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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

MPs accused of ‘attacking’ the BTL industry ‘for their own purposes’

Having ignored calls to stop punishing landlords and rethink its stamp duty attack on the buy-to-let sector, along with the phasing out of mortgage interest relief, the government has now decided that it wants to limit tenants’ deposits to five weeks’ worth of rents, in a move that some experts fear will further reduce the number of landlords and properties available as demand from tenants continues to rise.

Mortgage interest relief changes, the scrapping of the ‘wear and tear’ allowance and the introduction of the 3% stamp duty surcharge have hit landlords’ profits over the past couple of years, which largely explains why so many people are exiting the BTL market and thus reducing the supply of much needed private rented stock.

There are already signs that the widening supply-demand imbalance in the industry is having an adverse impact on some tenants, with rental values rising across many parts of the country.

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But rather than look out for the interests of landlords and tenants, politicians have been accused of attacking the industry for their own political gain.

Following the government’s decision yesterday to reduce the tenancy deposit cap from six weeks to five weeks, David Cox, chief executive, ARLA Propertymark, said: “Once again politicians are attacking the industry for their own purposes.

“Tenancy deposits have worked perfectly well for over a decade, and there is no basis in research that these amendments are necessary.

“This move will do nothing but push the most vulnerable in our society away from professional landlords and agents, and into the hands of rogue landlords and agents who will exploit them.”

Want to comment on this story? If so...if any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals on any basis, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.

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    In terms of targeting the votes it makes sense and in that regard is unsurprising, there are more people renting than there are landlords and when it comes to votes you go for numbers. Most people care very little about landlords and probably think if you own more than one property you're probably doing OK. What is surprising however is that given the proportion of MPs who are themselves landlords, how far they've gone to make being a landlord less of an attractive investment.

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    what do you expect from clowns? All MPs are in it for themselves

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    Why is it that the government fails to think these things through, the real people they are hurting here are the tenants and the homeless, can they really not see that??

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    As soon as 2 months are up any tenant in arrears will get section 8 with arrears claim. Plenty of work pending for the bailiffs. Loads of CCJs to start appearing on credit histories, any CCJ = no AST with me, go and ask the council or shelter to house you

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