Only one in six private landlords say they would support the Conservatives in an election according to a new poll.
Buy to let investors were once considered ‘safe’ Tory voters but the survey conducted by the National Landlords Association shows only 15.75 per cent of private landlords say they back the party.
This polling, conducted shortly after the once strongly pro-business party announced its intention to abolish the no fault Section 21 possession process and end fixed-term tenancies, found that more than two thirds of the landlords responding had voted Conservative in 2017.
However, of those, only 25 per cent said they would do so again were an election called today.
Meanwhile, 85 per cent of landlords stated they would be likely to vote against any party proposing to remove Section 21; and 89 per cent would vote against any party proposing rent control.
“It’s hardly surprising that landlords are losing faith in the Conservatives given the way their government has overturned the economic, and now legislative, foundations of the private rented sector since 2015. The Tories’ attitude seems to be ‘Well, who else are landlords going to vote for?’ The response is coming back loud and clear, Not you’” explains Richard Lambert, chief executive of the NLA.
“The Conservatives’ mantra that they are the party for business has a hollow echo to the 2m-plus landlords in the UK who see the party and its government refusing to recognise them as having legitimate business interests” he continues.
“Our members have told us that removing Section 21 would be devastating and costly for their businesses. Conservative ministers need to take the time to understand what’s actually happening in the private rented sector or it may end up costing them dearly.”
The survey involved responses from 1,700 NLA members.
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The Tories appear to be loathed and despised by many in their core vote. The recent election results here in blue Surrey - Tories virtually wiped out in Guildford for example. For a variety of reasons. And deservedly. The Section 21 issue is a Tory populist move. Bash landlords. There are millions more tenants than landlords. Equals votes. But think of Marxist Labour in charge. Even worse. How many landlords have written though to their MP ? Who probably has not even read about
S21 ! MPs worry about voters whom they fear and maybe loathe too ? Worth a go.
Who else will Landlords vote for regardless? Remember, Conservative housing policy is only watered down Labour policy. On where their votes will go, who is kidding who?
The Tories are toast. May and Hammond have tried to position them just to the right of the Labour party and their traditional supporters hate it.
The Tories are losing support because they haven't delivered Brexit.
And what is Brexit? People seem to have a hundred million different viewpoints on what that means. Some want a clean break, some want a close relationship with Europe, some want to pick and choose the best parts and leave behind the parts they don't like, others don't want to Brexit at all, some want to try and appease both Leave and Remain voters (as arguably should be the case after an incredibly close vote), and others want a Norway, Canada or bespoke deal.
How can you possibly please all of those people? It's why a simple yes/no binary question in the referendum was so breathtakingly stupid and irresponsible. Equally hare-brained was not making it clear whether the government was advisory - i.e. the government doesn't have to pay attention if it's going to cause economic disaster - or legally binding. This lack of clarity has allowed 'the will of the British people' nonsense to take over and dictate all our lives.
May and the Tories have done a spectacularly awful job of negotiating Britain's exit from the EU, but I don't envy them one bit. It was an impossible job, made even more impossible by May losing the Tories' majority. If, God help us, Boris gets in, he'll come up against exactly the same problems - and Boris is an even worse diplomat than May. He's also far less intelligent.
What have we really gained from this silly, needless and idiotic referendum other than three years of division, uncertainty, speculation, misery and chaos - not to mention making Britain a laughing stock on the world stage? I blame David Cameron for all of this. Can we all please boycott his upcoming book as payback for him screwing over the country and then swanning off into the sunset? Least he deserves.
Anyway, Brexit rant over!
I live in what has been a strong Tory area (South Somerset) but between the Brexit fiasco and great Tory reluctance to offer a second referendum (now that the lies are clearer) and the very anti landlord policies ... which also hurt the tenants ... no way can I vote Tory again either. Lib Dem are well regarded here and will offer a second referendum, no idea about their housing policies though ...
read the candidate policies that he/she support, its against landlord interest
I have read the Labour Housing policy and I'm quite impressed by their intention to build massive amounts of housing especially different types of private tenure types.
This will only work with closed borders.
Not sure whether Labour intends to close the borders.
Housing is the most important thing for the electorate.
For a Govt to remain in power they need an effective housing offer.
The Tory one is pathetic.
They are hell bent on eradicating LL who provide housing until social housing is built in sufficient numbers so that tenants can move from the PRS to the SRS.
But without closed borders it is simply IMPOSSIBLE to build your way out of housing shortages.
In the meantime evil leveraged LL are seen as a problem even though they aren't and in fact provide housing for those who can't possibly house themselves.
Many LL will be leaving the AST sector.
Perhaps investing in B & B is a better investment strategy.
TA is desperately needed by councils and it will be decades before TA B & B may be dispensed with.
The only electoral hope is that the Tories and Brexit party have more seats combined than Labour and all the other parties put together.
A Tory/Brexit Coalition would make for an excellent Govt.
Get rid of neo-liberalism for a start!
But I do fear that the right will inadvertently bring in a Marxist Govt.
I'm not sure the right is politically sophisicated enough to understand this.
But I fear a minority Labour Govt in coalition with the SNP.
This could result in an independent Scotland.
Personally I'm planning for a Labour Govt and am getting out of the AST market.
Selling up to reduce leverage.
Yes I might be exposed to rent controls.
But at least I should be able to pay a small mortgage and won't be subject to S24 as I won't have much mortgage interest income!!
Vote Brexit at EE. Then when policies ate announced vote Brexit at GE.
Smash Tories who hate LL.
Smash Labour who support Hamas, want £10 min salary, want to take usback to 1970s and say the dont know how to pay for all their daft bent ideas,,, clearly we will all pay.
Oh! Yes you can guarantee that Govt will come after wealth as they need to tax it to pay for all their spendthrift policies.
The biggest store of wealth able to be taxed without it being electorally damaging is the PRS.
Plenty of scope to increase CGT and to have S24 imposed on corporate leveraged LL.
Name me anyone apart from a LL who would care that LL are being taxed even more.
Even though the PRS provides an invaluable service Govt knows that the public simply doesn't care if LL are taxed even more.
Of course tenants won't like it when LL desert the market.
But very few tenants will support the concept of LL not being taxed even more.
Tenants are literally like turkeys voting for Christmas when they don't campaign against increased LL taxation.
It seems tenants are as thick as s### and aren't capable of realising the connection between a reducing PRS and why rents are increasing along with reduced rental properties to choose from.
Boris for tories, Brexit for EU and GE when policies known
This Government couldn't deliver a Pizza, let alone Brexit !
Be careful what you wish for. Labour MUST be kept out of power. A Tory/Brexit coalition looks like being the order of the day after we've had a General Election (whenever that will be!). No government helps the PRS until what they legislate is proven to not work and then they have to change it - again!
Govt only has to look across the Irish Sea to see how disastrous a weaker version of S24 tried by the Irish Govt has been.
The results have been that there is a substantially reduced PRS; vastly increased rents and lack of interest from LL to re-enter the PRS.
All this results in lots of homelessness.
Wasn't it Einstein that stated the definition of insanity was trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
The Irish have tried a S24 version................it didn't work.
It won't work in the UK
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