Sadiq Khan slated by NLA

Sadiq Khan slated by NLA

8:10 AM, 22nd July 2019, About 5 years ago 7

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The National Landlords Association (NLA) has slated London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s blueprint for private renting.

The blueprint calls for the Mayor to be given the power to introduce:

  • Rent controls in London through a London Private Rent Commission 
  • A universal register of landlords

Sadiq Khan also claims to have been a major influence towards the Government’s decision to abolish section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions and introduce indefinite tenancies.

Research by the NLA* shows that 89% of landlords would be likely to vote against any party that proposed rent controls and 85% would vote against parties proposing to remove section 21.

Richard Lambert, CEO of the NLA, says: “The Mayor’s strategy is at best contradictory and at worst deluded. Either he hasn’t researched how landlords’ businesses work, or he didn’t understand what he found. Or perhaps he did, and he just doesn’t care.

“There’s nothing beyond a few warm words about “incentivising continued investment” to explain how he expects landlords to sustain their businesses in the face of an arbitrary political decision to reduce rents.

“Capping and reducing rents in the way suggested in this manifesto would destroy any prospect landlords have of covering their costs or making a profit. If Sadiq Khan is serious about this, he needs to tell us why rent control won’t reduce the number of private rental homes available to Londoners, as it did before, and as it has done everywhere else it has been introduced.

“The Mayor’s blueprint won’t solve London’s housing crisis; it will add to it. It’s just as well he doesn’t have the power to implement it.”

*NLA Member Survey May 2019 (1,700 respondents)


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Comments

David Lawrenson

11:09 AM, 22nd July 2019, About 5 years ago

No need for Mayor Khan to look to the past or to other countries to see that full rent controls always result in a lowered quality of rented housing and less of it.
One only needs to see the effect of benefit caps which decoupled housing benefit from market rents.
Now, most London landlords will not let to tenants who are dependent on benefits.
Khan is probably not so thick that he does not understand this, but like many politicians he does understand that making some noise about private renting will get some votes, from people who have failed to think the thing through - and getting votes is the key issue here, which applies to Conservative and Labour politicians alike.
My article here, expands on this...
https://www.lettingfocus.com/blogs/2016/05/rent-controls-london/
Kind regards
David Lawrenson
http://www.LettingFocus.com
Private Rented Sector Advice

Rob Crawford

11:32 AM, 22nd July 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by David Lawrenson at 22/07/2019 - 11:09
"making some noise about private renting will get some votes", not from landlords though!

David Lawrenson

12:28 PM, 22nd July 2019, About 5 years ago

Yes, but there are more tenants than landlords unfortunately.. and the Conservative party has hardly been great for landlords over the years since and including Osborne.

Whiteskifreak Surrey

12:56 PM, 22nd July 2019, About 5 years ago

Should all London LLS increase the rent right now?

David Lawrenson

15:29 PM, 22nd July 2019, About 5 years ago

I see why you might think that, because some discussion out there about limiting rent increases... so your thinking is "get in early".
But I think that would be premature.
Right now he has no powers to apply rent controls.
David Lawrenson
http://www.LettingFocus.com
Consulting Advice for Private Residential Landlords

AJR

20:57 PM, 26th July 2019, About 5 years ago

I think it’s a delusion to believe that renters will vote Tory simply on the basis of pro tenant changes in Gov policy. Firstly they will need to be politically aware/ interested, secondly they may not be natural Tory voters and thirdly those that may be interested or aware may not vote simply on the basis of a single issue.
Landlords on the other hand are more likely to be politically aware as their livelihood so often depends on it, they will vote and so will their families who may be more likely to support Tory values ( or were!)
I think the case for chasing the ‘ tenant vote ‘ is a misplaced delusion. Politicians would be better served by focusing on those who are most likely to vote for them.

Gromit

9:53 AM, 30th July 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Anthony Richard at 26/07/2019 - 20:57
The Tories have been chasing the "young" vote who typically rent, and have sacrificed their traditional core supporters, Landlords (s.24, s.21, TFA, RTR, etc, etc), the elderly (dementia tax), small business owners(business rates).
In all probability they'll end up with nothing, and deservedly so.

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