Don’t use the ‘L’ word

Don’t use the ‘L’ word

8:32 AM, 5th January 2022, About 3 years ago 71

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The majority of the Buy to Let community say they would prefer not to be called “landlords”, according to research from mortgage intermediary Mortgages For Business. Some parts of the US media, including regional divisions of NBC, have reportedly stopped using the word “landlord” due to complaints from the community.

When it came to the UK, 59% of those surveyed by Mortgages for Business said they wanted the British media to stop using the word “landlord” and that the term was dated.

When the Buy to Let community was polled on their preferred name, 43% said “Small Housing Providers”, 36% said they would prefer to remain “Landlords”, and 21% opted for other options including “Rental Accommodation Provider”.

Gavin Richardson, managing director of Mortgages for Business said: “Sections of the media have vilified the buy-to-let community.  The government has hammered them – think Theresa May’s 3% Stamp Duty surcharge and other tax deterrents.  It’s got to the point where the buy-to-let community doesn’t want to be associated with the term ‘landlord’ anymore.  The term carries much more baggage than it once did. No wonder the community wants a rebrand.”

Additionally, 73% of those surveyed said they felt “unfairly portrayed as this generation’s financial bogeyman”.  Only 8% felt that landlords were not “financial bogeymen” at all while the remainder accepted that their notoriety might not be entirely unwarranted.

Gavin Richardson said: “The majority of landlords are paying 40 per cent tax on their rental income – plus stamp duty – which means the Government is profiting hugely from Generation Rent.  And to what end?  Hammering landlords over the last five years has done first-time buyers no favours – research from Nationwide suggests first-time buyers now need to save a huge 113 per cent of their annual salary for a typical home deposit of 20 per cent!

“What would happen if we took landlords out of the housing equation?  The impact on the property market would be significant and almost entirely negative.  It’s not as if the Government is pouring money into social housing – or making any progress on house building.  Frankly, the Government should be championing landlords and lauding their contribution to the housing sector – landlords are bailing the Government out!”

“On top of that, millions of Brits face a financial crisis in retirement by not putting enough money aside for their pension.    Two thirds of employees aged 45 and over face poverty in old age unless they act soon.  One in five Britons say they have no form of private or workplace pension.  It is regularly drummed into us that we need to invest for a comfortable retirement.  And yet, when people start building a nest-egg – investing in property to try to ensure they have an income for their retirement – they are reviled!”


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Rob Crawford

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21:05 PM, 5th January 2022, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mike T at 05/01/2022 - 19:59
Maybe add, "to those in need"

Monty Bodkin

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23:28 PM, 5th January 2022, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Kate Mellor at 05/01/2022 - 20:18I hate the term “Landlord”
Are you in the wrong business?

Bristol Landlord

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13:44 PM, 6th January 2022, About 3 years ago

I do think words matter and you may not agree that “perception is everything” but I would say at the least perception is very important.
Some here say it doesn’t matter what they are called but really the most important thing is what do the public think of us?
The public image of Landlords has been deliberately demonised by the Government in order to distract the public from the true causes of the housing shortage which is Government incompetence, laziness, corruption and sheer lack of interest in doing their job. The Government has shirked its duty to provide more homes and is scapegoating Landlords to deflect responsibility, I think that’s outrageous.
Over the last few decades certain descriptions and words for people have been abandoned or changed and occupations rebranded. I’m sure we can all think of many examples.
I would vote for a re-branding of Landlord to Home Provider.
The Government in turn should be rebranded, pick any of the following: Our Overlords, Our Rulers, The Powers that Be, The Elected Mafia, The Donkeys in Charge, The Idiots in Charge, etc.
More suggestions welcomed.

Kate Mellor

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15:00 PM, 6th January 2022, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Monty Bodkin at 05/01/2022 - 23:28
Ha ha. I love my job, I just hate being called a Lord of any kind. It sounds so superior. I have started to toughen up a bit these days and not be so bothered about it as I used to be.

JB

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11:42 AM, 7th January 2022, About 3 years ago

I'm going to start using the term 'Housing Provider'.

I'm fed up with being confused with someone who runs a pub

Chris @ Possession Friend

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12:05 PM, 7th January 2022, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by JB at 07/01/2022 - 11:42
At least with a pub, - you have far more control over your ' customers ' who are far more appreciative of your hospitality.

JB

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17:47 PM, 7th January 2022, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Chris @ Possession Friend at 07/01/2022 - 12:05
That's true!

Trapped Landlord

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9:49 AM, 8th January 2022, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Kate Mellor at 06/01/2022 - 15:00
Couldn't agree more Kate. Any term with ' Lord ' in it gives off a very negative tone nowadays. Especially with the likes of Shelter and Generation rent. It just gives them more firepower to beat us with

bob the builder

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10:12 AM, 8th January 2022, About 3 years ago

I prefer the term 'ex-Landlord that does not care where or how live anymore' 🙂

Bemused

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10:17 AM, 8th January 2022, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Kate Mellor at 06/01/2022 - 15:00
I’m with you Kate, the term Lord is loaded with class and being born into wealth. My dad was brought up in a council house, but with a lot of determination, he self-built the two homes we lived in from my teenage years. He set the example for the job I do now, which has also been hard (but satisfying) work. We provide a service and letting standards have improved vastly. Even the term ‘land’ is loaded with privilege - as in landed gentry. We provide accommodation, we don’t Lord it over our tenants, whatever the government, some councils and the media want the world to believe.

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