Ludicrous!

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has slammed the Labour Party’s suggestion that private tenants could be given the chance to buy their homes at a discounted rate from their landlords. The NLA believes the proposal is yet another demonstration of Labour’s misunderstanding of the housing market.

Chris Norris, Director of Policy and Practice at the NLA, says:

“To suggest that private landlords should be selling their properties to their tenants at a below market rate arbitrarily set by politicians is ludicrous. Landlords had to pay market rates themselves. It’s only right that, if and when they decide to sell it, they can do so at market rates.

“If Labour does indeed wish to fix the housing crisis, they should focus on encouraging the Government to build more social housing, which is what the housing sector is lacking.

“John McDonnell’s assertions that landlords are looking for a quick buck and don’t maintain their properties shows a serious lack of knowledge about how the vast majority of landlords run their businesses. These good landlords should not be punished for the sins of the few who fail in their obligations to provide tenants with a decent home.”