Media portrayal of landlords is not fair or accurate

An overwhelming 81% of landlords do not feel the portrayal of the buy-to-let market by the mainstream media is fair and accurate, the Landbay quarterly landlord survey can reveal.

While demand for rental properties remains incredibly high, landlords say they feel “demonised” as the important role they play in the UK’s wider housing mix is “not recognised” by the mainstream media.

Instead, they argue that the media blames “greedy” landlords for the lack of stock and increasing rents, rather than the lack of properties built by the government over many years.

When asked if they agreed with the statement that the media portrayal is fair and accurate, one third of landlords (33%) strongly disagreed, while almost half (48%) disagreed.

One landlord said: “The PRS provides much needed homes that are not being built by councils. I am a good landlord but I am fed up with being portrayed as someone who has plenty of money and is profiteering off tenants. What would happen if most landlords sold their properties?”

Another said: “It would be good if the media was more balanced and also portrayed the issues for landlords with problem tenants.”

The findings form part of Landbay’s latest quarterly survey which questions existing landlords on various topics to determine their attitude and intentions. The survey uncovered the key factors facing landlords and their thoughts on the future of the buy-to-let market.

Paul Brett, managing director, intermediaries at Landbay, said: “There’s no question landlords have needed to be thick-skinned with successive anti-landlord governments and plenty of anti-landlord rhetoric in the national news. It’s unfortunate that bad news leads when there are so many positive examples of good landlords working in partnership with tenants to provide quality housing.

“With such a reliance on rented accommodation as part of the wider housing mix in the UK, we need quality landlords more than ever. We also need new entrants too as demand continues to outstrip supply.

“To make this all happen though, the government must champion those good quality landlords and work with the sector, rather than against it. This will hopefully bring a more balanced approach to the national news agenda and relieve some of the pressure felt by honest and hard working landlords across the country.”