Page 15 | Small landlords selling off isn't a great news after all

Maternityleavelady · 16/10/2025 22:48

MJxJones · 15/10/2025 18:41

What are the rules and regulations small landlords are finding too onerous?

Right to rent paperwork when renting to people from the EU (very common in London)
long and tedious tax return to declare a measly £1-2k annual profit (which will need to be done quarterly rather than annually soon)
energy performance certificate and rectifying if not deemed efficient enough
Contract negotiations, references, inventory, annual contracts renewals
gas safety certificate
boiler service and repairs
fire safety regulations (in high rise flats)
liaising between tenants and housing association
chasing late rent payments

it is honestly the most boring fruitless thing I have ever done with my life and I will also be selling asap (accidental landlord)

PrincessofWells · 16/10/2025 22:15

BruFord · 16/10/2025 22:08

@Snakebite61 Do you think the old council house system is the best approach or large-scale corporate landlords?

I don’t know where many renters are going to live in a few months if their landlords are selling up. Unless a corporate landlord buys the property.

Edited

Show quote history

Well this is the short term issue. I would imagine a number will end up having to be assisted in some way by the local authority either with assistance in finding accommodation or for those to whom a housing duty is owed, they will be in temporary accommodation. If in the south east that could be for a number of years.

As I said earlier, successive governments have created the issue, and it will take a number of parliaments to deal with it. But unless tax is increased it's going to be very much more difficult than it currently is.

Unfortunately what will happen is what has happened with water, energy, vets and other professions where large companies buy them up, create monopolies, and price fix. Ultimately this results in less choice, less competition, and a poor deal for consumers.

BruFord · 16/10/2025 22:08

Snakebite61 · 16/10/2025 22:00

Sadly, most landlords are money grabbers. I'd ban them all.

Show quote history

@Snakebite61 Do you think the old council house system is the best approach or large-scale corporate landlords?

I don’t know where many renters are going to live in a few months if their landlords are selling up. Unless a corporate landlord buys the property.

PrincessofWells · 16/10/2025 22:06

Orangesandlemons77 · 16/10/2025 21:47

What to do about it though. I have contacted the CAB who told me to ask the Leasehold Advisory Service, who I messaged but have heard nothing back from.

Tried the local councillor, said they have been lobbying against holiday lets but couldn't help. said to look at the lease...

Show quote history

It depends upon who the freeholder is. A complaint to the freeholder with evidence the lease is being breached is your starting point. Once the freeholder is aware of the breach they are under an obligation to enforce the terms of the lease.

Snakebite61 · 16/10/2025 22:00

Goingindrain · 15/10/2025 16:45

My landlord is a small landlord, just owns his house and the one where we live. He is a nice man and charges us below the market rate rent.
He is fed up of all the anti landlord rules and has decided to sell. It seems he had an offer from FTB and then a big corporation put in an offer 10k over and he's selling it off to them via the agents.
I am worried about the rent going up and it's not a great news for tenants.

Sadly, most landlords are money grabbers. I'd ban them all.

Snakebite61 · 16/10/2025 21:59

TheNoonBell · 15/10/2025 16:53

Sadly this transfer from small landlords to mega corporations is what the government is trying to do.

Socialists always hate the kulaks.

Labour are definitely not socialist. Only a dumb right winger would think so.

Orangesandlemons77 · 16/10/2025 21:47

PrincessofWells · 16/10/2025 19:23

A clear breach then.

Show quote history

What to do about it though. I have contacted the CAB who told me to ask the Leasehold Advisory Service, who I messaged but have heard nothing back from.

Tried the local councillor, said they have been lobbying against holiday lets but couldn't help. said to look at the lease...

Needlenardlenoo · 16/10/2025 21:20

I belong to NRLA. They're helpful and advocate for tenants as well as landlords. Once you've joined (it's not expensive) you can get advice on e.g. getting contracts right, refurbishment of properties, changes to the law, etc etc.

I only joined to purchase their insurance, and o get tenancy templates, but they've been good.

Something I like about their magazine is that they regularly feature landlords doing specialist stuff like renting to the disabled, refugees, tenants without deposits, students and so on and explain what needs taking into account to let to those types of tenants successfully.

Islandsgirl · 16/10/2025 21:01

My friend owns a buy-to-let property in Scotland, and it’s become an absolute nightmare with increasing costs. The government think everyone who has more than one home is a millionaire and the fees are unbelievable. She’s now selling it because she’s taxed on the full rental income - not just the profit. For example, her mortgage is £550 a month, she charges her tenant £850, and she’s taxed on the entire £850 rather than the £300 she actually makes. I realise some people might think ‘boo hoo’ but she actually worked incredibly hard to keep this property, hoping it would one day be her pension, but it won’t work out like that.

Blablibladirladada · 16/10/2025 20:56

Dacatspjs · 15/10/2025 17:14

Look at the situation with vet practices in the UK, they used to be independent, they've been bought up one by one, it's reduced competition and prices have gone through the roof.

Consolidation never works in the customers favour.

Nothing never work in the customers’ favor..

YachtMistress · 16/10/2025 20:23

The NRLA is a professional body advocating for and supporting landlords with resources and information, membership is by subscription.

For those on this thread suggesting a PRS quango, look no further than Wales. RentSmartWales (RSW), an ironically named, expensive, political, JobsForTheBoys beast.
Dealing with RSW is a Kafkaesque experience and not too be recommended.

RSW would benefit from a thorough audit and ongoing evaluation, neither of which has been built in by the politicians or beaurocrats.
Sooooo 20+ years a LL, now ex LL
ps, had some lovely tenants and some not so lovely over the years

roseclouds · 16/10/2025 20:12

Chiseltip · 15/10/2025 18:02

They vilified your small local LL, you know, that guy who had six BTL's and drove a new Audi. They said he was scum, a parasite, they said he was the reason you couldn't buy a house.

So they tricked you into believing that the reason you can't get on the ladder is because he was stopping you.

But Lloyd's bank, buying up 50 THOUSAND private houses to rent back to you is fine!

You're all idiots for supporting the demise of small landlords.

Show quote history

Totally agree 100%.

In my opinion, this kind of stupid generalising about "evil landlords" is no different to suggesting that everyone on benefits is just "lazy". Its an ignorant generalisation and now tenants are reaping the costly consequences

caringcarer · 16/10/2025 20:10

saraclara · 16/10/2025 15:30

Is that not at least in part, down to the tenants? The rental property (only 15 years old) that I've become responsible for, was in a shocking state, due to the tenants blocking all ventilation (so black mould all over the place) and their general lack of any care or respect for the property. They'd had a new bathroom, new carpets and various other work done promptly, not to mention no rent rise for 14 years. I've had to spend £2000 just to get it clean, mould-free, functional and the scrapyard that they'd turned the garden into, cleared. But the buyer will still have to completely redecorate, replace rusted radiators and put a new kitchen in.

None of that is down to me or a landlord that didn't do all that was asked of them

Show quote history

I think tenants not being able to afford heating so blocking up all ventilation and refusing to use the extractor fan on or even open the window a crack when using the shower is becoming more common as gas and electric goes up in price. Also the use of indoor washing lines instead of hanging laundry outside, using a tumble dryer or launderette.

sassyclassyandsmartassy · 16/10/2025 20:09

Lyraloo · 16/10/2025 20:02

My God, people like you are totally out of order. Saying he doesn’t sound nice because of rule changes!

So if you had money in the bank and your bank suddenly said, you’re getting no interest and you can’t have your money back until we want to give you it! You’d be happy with that would you?

That’s basically what these new rules are doing. If a tenant stops paying rent and refuses to move out, you have to pay a fortune to go to court, then bailiff fees and repair costs, add all that to months of no rent and the stress and financial hardship for the landlord and you have a disaster. But don’t worry, the tenants alright!

Show quote history

That it though, the tenant isn’t alright. This is the stupid thing about all of this….

The council won’t house anyone who stops paying, the tenant ends up with a CCJ as it’s been to court so can’t get further credit for a number of years and won’t be touched by another LL. On top of that the debt will remain as owed against the tenants name in the CCJ until it’s paid off and this will include a reclaim by the landlord for the majority of their legal costs as the court has to award them (or at least the prescribed allowable costs of them) if they find in the LL favour for breach of tenancy.

Therefore they will end up in a hostel, homeless, more debt than they thought they had to pay off. It’s all so bloody short sighted isn’t it? They make out this will help tenants, but I genuinely don’t see how 🤷🏻‍♀️

sassyclassyandsmartassy · 16/10/2025 20:06

Shelter and Generation Rent lobbied for this and are still lobbying for this HARD and government are delivering genuinely believing this is what everyone wants….

The title and body of the initial thread has nailed it. Be careful what you wish for. No corporate I have ever come across have a people centric view, it is all about profit and milking to most profit out of anything they possibly can. They aren’t going to care a stitch about anyone complaining or any fines, because they will be rich enough and untouchable enough to just ignore it or pay it and move on to the next desperate soul.

Lyraloo · 16/10/2025 20:02

flopsyuk · 15/10/2025 17:57

He doesn't sound like a nice man at all. Getting upset and selling up because of new rules isn't the action of one. Being greedy and not selling to a FTB.

There are a few landlords i can see on Rightmove around me trying to sell with tenants but there is so much else for sale these aren't going anywhere. Especially flats. No sign of any big corporations buying around me. People don't tend to buy a property with a sitting tenant.

I wonder if he is telling you the truth? Or is it any isolated local thing maybe.

My God, people like you are totally out of order. Saying he doesn’t sound nice because of rule changes!

So if you had money in the bank and your bank suddenly said, you’re getting no interest and you can’t have your money back until we want to give you it! You’d be happy with that would you?

That’s basically what these new rules are doing. If a tenant stops paying rent and refuses to move out, you have to pay a fortune to go to court, then bailiff fees and repair costs, add all that to months of no rent and the stress and financial hardship for the landlord and you have a disaster. But don’t worry, the tenants alright!

Winter2020 · 16/10/2025 20:01

mindutopia · 16/10/2025 10:02

Our neighbours were landlords. House was a family home, I think their parents or grandparents. Recently sold for £650k not to local people, but to second home owners. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Not that most local people could have afforded it anyway. I’m very grateful to the landlords who allowed Dh and I to rent privately at a reasonable rate for the 10+ years it took us to save to buy a house.

Owning a house is expensive though. I don’t blame anyone for not putting themselves into debt to keep rents low. And I live in a place where locals are often priced out of the market by second home owners. Everyone likes to whinge about non-locals pricing locals out of the market. But no one likes to sell at prices locals want to pay. If I had to sell up my family home to afford retirement, I certainly would sell to the highest offer too, so can’t say I blame them. It’s not greedy. It’s a sensible financial decision, no matter how angry it might make Bob down at the pub.

Yes people will sell to the highest bidder but I'm hoping the doubling/ tripling of Council tax will put off a lot of second home owners. Rather like anti landlord legislation it also shows them the direction of travel of government legislation for second home owners and it's negative.

PetuniaT · 16/10/2025 19:59

TheNoonBell · 15/10/2025 16:53

Sadly this transfer from small landlords to mega corporations is what the government is trying to do.

Socialists always hate the kulaks.

,,,and Rache Reeves rakes in £70,000 a year from her portfolio of rented out properties. I'd like to see the tax raised on income from property rentals to make it unprofitable for landlords. Maybe that would increase the stock of properties for sale and reduce the price of them to boot.

caringcarer · 16/10/2025 19:56

MJxJones · 15/10/2025 18:41

What are the rules and regulations small landlords are finding too onerous?

The EPC is by far the most onerous and I know many LL's with medium portfolios of between 5-9 and are going to sell them all off as all EPC D and cost to make them a C is about £13.5k each.

Winter2020 · 16/10/2025 19:56

Ginmonkeyagain · 16/10/2025 09:07

I rented privately in London for 14 years, mainly from small landlrods. Some were fine, some were bumbling amateurs, some were greedy, incompetant twats. Some friends had the misfortune to rent from outright criminals.

The problem is you are never sure which type you are going to get. Leaving supply of an essential services to a small time investors who may be ignorant of their legal duties and woefully undercapitalised feels a sub optimal way to supply a life esssential service to millions of people.

I mean you wouldn't want your energy supplied by Mr Jones who has a side hustle in in energy retail to supplement his pension.

I support a well regulated private rentsl sector alongside socially rented housing. Renting a property out is a service business and should be regulated as such. It is not some sort of favour you are doing for people unfortuanate enough not to own a house and landlords need to understand that. So I am not going to cry for incompetant "accidental" landlords or people who see tenants as interchangable mortage paying units if they have to leave.he market.

Is there sufficient social or corporate owned housing available? Or are you "not going to cry" for tenants that can't find a home either?

sassyclassyandsmartassy · 16/10/2025 19:50

ELO10538 · 15/10/2025 18:25

It's the Rent Act 1965 all over again. That was another attempt by a Labour Govt. to protect tenants. It killed the rental market stone dead.

This, with bells on!!!!!! I really struggle to understand why in the world there is clear evidence that certain things do not work yet they keep going back to them… like trying to tax people to get out of a deficit, all the evidence shows you should stimulate the economy, but, no… Let’s completely ignore the evidence.

thecatneuterer · 16/10/2025 19:46

AlpineMuesli · 16/10/2025 19:41

Is that the one that will be mandatory to join?

Show quote history

No

AlpineMuesli · 16/10/2025 19:41

Needlenardlenoo · 16/10/2025 17:39

There is an industry body. The National Residential Landlords' Association.

Show quote history

Is that the one that will be mandatory to join?

axolotlfloof · 16/10/2025 19:36

Goingindrain · 15/10/2025 16:45

My landlord is a small landlord, just owns his house and the one where we live. He is a nice man and charges us below the market rate rent.
He is fed up of all the anti landlord rules and has decided to sell. It seems he had an offer from FTB and then a big corporation put in an offer 10k over and he's selling it off to them via the agents.
I am worried about the rent going up and it's not a great news for tenants.

The government's anti landlord viewpoint will en up.costimg tenants more.

Lincslady53 · 16/10/2025 19:25

My DD is in the process of moving house in South Manchester. Every house she has viewed has been a rental that the landlord is selling to get out of renting. It is going be tough for tenants over the next few years.