To not agree with how some people make their money, specifically landlords and letting agents?

[RealNavyEagle]

I’m not saying every landlord or agent is evil, before anyone jumps in. But I do think there’s something deeply uncomfortable about profiting from people’s basic need for shelter, especially when that profit often comes with minimal accountability and maximum power over tenants’ lives. Rent increases “because the market allows it,” poor maintenance, opaque fees and agents acting as unchallengeable gatekeepers… it doesn’t always sit right with me as a way to earn a living.

AIBU to feel uneasy about this being a normal, socially accepted income stream?

Er yeah there are 11 pages of conversation about the not for profit alternative?

But in your previous post you said the OP had never mentioned this. Yet she must have had some idea of an alternative. Why did you try to suggest that a previous poster must have been responding to you?

Well yes, some LLs have interest only mortgages. Not all of them. It's really neither here nor there and you're picking at a minor mention of something that has little bearing on the actual meat of the topic. The fact that a LL has a mortgage is not a necessity of people being housed, it's a mechanism by which private individuals and companies are able to extract unnecessary profit. Both the banks that do the lending, and the LLs who otherwise within this system do not possess the capital to make the same profit from rental housing.

Everyone understands "basic supply and demand" as you call it. The example you give doesn't prove anything because the system remains unchanged, regardless of how many properties LLs sold last year. I think it's you who isn't able to grasp any of the points that are being raised about alternatives to the current system. You appear to be very stuck in a mindset that the way things are done now is the only way.

I think you’ve misunderstood. i said the OP had never suggested the ending of rentals in response to “where will all the renters live?”

I'm not stuck in the mindset of everything staying as they are now. I'm selling 2 houses in 2026 and 2 in 2027. This will mean evicting 4 families who are perfectly good tenants, so 11 adults, 13 DC , 2 dogs and 3 cats. I'm doing this in response to government changes on EPC C legislation. This shows I'm flexible. This government has no idea of how this legislation will affect the PRS. Almost all LL's I know are planning on going likewise. In some cities about 1/4-1/3 of housing won't meet EPC C grade and these houses are not economically viable for upgrades. I've been quoted over £13k to add internal retrofit and redecorate. If I did this the tenant would save about £85 each year.

I'm with you in thinking this is such a shame for the families who have built lives in these properties. But completely understandable why you would do this.

However, im sure that when they are competing for an ever decreasing pool of rentals, that they will be comforted by knowing that the 'brave new world' (where all rental property is owned and let by the government on a non profit basis) is coming.... at some point.....maybe......or maybe not!

I will be interesting though to see if the influx of properties onto the sales market reduces house prices, making it slightly easier for people to buy, which will be great for those currently renting and looking to buy. But maybe worse for sellers?

I agree. Many LL will wait until 2028 to sell when legislation comes in but aware the market will be flooded with EPC D houses in selling 2 in 2026 and 2 in 2027. I'm hoping prices won't have tanked then. If they have as properties have been bought through ltd company any losses will be taken of CGT. I do feel bad for tenants especially one family who have lived there for 8 years and all there 3 DC go to school there and 1 is SN and attends a special school. All the rental houses ( Victorian terraced) in that area will have same issue so they will likely have to find a house out of the school area.

Yes we're selling up too. We have always charged below market rent. The tenants will have to move out and pay market rate if they want to continue renting so the rrb hasn't helped them at all. But it's not my problem.

I'll be keeping the 8 houses I have that are already EPC B or C for the time being but will be monitoring any more government legislation. If it gets any more onerous I shall just sell all but 1 house that my Goddaughter lives in. I can't really evict her and her Mum. I do rent the houses out a little below market value as I have good tenants that have been living in the houses for years. I am mindful though to increase rent by small amount each year because I don't want tenants to be in the position of not being able to afford anything else on market, which I've seen happen several times with LL's who are friends, so not be able to move out if I sell.

The tenants have to move out if you want to sell regardless of being able to afford anything else.

I feel sorry for my tenants as we've had them for years and always treated them well. They'll have to write to their MP if they can't find anywhere they can afford. The government should face the consequences of their actions.

The points you’re making about energy compliance etc aren’t related to profit in the rental system.

You’re just unconsciously gaslighting, falling into the well worn path of trying to make the public believe they need you to survive.

Everytime landlords fall away because they’re underfunded and unprofessional we’re supposed to metaphorically fall at their knees and beg them to stay renting to people in a profit system.

This is just another strand of dysfunction, and you’re doing nothing but demonstrate how dysfunctional the market is.

Of course the two issues are related. On what basis do you say that rising costs don't impact on profits?

the point of the post is that there shouldn’t be profit so how is that relevant?

@Itsmetheflamingoif there was no profit there would be no LL's. LL's provide a service for those that want to use them of their own freewill. No one forces anyone to use them. If you don't want to privately rent a property there are plenty of others that do. If you want the state to own all property you'd probably be happier living in a communist country.

How can’t there be profit though? It is an industry the same as any other. There are many different sectors that provide essential services whose companies make much much higher profits than private landlords - water companies, electricity, gas, public transport etc etc.

when I was in my 20s I was grateful for being able to rent privately. It meant I could move around and not be tied down in one place, and I could save up the rental deposit quickly compared to buying a house. If I had to buy straight away I would have been stuck at home until I was 40, not able to travel or live with friends etc etc. Also my rental payments were genuinely not far off my current payments in my own home once I have paid for mortgage interest, all the maintenance, furniture etc etc. Obviously my house is now (hopefully) going up in value which is a benefit you don’t have when you are renting but the monthly costs are not far apart from each other. For some, the mental load of renting is much less and worth the slight increase in money for someone to deal with it all for them

@Woollyguru if I want to sell as tenants can't afford anything else the council will tell them not to move out until I get a court order. Thank takes about 6 months so would hold the sale up.

There shouldn’t be profit ? Which world do you live in because it’s not the same one I inhabit. People care about themselves first and the majority of people would not wish anyone else harm.
As long as landlords are decent and provide long term quality housing I’m not sure what else you want them to do. There will always be profit in housing so discussing it on a website is beyond pointless. The government doesn’t want the responsibility of housing those who for whatever reason don’t buy their own house so they are happy to let landlords take over. They tax them when they buy, any profit they make, when they sell and again when they die.

Yes, lots of people opt out of eating. And supermarkets outnumber landlords... your logic is all over the place

That’s not true at all because NON PROFIT LANDLORDS

who have been in business in the uk for 100 years and operate millions of units.

There are plenty of landlords that are not for profit. They are not the government, they are private companies, charities and long term investors

Well then, if there are plenty who are non profit why are you having a whinge at those who want to make a profit. The housing landscape will sort itself out by simple laws of supply and demand.

We are saying that through legislation and market interference you could eliminate for profit landlords and that would be better for society. There are 12 pages explaining that

Never mind, once the renters rights act gets into full swing, landlords and tenants will suffer.

You just have to factor that in when selling. They have to pay the rent while waiting to be evicted as if they stop paying the council will consider them intentionally homeless and will refuse to house them.

When we sell we won't be buying anything else so not in a chain. It takes as long as it takes.

Name the private companies and long term investors who are non profit landlords?

By definition an investor wants to make a profit from their investment.