AIBU unreasonable to be pissed off at my DS's and DIL's judgemental attitude

[lesleyw1953]

My DS and DIL both earn an enormous salary and own a high status high value flat in a very expensive part of London. They repeatedly slag off private landlords - including us - as if we were horrendous social lepers exploiting the downtrodden poor. We own a number of properties. We charge less than the council house rent for all of them. Our properties are all high end - we keep them in a good state of decor and repair. In fact when one becomes free the first to view always signs the lease. Our tenants stay long term and over the past 10 years only one has moved on - and that was because their relationship broke down. Some of our tenants are DSS - some single parents. We take pride in providing quality housing with quality white goods and we act instantly if there are issues. So AIBU to think that they with their combined incomes of 200K and who do nothing concrete to help their fellow man are out of order in their criticism of us?

... read up on it and argue back with facts? Not enough info really.
It sounds as if you resent them a bit or think that they are putting you down and its unjustified. Is it that you think they are talking from a position of ignorance? or Predjudice? or that they are judging you without understanding that you are running a business? Maybe challenge them on that really, rather than the landlord thing.
I suppose I'd rather have landlords with good practices than bad ones. You could argue that you are practicing good "corporate social responsiblility" and note the ways in which you are engaging your stakeholders..

I don't get the ''all LLs are bastards'' either. Some are, but most are providing a service. There will always be a need for rented properties, especially when there are little or no social housing properties.

Young people, students, people only in an area for a short space of time etc etc will always need rented property. Where would they be without LLs ?

I'm a nurse, I earn my money because others are ill, am I making money by profiting from a basic need?

Unfortunately a lot of people (who seem to be on MN) think being a landlord makes you a terrible person - it doesn’t

@chamenanged It does, though.
But why? Another one here doesn't get the LL-hate.
Fair enough if they are exploiting their tenants. But where they are behaving fairly and providing accommodation why the automatic hate?

I should add I am not a landlord, nor do I rent. I own my own house. Just the one.

But people have to live somewhere and if they can't afford to buy and don't qualify for a council house, where would they be without private landlords?

Is this a joke thread? You've started a thread to say that you're rich but feeling annoyed that your rich relatives are also rich.

Presumably their morals mean that they don’t want to benefit from your sizable estate when it comes to it? If you haven’t got any other children, leave it all to homeless charities.

Unfortunately good landlords are a minority. I am in a private rental myself and understand the need for them (although I would welcome more council housing being built instead but there just isn't enough at the moment).

But many private landlords are crap, charge astronomical rent and leave their properties in a state.

You charge less than council rent?

I'm calling bullshit on that too.

And those who say, "landlords are providing housing". They're not, they're selling on housing. You could argue developers provide housing but LLs are just re-renting existing housing at a higher rent (because they want to make a profit). They aren't 'providing' anything unless they're building it.

@chamenanged - It does, though

How does providing a product that people need make someone a terrible person? Are shop owners who sell food terrible people? If not, what is the difference between someone who provides housing as a business and someone who sells food as a business?

Caveat - I am referring to reputable landlords and reputable shop owners here. Exploitation by either is not acceptable. And before anyone says shop owners can't exploit, yes they can. Extortionate prices because they know their customers don't have transport to go to cheaper shops etc.

They aren't 'providing' anything unless they're building it.

That's nonsense. They are providing housing to people who need it, in the same way a shop owner is providing food.

That's nonsense. They are providing housing to people who need it, in the same way a shop owner is providing food.

Farmers provide food. We like farmers. Tescos fuck farmers over selling food. We don't like Tescos. And unlike food, housing doesn't move around so we have no need of anyone moving it from field to shop.

I'm in favour of a Singapore model. Government builds housing, for sale and rent, 90% of people live in it, next to no homelessness. Non-profits could do the same job with seed funding.

Rich people problems

Farmers provide food

Farmers produce food. Shops provide food.

I quite like my local shop. They provide a good range of products. They don't overcharge. The work with local producers to provide them with an outlet (local eggs, veg, bakery products etc). They try and source products their customers like.

I'm in favour of a Singapore model. Government builds housing, for sale and rent, 90% of people live in it, next to no homelessness. Non-profits could do the same job with seed funding.

And in the meantime, where do people live? Given the popularity of right wing parties in the UK, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for this to happen.

MN is SO funny, bunch of weirdos who think being a landlord is on par with being the spawn of Satan, I'm an "accidental landlord" and have been torn a new one several times on here for simply stating that.

I also think people need to remember not everyone WANTS to buy a house. Many people are happy renting and being free of the responsibility of a mortgage.

Get a life

@chamenanged

As a modestly-paid public sector worker, I managed to buy a home in the fairly deprived area of the country where I worked.

When a relative needed full time care, I left my home and job to move in with them and care for them, on the other side of the country. I let out my house to pay the mortgage.

And you think that being a landlady made me a bad person?

Would you give up your home and career to care for a relative?

And in the meantime, where do people live? Given the popularity of right wing parties in the UK, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for this to happen.

I won't, don't worry! But it's important to acknowledge that there are other models of housing. We could be doing this if we wanted. We choose to enrich private landlords and impoverish renters. It's a choice.

But it's important to acknowledge that there are other models of housing. We could be doing this if we wanted. We choose to enrich private landlords and impoverish renters.

I agree with you about other, better models of housing. However, I don't think demonising landlords is helpful. They provide a necessary service given the housing model currently in place. Many landlords are not being enriched. Many landlords are very decent people. They are not charities, any more than shop owners are.

Many renters are renting through choice, others would prefer to own but can't afford to. Most tenants are decent people. The law should protect renters from unscrupulous landlords regardless of why they are renting. Equally, the law should protect landlords from destructive, non-paying tenants.

I'm glad that when I left college and was a low earner (years ago) who could not afford a deposit by myself, I had a great landlord who charged a reasonable rent. Yes it paid her mortgage, but what was my alternative? Straight to the bottom of the housing register?

Exactly, GPATZ.

Op, you are doing fine, certainly nothing wrong. People need accommodation, sometimes long and sometimes short term, they move to a different area for work or are just setting up home. You're definitely providing a service and as long as you meet your obligations as a landlord, there should be no problem. I don't get the criticism.

*When a relative needed full time care, I left my home and job to move in with them and care for them, on the other side of the country. I let out my house to pay the mortgage.

And you think that being a landlady made me a bad person?*

Yes, that's right.

There are good landlords and bad ones and ones who are ok. I also don’t get why they are viewed on here as minions of the anti-Christ.

I live in a HA flat and the landlords are shit. Unless there’s water gushing through the ceiling or there’s a gas leak you can’t get repairs done for love nor money. The exteriors are quietly crumbling away due to lack of maintenance. At least private tenants can vote with their feet if a landlord is crap. I can’t afford anything else so have to put up with the poor service and bad attitude.

I think your DS and DIL are unnecessarily critical and MN too seems to have a very hostile opinion of all private landlords for some reason. People need rental properties. That means someone has to provide them. If you are fair and decent to your tenants and maintain the properties well I truly can’t see what the problem is.

If you are as good landlords as you say then you are absolutely one in a million. I've never, ever heard of a landlord renting quality properties out at below market value, to people on benefits.
On the other hand, there are many, many shitty landlords like the ones your son has described. Infact, a decent, fair landlord is so far from the norm that it's a pleasant surprise.

DOWNTRODDEN POOR. Really what does that mean? What is rich? What is poor? Seems to me you are jelious of your DS and your DS is jelious of you. Example if you are both financially stable why are you both not educated to understand that the more you have the more you want. It's like an addiction to money. Sorry op I do find it hard to believe that you let your properties out cheaper then the council. (Do the council still own effluent properties in london?) Housing association is cheap are you cheaper then them? Owning properties is expensive to keep then to a high standard is also expensive plus building insurance how do you do it so cheap. Did you pay cash for your property's? I know landlords who have to increase the rent just to keep the tenant there. The tenants obviously don't like it. Ie maintenance insurance ect.

chamenanged

Don’t be ridiculous!

chamenanged I honestly don’t understand why someone who has moved temporarily to act as a carer and is renting out their house to cover the mortgage is a bad person.

We had to move for work to an area we don’t like and in which we cannot really afford to buy. We have rented out our home and are renting here (long-term but still temporary) because we want to return to our own house when possible. Is this also morally reprehensible?