Why do Landlords get so much hate
I've spent around 8 years as the middleman between tenants and Landlords and it has always frustrated me the amount of negative press Landlords get.
A Landlord is risking an asset to provide much needed shorter term more flexible accommodation it's ultimately not that different to someone running a small business, but the general perception certainly is.
In this video I explore why I think the general perception of landlords is so negative and why I think they deserve a bit more slack. Below is a summary of what’s discussed:
- Property investors make properties more expensive - The first argument I found online was that the extra competition from investor buyers drives up the price of properties for sale particularly first-time-buyer properties.
- The portrayal of Landlords on TV - TV programmes like 'Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords' take 1% of tenancies and televise them which gives people a skewed perception based on the worst of the worst.
- Increasing rent prices - Being a landlord has become less profitable while the demand for rental properties has gone through the roof which has ultimately pushed rental prices up. People don't see the driving forces causing the changes and think Landlords are simply being greedy.
- Maintenance - Another recurring theme I found online was Landlords not being on top of maintenance sometimes leaving tenants without heating for weeks or in a damp property.
I personally feel a lot of the current problems in the rental market are a result of Landlords leaving the market. I feel we should be encouraging landlords back to the market so there are more available options for tenants which would slow down the rate at which rent increases as well as Landlords to maintain better properties because tenants would have the options to move elsewhere. Part of encouraging Landlords back to the market will be changing the public perception and cutting them some more slack.