renters should support their landlords against the government

[carmellas3]

The government are starting to tax landlords more (removal of interest tax relief and ware and tear rules). If nothing is done renters will just end up paying more for rent and landlords fees increase.

There are some bad landlords, but the vast majority just want a stable income and provide a good service for people to rent.

I think the time for landlord bashing has ended.

I think there should be a distinction (in law / practice / rhetoric) between LL who buy properties with the intention of renting them out in order to make a financial profit (long or short term) and those LL who own their house but don't live in it at the moment so rent it out.

Disclaimer - we are in the latter category, as we have moved overseas for a short while. We didn't buy our house intended to rent it out, and haven't deprived anyone of a first time buy, as we will be returning to live in it again in a few years.

We have a dysfunctional housing market.
The increase in BTL LL's has played a significant part in the process which led to the current problems with the housing market

The good or bad behaviour of individual landlords and tenants does not alter that and is beside the point

We have a dysfunctional housing market.

ding ding. there are all sorts of scapegoats. BTLs may drive up the price, but that can only happen in a massive housing shortage.

too few dwellings, weak tenants' rights but absurdly long lags for egregious things like not paying rent makes it all crap.