What are their justification?
Firstly, I would question how many 'serious' criminals are really landlords? I would be interested to see their evidence. I don't know any murderers, bank robbers, rapists but I can't see that being a landlord; which is a business that requires your details to be harvested by mortgage companies, councils, HMRC, insurance companies is something that they would be drawn to. Being a landlord is a long-term business, not something that serious criminals with regular spells in prison or 'hell bent' on evading detection would again be particular suited to either.
Politics and 'horse sh..t!"
The latest Labour Party proposals are all about trying to justify draconian measures against landlords off the back of conflating a number of things. Poor conditions in a small number of buy-to-lets, a wish to be seen to act against poorly performing landlords, their obsession with having a landlord licence and trying to pin all this on the actions of a class of people will little 'popular support' - serious criminals. Absolute horse..sh..t! How about putting the blame on the ineptitude of the public sector to act despite their considerable existing powers. Also, as a libertarian I kinda think that just because somebody has committed a serious crime surely they have already paid their dues and should be a free citizen (what happened to the concept of redemption?!) You wouldn't expect a convicted criminal from being prevent from having a driving licence so why try and link these unrelated issues. Surely, surely this would be against there human rights? Correct me if I'm wrong but this fabulous concept was something that the Labour Party is particularly keen on. To mean it all smacks of desperation by the Labour Party to garner support for a poorly thought through policy of introducing a costly landlord licence or register when their is no justification and no discernible benefits from it. By using a convenient scapegoat of the 'hardened criminal' landlord class they hope to gain widespread support for their actions.
In my view a LANDLORD LICENCE is simply WRONG, WRONG, WRONG ...however the politicians try and put it!
To read more about the Labour Parties proposals to act against Landlords read this piece in the Guardian
Landlord insurance - expert brokers - internet rates
Well amazingly enough directline insurance refuse to insure your property if you have a criminal record no matter what the offence is!
ReplyDeleteI can understand refusing home insurance if you are an arsonist but for other things such as public disorder it seems a little OTT
Nationalised industries were a good idea, actually.
ReplyDeleteOur utilities companies used to be owned by the British people. Now they are owned by foregin governments and wealthy individuals. Anyone noticed their gas, electricity and water prices going down lately? Thought not.
The Rail network used to be run by British Rail. People complained, but since privatisation, fares have risen over 400% and the industry takes FIVE TIMES the subsidy that British Rail used to take - yes, that's £5bn every year, much of which goes straight into the pockets of private investors.
We used to have a nationalised car industry. Not any more. In fact, we have no car industry at all.
Since the introduction of the Private Finance Initiative, which effectively privatises the ownership of public buildings, PFI debt has spiralled out of all control. We now have schools and hospitals going bust because they can't afford the payments to private companies, whose risk is effectively zero and whose profits are guaranteed.
That the Labour Party has abandoned common ownership is merely an indication of the extent to which rich and powerful vested interests have taken over all of our political parties, leaving us with no choice at the ballot box other than which supporters of unfettered free-market capitalism will do the least damage.
With regards to the proposals to prevent serious criminals from being landlords, that sounds like a brilliant idea to me.
Who would want to discover that their landlord was a serious criminal?
And why would anyone other than a serious criminal want to defend the rights of robbers, thieves, money-launderers and fraudsters?
So preventing these people from renting out properties sounds like the right thing to do.
Does this mean that politicians can't be landlords then? Biggest shysters of the lot.
ReplyDeleteNational industries a good idea....you obviously never experienced waiting several months to have a telephone line installed by the old GPO.
ReplyDeleteAs for prices going up. Ever heard of global energy price inflation?!
My point remains there is enough legislation to allow the authority to act against bad landlords. What is needed is more resolve and aptitude from them to act.