Shelter’s Head of Research misled public on TV

Shelter’s Head of Research misled public on TV

17:30 PM, 15th October 2018, About 6 years ago 59

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Last Thursday Hilary Burkitt, the Head of Research at Shelter, spoke about the PRS on the BBC’s Politics Live programme, about 22 minutes from the start. click here

She said “people don’t have the stability at the moment, they can be chucked out by their landlords at a moment’s notice”.

That is untrue. Shelter’s own website says the opposite: “Only court bailiffs can evict you from your home” click here

What she described would be a criminal offence, as Shelter’s website explains. click here

It is not surprising that tenants feel insecure when they hear deliberately misleading information like this from someone apparently knowledgeable.

Burkitt also said “We know now that losing a tenancy in the private rented sector is the leading cause of people becoming homeless in this country”. Shelter’s website says this is also untrue.

Firstly, it explains that the termination of a tenancy is not the cause of homelessness. The cause is whatever triggered the eviction: click here

Secondly, since June 2017 it has been showing the real reason: “The inability to find a new place to live once a short term tenancy ends is a leading cause of homelessness in Great Britain. New research by Shelter identifies a number of reasons why people on low incomes are increasingly unable to find a home and secure a tenancy in the private rented sector.click here

You would expect the Head of Research to be familiar with the results of this research, wouldn’t you?

Shelter has a rule on its website about: “never deliberately misleading or confusing a member of the publicclick here

Unfortunately this only applies to face-to-face fundraisers.  Shelter’s managers seem to have carte blanche on television programmes to spout propaganda which is given the lie by Shelter’s own body of knowledge and research.

“Does the truth not matter to Shelter?” Click here

“Shelter CEO is also confused about no-fault evictions” Click Here

Shelter is morally bankrupt: Click here


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Comments

Monty Bodkin

9:17 AM, 17th October 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Old Mrs Landlord at 16/10/2018 - 23:02
You now even appear to be blaming landlords' associations for George Osborne's Section 24!

I blame them for doing very little about it. They should have been fighting section 24 tooth and nail. Their support of those landlords actually fighting it was dire.

I blame them for getting into bed with councils over landlord licensing in order to flog more courses and collect more membership fees.

I blame them for their pathetic appeasing defence of landlords on national TV against the Antis when they are wheeled out for a 'balanced' view.

I certainly don't agree with everything Larry says but I'm sure he'll do a better job than those organisations claiming to represent us.

Annie Landlord

9:39 AM, 17th October 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Larry Sweeney at 16/10/2018 - 21:48
I do not believe the NLA and RLA are fighting hard enough on our behalf. Nor do I believe that we should lower ourselves to using puerile invective like the worst posters of HPC or GR. You asked why more landlords haven't pledged. I think some of us have provided reasonable and honest answers

Larry Sweeney

10:46 AM, 17th October 2018, About 6 years ago

No Annie. You are wrong as is old Mrs Landlord. I said at the very outset BEFORE we set up that apathy was our real enemy. I would love to be wrong. To suggest more landlords are not joining us because we are going to take a strident approach is indeed tosh. Im not going to split hairs on this forum with other landlords, but I really dont know what you want. We cannot promise change, but we will promise to do our very best, our absolute utmost. We have not nor will we be accepting one penny selling courses or products. We will not get into bed with councils.
Finally let me announce that We ARE the fastest growing landlord organisation in the land.We have recruited more members in a few weeks than any other organisation. Why ? Because serious Landlords are fed up of the attacks on our sector and we are being urged in email after email to fight back and to fight hard. We listen to what our members say, and act accordingly.

Gromit

10:48 AM, 17th October 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 17/10/2018 - 09:05
It will not even cost you £100 as this is legitimate business expense. So if you're a Basic Rate taxpayer it'll only really cost you £80, and if a Higher Rate tax payer only £60. - bargain.

Old Mrs Landlord

11:49 AM, 17th October 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 17/10/2018 - 09:05
For me there will certainly be no schadenfreude or saying "I told you so" if the alliance as you put it "doesn't work out". That's not the sort of person I am. If it does achieve its aims, or even most of them, I'll warmly congratulate you.

Larry Sweeney

15:29 PM, 17th October 2018, About 6 years ago

Thanks Old Mrs Landlord. We appreciate your good wishes, I only regret that you will not join us and pledge.

Bill

9:28 AM, 20th October 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Larry Sweeney at 16/10/2018 - 20:46
Why not make the amount of the pledge flexible and not fixed at £100. Some landlords may jib at £100, but pledge for say £50? Worth a try? £40 or £50 is better than nothing.

Larry Sweeney

21:57 PM, 20th October 2018, About 6 years ago

Bill. £100 is nothing pittance. Mobile phone insurance costs almost that. It is a nominal sum . Lets get real. We have a massive task ahead. I have no intention of getting bogged down and splitting hairs over £100. Everybody who pledged is more than happy to volunteer this. Now get on and pledge and get other landlords to do likewise and together let us take the fight to our detractors. Forget the other useless lackey organisations and join us now.
Info@landlordsalliance.co.uk

Appalled Landlord

21:21 PM, 22nd March 2019, About 5 years ago

Apparently, lying to the public was normal in the previous charity that Polly Neate ran.

https://j4mb.org.uk/?s=Polly+Neate

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