Landlords Alliance Election Manifesto

Landlords Alliance Election Manifesto

16:00 PM, 5th November 2019, About 4 years ago 25

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Recent years have seen a sustained attack on private landlords by the Government and other groups. The relationship between landlords and tenants has also been painted as adversarial by organisations which purport to represent tenants, but who in fact work against their interests.

This must be seen in the context of the huge success of the private rented sector (PRS). Indeed, the Government’s own English Housing Survey found that 84% of private tenants are happy with their homes, compared to 80% of social tenants. In addition, rents have remained stable for many years, broadly tracking inflation.

This success has been predicated on individuals being willing to use their own money to purchase and renovate properties and then take the inherent risk of renting them out. Without this enterprise there would be a much bigger housing shortage in this country than there already is; there would also be many more empty and derelict buildings, causing a blot on the landscape.

Conclusive proof that the sector is working extremely well has been ignored and instead, private landlords have been denigrated and the PRS has been misrepresented as ‘broken.’ The policies which then follow from this are leading to many landlords now exiting the sector, at a time when more housing is desperately needed. The situation is crazy.

That is why we at the Landlords Alliance propose an alternative, positive agenda; one which works for tenants and landlords.

We therefore call upon the next Government to:

1. Scrap Section 24, which is a tax on turnover and will only drive rents up and landlords out of the market. This outrageous piece of legislation is contrary to all rules of natural justice and because it can lead to some landlords paying a tax rate of more than 100% is bound to cause rents to rise, pricing out the lowest-income groups.

2. Reverse plans to scrap Section 21, as this will also make landlords flee the market, in fear that they may never regain possession of their own private property.

3. Scrap Right to Buy, which has decimated the social housing sector and meant so many cannot find an affordable home (private landlords are then scapegoated for this, with some groups now trying to force private citizens to house people on benefits).

4. Enforce laws already passed to target the small percentage of bad landlords and stop increasing the regulatory burden on the majority of decent landlords. Constant passing of regulations which cost landlords huge amounts of money but do nothing to improve housing must end.

5. Bring a halt to extortionate local licensing schemes and replace them with a national register along the lines of Rent Smart Wales, with a nominal charge. Then make it a requirement for landlords to be a member in order to receive housing payments from the state.

6. Commission an independent inquiry into the ‘housing and homelessness charity’ Shelter to examine how it uses its approximate £60 million annual budget to target private landlords incessantly whilst not providing any housing itself. Remove any state aid and charitable status for this organisation until it stops misusing funds and begins to provide housing and shelter for the homeless.

7. As a general rule, reject policies which would damage private property rights in the UK. This would include the theft of homes advocated by the Labour Party (which they call ‘Right to Buy in the PRS, at a value dictated by the state); punitive tax policies which because they are at a level which is confiscatory can lead to bankruptcy and the loss of people’s private property; rent controls which damage the viability of rental homes and are thus also confiscatory and not least any tenancy legislation which takes control of the asset away from the owner and gives it to someone else.

In sum:

Policies for any business or sector need to protect the interests of all interested parties – in this case, tenants and landlords. If the current parties persist in scapegoating private landlords, they will cause more damage to tenants.

The 2 million landlords plus in the UK, their families, the tradespeople who work for them, the owners of the stores where they buy their building and decorating materials and others dependent on private landlords’ businesses will be looking very carefully at each party’s proposals for us and we will have our say at the ballot box.

Click Here to join the Landlords Alliance


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Comments

Dr Rosalind Beck

9:37 AM, 6th November 2019, About 4 years ago

Yes, although the anti-landlord groups are trying to threaten parties to propose more draconian legislation against landlords with the idea that tenants will swing the vote in marginal seats, I would suggest that on the whole tenants don't vote Tory anyway.

The danger for Tories is more that landlords will abstain or vote for one of the other parties.

With the survey on voting intentions on this site this week, one can see already a swing of support by landlords away from the Tories since 2017. I think the swing would be even bigger from 2015, when they launched their war on landlords.

In effect, by the Tories proposing and implementing anti-landlord legislation and looking to go even further with the mooted scrapping of Section 21 notices, I believe they won't gain the tenant vote, but they do stand to lose the landlord one. Clever.

John McKay

9:43 AM, 6th November 2019, About 4 years ago

This is excellent work! Of all the people that should read it, it's the likes of GR, Acorn and so forth. Maybe, just maybe it'll begin to dawn on them that their in the business of self-harming with all that they campaign for.

My personal favourite is Point 6. This so-called charity should be wound up without delay so that their revenue can actually be used to house those in need.

LaLo

9:47 AM, 6th November 2019, About 4 years ago

If ' L-----R get in I'm off which will add to the homeless! Sorry, I forgot these politicians know all the answers, silly me!

Gromit

10:01 AM, 6th November 2019, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Dr Rosalind Beck at 06/11/2019 - 09:37
The Tories need to win back Landlords who, like me, have already moved away from them. The trick will be doing it in a way that doesn't invoke the wrath of Tenants and anti-landlord pressure groups e.g. Shelter.
Scrap Sec.24 would be a good start, and pausing further regulatory changes a good second.

TheMaluka

10:04 AM, 6th November 2019, About 4 years ago

In essence most of the landlord related legislation enacted since 2016 should be repealed since it is largely counterproductive. The draconian fines and sometimes prison sentences for administrative errors or omissions, particularly relating to the Tenant Fees Act (https://www.property118.com/tenant-fees-act-2019-elephant-trap-unwary/), must go.

The existing landlord associations seem to be scared of their own shadows, only the Alliance has the balls to challenge authority.

Gromit

10:11 AM, 6th November 2019, About 4 years ago

Great list of actions which should improve the industry.

Anyone who objects just wants to destroy the PRS and leave it wide open to the rogue Landlords.

David Dorset

10:29 AM, 6th November 2019, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by John McKay at 06/11/2019 - 09:43
I agree. Shelter, in my opinion, is a scam to the British public and should be stopped. The very name of Shelter suggests the very thing they do not do - provide homes.
The way to get it out there is to accuse them publicly and hope they seek court action to rebuke and that in itself would hit the national papers and get the press digging for the truth.

Simon M

11:22 AM, 6th November 2019, About 4 years ago

Agree with all this except the argument for and against Right to Buy for council homes is more complex. It is heavily subsidised housing so a welfare benefit. Rents are so low they're difficult for councils to manage & maintain. Giving people the opportunity to buy their homes encourages aspiration -and it's noticeable how after purchase the new owners take more care of it. Aspiration is good for them and good for the taxpayer.
Housing demand is driven by the causes of population growth, quite different.

Big Blue

11:54 AM, 6th November 2019, About 4 years ago

Bloody right! This is a great start and just the kind of thing the politicians should be listening to! Not much to criticise here.

Appalled Landlord

13:29 PM, 6th November 2019, About 4 years ago

While there is a shortage of social housing it is not sensible to sell it to private individuals. It is even less sensible to give them large discounts.

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