MP claims landlords are pocketing taxpayer money while neglecting properties
An MP has accused landlords of keeping taxpayers’ money while failing to meet basic property standards.
In a Work and Pensions Committee session for the Local Housing Allowance, Florence Eshalomi discussed the condition of private rented properties and how standards must be improved.
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) acknowledged there are bad landlords in the private rented sector but says adding more regulations is not the answer.
Receive taxpayers’ money for keeping the state of the property unkept
Ms Eshalomi MP, the committee’s chair, challenged NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle over standards in the private rented sector.
She said: “The government cannot build 1.5 million homes tomorrow, but we have a situation where some landlords are receiving in excess of £15,000 or £20,000 per annum in rent.
“A number of landlords have multiple properties, that is their prerogative, but when it comes to the state of their properties, those same landlords do not want to engage with the system. We have a situation where in some properties there is damp, mould or mice infestations.
“You cannot contact that landlord for love or money, yet they receive taxpayers’ money for keeping the state of that property unkept.”
However, what Ms Eshalomi appeared to overlook is, as revealed in the English Housing Survey, the median gross income for landlords is around £25,000 before expenses, with 41% earning less than £20,000.
Ms Eshalomi then asked Mr Beadle: “What more could you as an organisation do to inform your landlords about their legal obligations to uphold their part of the contract at the same time as they are receiving government and taxpayers’ money for a property?”
Not to impose huge amounts of regulation
Mr Beadle acknowledged there are bad landlords in the private rented sector but argued that piling on regulations is not the answer to encouraging more landlords to enter the market.
He told the committee: “It is a very fair challenge, and I am not here to defend the indefensible or to defend bad landlords, just to be clear. As a trade association, we are here to support landlords, and that is why we welcome the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law.
“While it is right that we campaign and lobby, we also put our money where our mouth is in supporting landlords.
“We have no issue with increased standards. Despite not having a decent homes standard, four out of five properties in the private rented sector already meet that standard.
“The way that you get the private rented sector to step up is not to impose huge amounts of regulation on it. The private rented sector will thrive if it is allowed to, but at the moment we have significant barriers to entry with stamp duty. That is not going to encourage people to come into the sector.
“I am not suggesting for one minute it is all about tax giveaways and the like, but it is about a fair and reasonable package.”
Landlords are also struggling with costs
Elsewhere, in the committee, the NRLA called on the government to restore the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates to the 30th percentile of local market rents to help tenants.
Since March 2020, Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates, which cap housing benefits for private renters, have been frozen.
However, the NRLA, also pointed out it’s not just tenants who are struggling with rising costs.
Mr Beadle told the committee: “We need to make a political choice on the number of people who are really struggling at the margins.
“I want to address the rent increases because I would not want you to form the impression that this is landlords jacking up rents where they can.
“My members are struggling with their costs as well, whether that is inflation or mortgage interest and not being able to offset that against their tax returns, the cost of regulations, selective licensing, possible minimum energy efficiency standards.
“All of that is having a huge impact on sentiment in the sector. We have a dozen tenants chasing every available home, and it is the real lack of supply that is driving rents up. I mentioned the political decision.
“If we had a commitment to setting LHA at the 30th percentile and unfreezing it for the remainder of this Parliament, it would lift 75,000 children out of poverty by 2029-30 at a cost of £1.8 billion.”
The full exchange between Ms Eshalomi and Mr Beadle can be seen below
Comments
Have Your Say
Every day, landlords who want to influence policy and share real-world experience add their voice here. Your perspective helps keep the debate balanced.
Not a member yet? Join In Seconds
Login with
Member Since June 2019 - Comments: 761
2:01 PM, 24th June 2025, About 10 months ago
Yes, my council is one of the guilty ones.
Member Since November 2020 - Comments: 44
2:30 PM, 24th June 2025, About 10 months ago
As many MPs are Landlords I presume they are relating from personal experience treating it the same way as monies from Parliament. Secondly isn’t that why we are forced to be on a register? I’ve seen no benefit from the Landlords registration scheme so presume the councils are just using the receipts as additional revenue for themselves, not weeding out “Rogue Landlords” and therefore the blame is on them.
Member Since May 2014 - Comments: 616
4:33 PM, 24th June 2025, About 10 months ago
While talking about Landlords neglecting the upkeep of properties I would like to know what has happened to the MP Mr Jas Athwal.
He was defended by some labour MP’s who said that it was just a mistake on his part.
Is there a 2 tier system working here??
Member Since February 2025 - Comments: 10
10:51 PM, 24th June 2025, About 10 months ago
And no mention of course of tenants leaving the property in bad condition. Much worse than when they moved in three years ago. Despite lending them carpet cleaner and free paint to go over worst lower walls damaged by children ..and Total Property only giving us £50 towards £460 replacement of kitchen worktop section due to being used like a chopping board and melting it with hot pots straight off gas cooker. We ended up £1000 down, even rent owed and Total Property failed to uphold and failed to give us sufficient deposit back to cover even that. Not impressed with their inability to be fair to kind friendly private landlords that have been so helpful to this tenant who came over to work for NHS. We will become more tough on inspections and more demanding on cleanliness and mold control which is totally tenants fault. All windows and blinds filthy. New blackout blinds needed. All Previous tenants never had a problem and left it like new. So Govt stop whinging about PLLs look at bad tenants!!!
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 1996 - Articles: 21
1:04 PM, 25th June 2025, About 10 months ago
Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 24/06/2025 – 08:23Unblocking gutters and keeping them clear of debris is a tenant job. Furthermore, negligent tenants allow this to happen with the result that expensive damage is caused to the fabric of the building.
This list from a Housing Association’s website may be of interest:
Tenants’ responsibilities
The following are not the responsibility of the Association and you are expected to carry out these yourself:
All internal decorations and generally maintaining your home and garden in a clean and tidy condition
Burst pipes (if caused by your negligence)
Adjusting doors for carpets
Sink/bath chains and plugs
Cookers, refrigerators or any household appliance that was not supplied by the Association.
Light bulbs and fluorescent tubes (including special effects light bulbs)
Fuses
Replacement batteries in appliances such as gas fires and smoke detectors
Fences, gates, sheds
Blocked sinks or toilets
Replacing broken glass in windows and doors
Doorbells (if not connected to mains electricity or not installed by the Association)
Curtain battens, hat/coat hook and rails
All alterations to your home which you have received permission to carry out at your own expense
Any fault arising from any appliance or alteration which was provided by / carried out by you
Damage caused regaining entry to your home by yourself or any other person (unless it is a break-in and you have a Police incident number)
Replacement of any lost or broken keys
Showers and shower guards
Unblocking gutters and keeping them clear of debris
https://www.falconruralhousing.com/whose-responsibility-is-it/
Member Since November 2016 - Comments: 47
7:47 AM, 28th June 2025, About 10 months ago
“Receiving taxpayers’ money” do they mean rent?
How about “Landlords’ rent money being sucked up in taxes and compliance costs”
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3508 - Articles: 5
10:22 AM, 28th June 2025, About 10 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 25/06/2025 – 13:04
interesting. Just from the view of a level renting playing field I am wondering if some if not all of these can be put into my own AST….
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3508 - Articles: 5
10:24 AM, 28th June 2025, About 10 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 28/06/2025 – 10:22
Just has a look at the webpage and this is also vey interesting Ian!
Please Note
As a tenant, you are responsible for ensuring that any of our nominated contractors visiting your home have a clean, hygienic and accessible work area to enable works to be carried out.
All of our contractor’s reserve the right to refuse to carry out works if they are not happy with the condition in which they are expected to work.
Also, if we have raised a repair for you and you then fail to return calls, fail to make an appointment or are not home for a scheduled appointment, we reserve the right to cancel the job.
You may also be charged for our contractor’s time in attempting to contact you or for attending an appointment for which you were not home.
Member Since October 2024 - Comments: 49
9:20 PM, 29th June 2025, About 9 months ago
97% or more of mould and damp is down to tenants not opening windows ,cooking with windows closed and failing to turn on radiators in the colder months.
A small proportion of rogue landlords exist but Ben Beadle with his impish stance does little to stand up for landlords in the face of criticisms from economically illiterate MP’s and this very silly woman who does not know her facts .
The reality is that the UK has a 17 million housing shortage ,a shortage of 250,000 construction tion workers ,a shortage of all construction materials .
The current 1.5 million extra houses promised by Labour will never be built as using modern methods like 3d printing and using the German style construction robots has not been employed and won’t be.
Labour will be out of power in 2029 so when dealing with these MP’s and committees one should member that these interrogators are on borrowed time.
They are not God’s and should not be ” kow towed” to by Beadle or anyone else.