which are directly effecting everyone’s life both directly with fuel bills and indirectly with the chain of supply of foods and services.
We as landlords are easy targets.
Does the Scottish ban also include the social housing sector as my understanding is that they increase rents annually as a matter of course, many private landlords don’t.