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OTHER GUIDES & TIPS

 Politician demands immediate windfall tax on private landlords

Adrian Ramsay, newly-elected co-leader of the Green Party, wants a windfall tax on the value of investment properties owned by private landlords.

He claims this would be an average of £1,700 per property.

He’s told the BBC that it’s a one-off measure “for this winter period” to help people across the country, not just tenants, with higher fuel bills.

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“We’re going to pay for it by a one-off windfall tax on the value of private properties so we’re asking landlords to contribute one per cent of the value of the land of their properties” he said. 

"We’re doing that because we’ve seen during the last year - during the pandemic - that landlords are one of those groups that have benefitted financially with the average rent increasing by 6.6 per cent and the average property value increasing by £25,000. So this is a fair way to support everyone in society through this winter and crucially allowing us to get to the stage where we can focus on the long-term answers about insulating people’s homes, installing clean renewable energy systems and weaning us off our addiction to fossil fuels.”

 

The Green Party has only one MP in the Westminster Parliament so are unlikely to have any influence over policy, but in Scotland - where the political system is proportional representation - the party has entered into a coalition with the SNP.

North of the border the Greens have pledged to “introduce a cross-cutting goal of ensuring that housing costs represent no more than 25 per cent of a household’s income, including a points-based system of rent controls.”

The new SNP-Green government has even appointed a Minister for Tenants’ Rights, Patrick Harvie, who has reiterated the pledge to introduce strong rent controls.

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  • George Dawes

    You'd have to be pretty green to vote green

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    Another green horn, my rents or property hasn’t increased in the Pandemic as he says, just lumber with evermore rising costs and regulations can I have a windfall tax to make up the difference.
    Housing costs not to be more than 25% of household income. Brilliant idea for people with Mortgages I am sure they’ll be delighted, don’t know about the lender.

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    The cladding disaster has cost landlords thousands of pounds during a period when tenants stopped paying rents or deferred them. Long vacant periods have attracted high council tax and utility bills. I have lost money over the last year and cannot afford any windfall tax.

    Peter  Yednell

    Due to covid I am down on income and I haven't see any rise in the value of my South East portfolio.

     
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    Why not be upfront and honest Green party and get the money from direct taxation, not try to hide it away by charging a group of people who have already been hit by rent arrears? Kick us whilst we are down.

    Peter  Yednell

    You absolutely correct. I agree with income tax and with higher rates for higher incomes (altho it should only jump in stages of 20%30%40% & not exceed 50%).The Greens are coming out with simplistic popularist policies.. Like Farage on Brexit...

     
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    I'm a very small.private landlord. I started out as my pension age had been increased by 6 years and my pension would be very little, so I needed to use my head, for my future. I keep my rents just above LHA rates, I have replaced windows in two properties as utilities rise etc, I'm a registered landlord, do everything right, take care of my tenants...so why the hell should I have to pay extra when I'm trying to ensure my own future retirement, whilst looking after my tenants properly?? Especially when gov UK have stolen six years of my pension !!! What a cheek!!

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    I’m the same. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

     
    Kathryn Everson

    Totally agree and this is now my only source of income ! I've held rents now for 2 years and just renewed at same rent for another 2 years, also replaced double glazed windows and porch as I have good tenants. I'm all for many green policies, but what planet are some of these people living on with the rubbish information they spout!. It seems all political parties are now on the side of 'he who shouts loudest'..i.e. shelter and generation rent !

     
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    Yeah! Right! My property was empty because of Covid from March 2020 until October 2021, yet during all that time I had to pay 100% council tax, mortgage, building insurance, gas and electric standing charges. And the government gave me Sweet Fanny Adams in grants or anything else. I have been living off my state pension and my savings. So, they can Kiss My You-Know-What.

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    If, as he says, rents have increased by an average of 6.6% then maybe, just maybe that is because the government has increased the costs that landlords now have to bear. Who did they think was going to pay for it all? What a plonker.

  •  G romit

    Dangerous ramblings of a totally out of touch politician.

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    Taxing LLs more and expecting rents to be less - clearly no understanding of even basic economics!

    Theodor Cable

    As always, any extra costs applied by Govt, and all Councils, will, of course, and inevitably be paid for by tenants. Simple commercial activity.

    And that is a completely natural law as in any and every business in the world.

    And yet still thes low lives of polititians and councils are so thick and hopless, that they have no idea that their actions are only hurting the people they are supposed to be helping and caring for.

    And even worse, is that they actually and truly belive they are doing good for tenants.

    How sad are they?

    WAKE UP

     
  • John Ahmed

    Stupidity from Adrian Ramsay, another politician who has nothing of value to say.
    Most people voting for the Green Party are delusional.

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    My property is vacant for the last two months and thus lost £3500 in rent, CT etc. Can this politician compensate my loss £3500 minus her windfall tax?

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    The greens don't stand a hope in hell of getting into government, so no worries there.

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    Watch your back passage! They've got into power in Scotland by the back door and threatening to cause havoc to Landlords and tenants alike.

     
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    Since it now appears to be PM's Green wife calling the shots, I would not feel too relaxed about it. Johnson himself is clearly Liberal, not Tory. Reform Party for me next General Election,

     
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    It's so easy for them to go for private landlords and they know it will be popular with most who think landlords are making tons of money. I've just sold a property for barely more than I paid for it, taking into account 3% additional stamp duty, all the renovations I did and the tenant owing me about £4,000. Why don't they go for the big corporations who manage their affairs in such a way that they pay very little tax. Or why not a windfall tax on the likes of Princess Charlotte, reportedly worth £3.6 billion. I am so sick of everyone having a go at private landlords!!!

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    The big supermarkets cartel and amazon have doubled profits during covid, and since small shops are now shuttered they will make big profit for some time. Pharma have made bank over an unnecessary vaccine instead of using known cheap and MORE effective treatments. Big tech have people using zoom and messengers instead of meeting face to face have made big money. MPs strangely silent about that though eh. Maybe ask Nick Clegg how he enjoyed the windfall profits at Facebook "Its one big club,and you ain't in it" -G.Carlin

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    What an absolute tw@t of a man. How about you lead by example and give a third of your MPs salary of 85k to your cause. Legalised theft isn’t so funny when you’re on the end of it. People like this are always generous at someone else’s expense.

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    What about chasing the real culprits who are avoiding paying a massive amount of tax. The Amazons etc? No you won’t because it’s too hard for you and middle Britain is an easy target. I’ve worked like an African elephant for 50 years to try and get on in life, study Independant and honest and these champagne socialists want to come along and grab it! Get out there and get a real job, it’s hard, very hard!

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    I made a lot of sacrifice to buy the properties I have. Deposits didn't fall from the sky
    How come some politicians aims are to drag Landlords into debt and extreme poverty?
    I don't think they have a clue what they are proposing because at the end, someone will still have to pay for these unnecessary cost and is not going to be the Landlord.

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    Surely the Capital Gains Tax we all have to pay on the sale of every property is already a windfall tax? How can you tax people on money they don't yet have, bearing in mind property prices could fall by the time a property is sold? My rents haven't gone up in the last 2 years and some tenants have rent arrears, so how was that a windfall?? I'm also selling a property that hasn't gone up much in value and will only break even on what I paid after legal costs etc. So no windfall there either. I know they won't get into power, but it's a worry that anyone could think this would be a good idea. When will they realise that ultimately if you kick landlords then tenants surely will also suffer one way or another, whether higher rents or less property available to rent?

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    My non-paying tenant got an extra 16 free months in the house due to Court closure. (And the place was as bad as anything you see on tv. £800 to clear the house and another £800 to clear the garden. Plus the cost of a complete refub.) I haven't put the rent up for any of my other tenants - many of whom are struggling. Where does he get the idea that landlords are better off?
    Trouble is - we rant on this (and similar) websites, but Adrian Ramsey and anyone else who is not a landlord (ie almost everyone) don't get to hear us.

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    If he really wanted to help people with higher energy bills he should be pushing the government to remove the ridiculous and unnecessary green energy tax.

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    The Green Party are basically communists when it comes to policy and though there is no chance of them getting into power, if they make their statements often enough someone will start thinking its a good idea! Nothing quite so dangerous to business as a Politician!

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    In Scotland we have to pay 4% of the purchase price Land and Property tax when we buy, surely this is what the Greens should be grabbing, not a second bite at the cherry.

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    One lot of lefties claim £65m isn't enough to help with tenants' arrears.

    This one claims landlords are making windfall profits.

    Every tenant in arrears represents a landlord who is out of pocket and for most these losses will never be recouped.

    I know that politicians always go for the low hanging fruit and landlords are easy targets.

    Perhaps if every landlord frequently emailed MPs and Councillors they might think there are a lot of votes to be lost by attacking landlord constituents?

  • Matthew Payne

    And where is this money going to come from? Many older landlords inherited properties or bought them decadses ago, and use their rental income to subsidise their pension, and can no longer raise finance. Many younger landlords are highly geared, with little monthly net profits after costs and taxation. Where are either going to suddenly find £1700 anymore than anyone else who isnt a landlord, without borowing it?

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    Some great comments here, by People of higher intellect, than this idiot of a Politician.
    It’s a bit like the Footballer who has been going on about Social injustice, how much has he donated ?.

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    Landlord demands immediate windfall tax on all politicians (and overpaid civil service mandarins). You've all benefited from inflation busting pay raises, "worked from home" for the past 18 months so have saved a fortune on travel etc - you must now share that with all the low paid key workers who've kept the economy going whilst you've Zoomed through your part time, fully paid, existence for 18 months.
    ..... thought not !!

  • PossessionFriendUK PossessionFriend

    The ' have a go at landlords ' crowd is largely uneducated in the real world of business.
    Good Tenants need Landlords ( due to demand and under-resourcing by consecutive Govt's )
    as much as we need Doctors.


    Surprising, unknown statistic ; is that Tenants are as satisfied with renting, as patients are with Doctors !
    83%

  • Peter Meczes

    All this rubbish about LL windfall profits and gains!! Certainly didn't come my way. My rents have been static for the last 3 years as competition has stiffened. Over that same period we have improved our accommodation and are implementing further improvements to save energy such as increased loft and cavity wall insulation as well as double glazing to try to achieve EPC grading of C. Why don't the politicians get together to successfully impose a windfall tax on Amazon, Google etc?

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    Just remind me again, this is the party with two leaders but only one parliamentary seat, yeah?

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    I would love to pay a windfall tax if I had a windfall.
    However I would also like to get a tax rebate or grant improving my housing stock. To keep up with government initiatives.
    Windfalls, what planet is he from?
    Ahh of course the green planet.

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    This pr**k is totally out of touch and hasn't got a clue, like so many others. Can't wait to get out of this mugs game.

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    Throw the towel in Shane and these pr**ks have won

     
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