7:00 AM, 27th October 2024, About A day ago 3
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What if the UK’s Private Rented Sector (PRS)—once a thriving backbone of housing for millions of people—collapsed overnight? It might sound far-fetched, but the signs are already there. Landlords are leaving the market in droves, overwhelmed by crushing tax changes, impossible regulations, and rising costs. The very fabric of the UK housing market is unraveling, and the consequences could be catastrophic.
If we don’t act now, we could be on the brink of one of the biggest housing crises the UK has ever seen. And here’s what that collapse could look like…
Picture this: Millions of tenants scrambling to find somewhere—anywhere—to live. The number of available rental properties has plummeted, and the fierce competition for what’s left has driven rents through the roof.
Families, professionals, students—nobody is safe. Entire communities are priced out, forced to compete for tiny, overpriced flats. The rental crisis quickly spirals out of control, leaving thousands on the brink of homelessness.
For tenants already living paycheck to paycheck, the collapse of the PRS would be a disaster. Affordable rentals? A thing of the past. Housing insecurity would skyrocket as tenants are pushed out of their homes, unable to keep up with the soaring rents.
The collapse of the PRS would put crippling pressure on social housing, and let’s be honest—it’s already on its knees. Council waiting lists would explode, leaving families trapped in temporary accommodation for years. But here’s the kicker: there just aren’t enough social housing units to go around.
This isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a national emergency. As local authorities scramble to provide shelter, the reality is simple: there will be nowhere to put people. Overcrowding, substandard living conditions, and deepening poverty are the inevitable consequences of a PRS in ruins.
For the average renter, saving for a deposit would become a distant dream. With rents rising faster than wages, many would be trapped in a vicious cycle of renting with no escape. Homeownership would become a luxury only a select few could afford.
The collapse of the PRS would widen the gap between renters and homeowners like never before, creating a stark housing divide that would leave millions with no hope of ever owning their own home.
It’s not just tenants who would be devastated. The entire UK economy would feel the shockwave. Billions of pounds would be wiped off the table as industries tied to the PRS go into freefall:
This isn’t just a housing crisis—it’s a full-blown economic disaster. The collapse of the PRS would send a shockwave through every sector that touches the rental market, triggering mass unemployment and a recession we can’t afford.
Faced with the collapse of the PRS, the government would have no choice but to intervene—and fast. But would it be enough?
Emergency measures would be rushed through Parliament. We’d see rent caps, tax incentives for landlords, and an all-out scramble to expand social housing programmes. But here’s the truth: by the time the government reacts, it may be too little, too late.
The damage to the PRS—and the economy—could be irreversible.
In the wake of the PRS collapse, a new player would rise to dominate the rental market: corporate Build-to-Rent giants. These institutional investors would swoop in, buying up properties en masse and filling the gap left by private landlords.
But make no mistake—this isn’t good news for tenants. With corporate landlords calling the shots, rental prices could become even more sky-high, and tenants might find themselves locked into strict, impersonal contracts with faceless landlords. The days of renting from a local, personal landlord would be gone, replaced by corporate control.
Beyond the economic and housing chaos, there’s another casualty to consider: our communities. The collapse of the PRS would see long-standing communities torn apart as tenants are displaced, neighbourhoods hollowed out, and properties left vacant.
Without local landlords to care for properties and invest in communities, many areas would face urban decay, further deepening the social divide and leaving towns and cities across the UK scarred.
This nightmare scenario isn’t inevitable—but it could happen if the government doesn’t take action to address the challenges landlords face. Reforming tax policy, providing clearer incorporation options, and easing the regulatory burden on landlords could stop the PRS from crumbling entirely.
But we can’t wait for the government to step in. Now’s the time to act.
At Property118, we’re working tirelessly to stop the collapse of the Private Rented Sector. We’ve been on the front lines, advocating for landlords’ rights, pushing for fairer tax treatment, and raising awareness about the housing crisis.
But we can’t do it alone. Running campaigns, lobbying for change, and keeping landlords informed all take time, money, and resources. That’s where you come in.
If you’ve found value in what we do—if you want to prevent the collapse of the PRS and keep the UK’s rental market alive—we need your support.
Let’s not wait for the worst to happen. Together, we can save the Private Rented Sector before it’s too late.
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Judith Wordsworth
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Sign Up9:07 AM, 27th October 2024, About 23 hours ago
Some may remember my post on here, when the last Government started the Renters Reform Bill process, which suggested every PRS landlord gave their tenants a s21 Notice on the same day with the same expiry date 3 months hence.
I seriously believe, and still do, that that would have likely resulted in the only recourse open to the powers that be ie the Government, the Local Authorities and other 3rd parties to have to work with, and not against, PRS landlords and to avoid the possibility, no matter how remote, of hundreds if not thousands of UK tent cities.
One of my local Counsellors has admitted that my local Council, last May, was already buying in tents!
It is not too late to do this, but sadly even though no legal requirement to follow through with applications for Possession Orders, I doubt if PRS landlords will. An opportunity missed.
Mr Blueberry
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Sign Up4:27 AM, 28th October 2024, About 4 hours ago
Landlords are continually on the back foot.
However, as you suggest, landlords do have power in numbers. There are two million eight hundred thousand private rental landlords in England. This is a very signicant number that could sway the next general election.
My suggestion, for what it's worth, is to use a platform such as Property 118 to create a union called LANDLORD VOTE. Landlord Vote would create a Mini Manifesto. Like a trade union it would help finance a political party most aligned to the LANDLORD VOTE manifesto.
In the last election I believe Labour won with 9.7M votes, Conservatives 6.8M, Liberal Democrats 3.5M.
Reform Party got 14% of the vote in the last election but only a few seats.
As I understand Reform Party would abolish the Renters Rights Bill and create a more sensible and practical solution to the housing crisis.
A 2M block vote to Reform Party would give a significant leg up for Reform and in return LANDLORD VOTE union could negotiate with them a fairer policy that helps both landlords and tenants without the existing proposed draconian regulation that will only lead to less rentable homes and higher rents.
Chris Mills
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Sign Up7:23 AM, 28th October 2024, About An hour ago
SOLD!!
My lovely 4 bed semi, my best performer, sold yesterday in principle to a first-time buying couple currently living with parents. Another rental gone, that's 2 this year and more to come as my tenants leave, if they ever will!
But no, say Labour, it isn't happening!
Umm, yes it is....