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landlord bashing

After reading a number of posts/replies on this forum, I have noticed that many people hate the idea of someone owning more than 1 property and renting out.


Frequent comments are: "people cant afford to buy one property, why should you have 2", or similar.


At the end of the day, a private landlord is providing a similar service to the housing association, so why the hatred, or is it jealousy?


Also, its not the Landlords fault that someone cant afford a house.


Are my view justified?
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Comments

  • ReadingTim
    ReadingTim Posts: 3,970
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    rentmekid wrote: »
    Are my view justified?

    Depends on whether you're asking a landlord, or a tenant.
  • csgohan4
    csgohan4 Posts: 10,587
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    One of my biggest bug bears is 'accidental' Landlords.
    "It is prudent when shopping for something important, not to limit yourself to Pound land/Estate Agents"

    G_M/ Bowlhead99 RIP
  • Red-Squirrel_2
    Red-Squirrel_2 Posts: 4,341 Forumite
    rentmekid wrote: »


    At the end of the day, a private landlord is providing a similar service to the housing association,


    P

    Secure long term tenancies in fit for purpose properties with affordable rents?

    Are they really though?
  • fairy_lights
    fairy_lights Posts: 9,220 Forumite
    rentmekid wrote: »

    Frequent comments are: "people cant afford to buy one property, why should you have 2", or similar.
    Really? Can you point out examples of these specific comments?
    Not many people have patience for the "OOh, I tripped and fell and landed in the role of landlord" posters round here, but that doesn't equal landlord bashing.
  • marliepanda
    marliepanda Posts: 7,186 Forumite
    rentmekid wrote: »
    After reading a number of posts/replies on this forum, I have noticed that many people hate the idea of someone owning more than 1 property and renting out.


    Frequent comments are: "people cant afford to buy one property, why should you have 2", or similar.


    At the end of the day, a private landlord is providing a similar service to the housing association, so why the hatred, or is it jealousy?


    Also, its not the Landlords fault that someone cant afford a house.


    Are my view justified?

    I only ever see such posts when landlords are:

    A) moaning about the responsibility of a landlord/ flat out not fulfilling these legal
    Duties
    B) looking for ways to avoid paying second home stamp duty

    In this case, no I'm not jealous or hateful. People run business and should fulfil legal responsibilities and pay whatever tax they are due.
  • Guest101
    Guest101 Posts: 15,764 Forumite
    rentmekid wrote: »
    After reading a number of posts/replies on this forum, I have noticed that many people hate the idea of someone owning more than 1 property and renting out. - Define 'many', as I think you're being liberal with the facts


    Frequent comments are: "people cant afford to buy one property, why should you have 2", or similar. - Can you quote where you have seen this?


    At the end of the day, a private landlord is providing a similar service to the housing association, so why the hatred, or is it jealousy? - Who knows, but it's not a widespread view


    Also, its not the Landlords fault that someone cant afford a house. - no idea what your point is


    Are my view justified?

    Why do you feel the need to have your views justified? - just curious.


    You're entitled to have your views, whatever they may be.
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189
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    csgohan4 wrote: »
    One of my biggest bug bears is 'accidental' Landlords.
    ^ This.

    There is nothing wrong with private sector property rental. It's a very necessary part of the housing mix of the country.

    The problems start when the terminally clueless simply see it as a really great investment, without doing any sums, without regarding it as a business activity, and without actually understanding (much less caring about) their responsibilities and duties to their tenants.
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189
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    Guest101 wrote: »
    Frequent comments are: "people cant afford to buy one property, why should you have 2", or similar. - Can you quote where you have seen this?
    This comes very close.
    juniordoc wrote: »
    Agree with others, sell a property or pay the tax you owe.
    There are many people in the UK that can't afford to buy one house, count yourself lucky!
  • itchyfeet123
    itchyfeet123 Posts: 480
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    I appreciate my landlord. He does repairs quickly, charges a fair rent, and leaves me in peace. I anticipate he will be completely reasonable about the return of my deposit at the end of my tenancy.
    But:

    *Some* landlords treat their tenants like money trees.
    *Some* landlords are terrible, whether through ignorance or malice.

    Private landlords differ from most housing associations in that their primary motivation is to get return on an investment, and not to provide a public service. With a different set of structural incentives, housing associations would continue to provide housing, while many/most landlords would be investing elsewhere.

    I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with landlords investing in rental property. There will always be people who want to rent, and there's no reason private individuals shouldn't be suppliers in that market.

    However, the current batch of consumers in the rental market includes a substantial number of people who would prefer to buy, but can't. Some of those people would never be able to buy under any circumstance. But, there are a good number of people, especially young people, who would stand a decent chance if certain structural/economic factors were different. One of those factors is the popularity of BTL as an investment, or, perhaps more accurately, recent policy history that has incentivised BTL investment. Most obviously, landlords simultaneously increase demand and decrease supply of houses for purchase, contributing to housing price increases. LL's also drive "the market" for rental prices -- people pretend the market somehow dictates prices, when in fact the market is dictated to by one or more parties in a transaction.

    So, no, it's not Landlord Jane's fault that Tenant Bob can't buy a house. However, Landlord Jane very well may have made it incrementally more difficult for Tenant Bob to buy a house.
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189
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    Penitent wrote: »
    I hate that phrase. I keep thinking things like:

    "Oops, I slipped on some ice and became a landlord."

    "I wanted a coke from the vending machine, but I pressed the wrong button and became a landlord instead."

    Things like this, from somebody trying to avoid paying back a deposit they didn't protect...?
    You have absolutely no idea whatsoever of the backstory as to how we ended up being landlords and it certainly wasn't a case of 'suddenly deciding' to be one.

    I asked for advice, not snide comments.
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