Tenant bidding wars – Why are landlords being blamed?

Absolutely spot on!

Very well said. I couldn’t have put it better myself.

I’m looking forward to bidding wars on eBay being banned.

Whenever I advertise a property in the future, it will be at market value. Currently, I have three bed semi at £400 per month and four bed at £500. The market values are £575 and £695 respectively. That is if I decide not to sell them.

My rents are low because I choose the families that I’d like in them and charge what they can comfortably afford.

I was reading an article about olive oil - you will see my point in a minute.
The olive grower explained that due to this year's terrible olive harvest, there was less olive oil. But the global demand had stayed the same. Therefore, the prices of olive oil had doubled.
I don't see anyone going out beating up olive growers for it. And if they did, surely everyone would say "it's not their fault!".
Now, if an olive grower can explain the laws of supply and demand so succinctly, why can't MIchael Gove, Angela Rayner and the like get it????

The problem here is that our property rights are not being recognised or respected.

Following this path will lead to ruin. Just look at the many examples around the world starting with the ultimate property right violator... North Korea.

Ive been a landlord for 20 years and most of the issues are created by unscrupulous Estate Agents. If a landlord is using an agent, they will have no contact with anyone bidding for the flat, its the agent ramping up the hype and therefore the bidding wars for flats. Don't blame the landlord

The PRS is a political football that Gove, Angela Rayner and other ill informed organisations will keep kicking around until they have the same stranglehold over the sector that existed pre 1988 rent act.

Who will house all these migrants, families,young people and others who need a place to live if when they achieve their goals.

They need to get building houses fast!!

Reply to the comment left by Easy rider at 08/12/2023 - 09:58You are too kind.
My stance has changed after housing a Ukrainian family paid for by the council, they made a mess, to put it mildly.
Now I charge market rate and put the rent up by the inflation rate at the anniversary of contract, exactly the same as Government contracts.
We are not a charity!

Reply to the comment left by Markella Mikkelsen at 08/12/2023 - 10:00
The olive grower thing gives the wrong impression. In that instance it is very much a supply and demand issue.

The big difference is what happens if people cannot afford Olive Oil? Their food might not have quite the same flavour as before.

But if someone cannot afford housing, their entire livelihood and life could be at risk.

It's why the supply and demand argument is not the greatest when speaking about housing. it's one of those things where it has a direct impact on someone else's life.

Going back to the original post, there are good points, but I feel it ends badly.

"It’s a sad, mad world when landlords can be demonised regularly"

That is absolutely a problem, but from the other things that are said, you are absolutely giving people all the evidence they need to demonise landlords.

"When we collectively decide that ALL new rents will start at double what the last tenant was paying?"

"You might not demonise us when families are living in tents on your High Street."

You may not think this yourself but what you have effectively just said is "Make our [Landlords] lives better or we will punish our tenants".

Again, this was likely not your intent. But with statements such as this and so many similar across the internet it gets hard to defend that its not landlords feelings on this matter.

I truly think the only way to get public opinion swayed back to the side of Landlords is for Landlords themselves to show what they are doing to help their tenants directly, over what is normally expected of them. If you want people to be on your side, you need to give them a reason to be on your side.

Some good observations and those of us that are LL's understand your rhetoric very well.
I don't think The Forever Tenant fully understands the predicament LL's are in.
It's all about economics. People understand well that if you save money, have a pension or have some bonds or stocks you get a return.
LL's returns have not been excessive in the past but we always had the value in the property if we fell on harder times. Now the return has gone in a lot of cases.
A very simple illustration:
I buy a house for £100k, costs me £30k Deposit, SLDT etc. After interest at 3% and agent fees I make £1800 / Year a 6% return on my investment.
Now that interest rates are higher let's say 6%, I make a loss of £450 for exactly the same property.
Now I have 3 choices, 1. Accept the loss and hope interest rates fall 2. Increase my rent, or 3. Sell
I think most LL's point is that we are already under significant economic pressure and that any further stresses and strains financial or not are pushing us towards option 3.
We are emotionally charged and incensed because this is an emotional business, putting roofs over peoples heads.
Let us not forget though that it is a business and eventually economics will win as we also need to pay bills and feed our families.

Excellent article.
Economics won't change to suit the political mood, any more than Rwanda will suddenly become a safe haven because some MPs say so? The planes are heavier than air and I suspect they will stay on the ground.
Politicians are lazy until their interest is affected?
The cost of raw fuei has gone up. Ergo, my gas bill goes up, not down?