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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the rental industry puts too little responsibility on landlords?

32 replies

MyTicklishHazelShark · 14/12/2025 21:30

It feels like so much of the burden in renting falls on tenants - chasing repairs, documenting disrepair, proving mould isn’t their “fault,” paying fees, giving notice correctly, keeping records, while landlords can be hands-off, slow to act or outright negligent with very few consequences. Letting agents seem to shield landlords, councils are overstretched and tenants are often told to just “move if they’re unhappy,” as if secure, affordable housing is easy to come by.

AIBU to think that if someone owns rental property, they should carry far more responsibility for standards, maintenance and tenant wellbeing, and that the system currently lets too many landlords off the hook?

OP posts:
WaryCrow · 28/02/2026 16:03

Yet still there are more landlords coming in.

It is certainly better than renting all your life: why do you presume to expect sympathy from the people you exploit?

mondaytosunday · 28/02/2026 16:40

@WaryCrowwhat do you mean? I don’t expect sympathy. I’m fine with the new changes as it doesn’t affect me. I can still get a tenant out if they break the conditions of the lease or stop paying rent (though I will lose loads of money in the latter as there is limited recourse). I do everything possible to make sure my properties are of a standard I’d be happy for my own children to live in, and take care of any issues immediately. I know a few other private landlords who are the same. Of course there are bad landlords. My DD is a student renting at her uni and it’s shocking the condition of some student housing!

But there are many reasons people decide to rent. How am I exploiting them exactly? They need a home, I provide them with one. My first tenants were on secondment from another country. My second wasn’t interested in buying as didn’t want the responsibility. My current tenants are wanting to test the area and want to rent a small flat so they can save for their bigger permanent home. I’ve also rented to students - not an HMO but wealthy foreign students whose parents wanted a high spec place. They were the best tenants! None were in the market to buy. So many people don’t want to or can’t afford to buy - and renting may mean they can live in a much nicer area than they could afford to buy in. In many countries it’s the norm to rent. Maybe we shouldn’t stigmatise those that do!

OCDmama · 28/02/2026 16:57

1apenny2apenny · 15/12/2025 08:51

We seem to have a big problem in this country with people understanding that they are responsible for themselves. Many seem to believe that the state and everyone else exists to just support them and sort out their needs asap. Whilst there are clearly bad landlords there are many excellent ones who try to provide a good home. The increase in rules and regulations has made it very difficult for many to make a profit and the new rules in 2026 will add to the burden hence many leading the market and by the way house building has flown/stopped due to massive increase in costs and gov red tape. The housing market isn’t going to get better anytime soon.

I think many tenants have never actually owned their own home so don’t know how much responsibility and cost it is. Many people simply don’t do maintenance as they can’t afford it, when they do they often have to wait ages for a tradie as they are in short supply. Yet tenants seem to believe that when they need a plumber they should arrive at a time that suits them and virtually immediately otherwise the landlord is rubbish. So crack in OP, moan about landlords but don’t be surprised when there aren’t any properties left to rent or they are run by big corp who will ensure rules are changed to ensure they can remove tenants quickly.

Maybe because they're paying through the nose to rent? Why shouldn't they expect something promptly?

I've rented from probably 8 landlords (I own now). To man they were all scum, happy to take rent but would drag their feet with repairs, problems etc - and not little things - moving into one place with 4 cracked windows that didn't get fixed over 2 years, another severe subsidence meaning there were gaps off around a cm between wall and window making it bloody freezing, failing to provide sufficient heating then complaining about mould...

WellWhtNow25 · 28/02/2026 17:04

Renter here and I completely agree, OP.

Some awful life events has meant that although I earn a decent wage, I'm not in a postion to save for a deposit, so, renting is my only option. My landlord is selling the property we currently live in and looking for something else has been eye opening. What's going to happen to renters that don't qualify for HA if the government put people off being landlords? It's really concerning!

Strawberrylies · 28/02/2026 17:06

Renting is a two way partnership. Why an earth did you move into properties in disrepair? Did you not do a due diligence? The landlord should do repairs but surely the onus is on you to not accept such conditions in the beginning.

WellWhtNow25 · 28/02/2026 17:07

I've rented from probably 8 landlords (I own now). To man they were all scum, happy to take rent but would drag their feet with repairs, problems etc - and not little things - moving into one place with 4 cracked windows that didn't get fixed over 2 years, another severe subsidence meaning there were gaps off around a cm between wall and window making it bloody freezing, failing to provide sufficient heating then complaining about mould...

Obviously this isn't OK, but this isn't always the case. I've lived in properties that were managed by an estate agent and issues or repairs have always been attended to quickly.

There was one time the landlord did manage the property himself and while he wasn't scum, he certainly did drag his heels more than agent maintained properties.

WellWhtNow25 · 28/02/2026 17:11

mondaytosunday · 28/02/2026 16:40

@WaryCrowwhat do you mean? I don’t expect sympathy. I’m fine with the new changes as it doesn’t affect me. I can still get a tenant out if they break the conditions of the lease or stop paying rent (though I will lose loads of money in the latter as there is limited recourse). I do everything possible to make sure my properties are of a standard I’d be happy for my own children to live in, and take care of any issues immediately. I know a few other private landlords who are the same. Of course there are bad landlords. My DD is a student renting at her uni and it’s shocking the condition of some student housing!

But there are many reasons people decide to rent. How am I exploiting them exactly? They need a home, I provide them with one. My first tenants were on secondment from another country. My second wasn’t interested in buying as didn’t want the responsibility. My current tenants are wanting to test the area and want to rent a small flat so they can save for their bigger permanent home. I’ve also rented to students - not an HMO but wealthy foreign students whose parents wanted a high spec place. They were the best tenants! None were in the market to buy. So many people don’t want to or can’t afford to buy - and renting may mean they can live in a much nicer area than they could afford to buy in. In many countries it’s the norm to rent. Maybe we shouldn’t stigmatise those that do!

You're providing a service that many people (like me) need.

People get angry that they're not able to own their own property, let alone a second or third and unfairly, take it out on the people than can.

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