The Mayor of London has been urged to remove adverts on the Tube and buses that call on landlords to provide short-term lets for tourists and holidaymakers.
The Residential Landlords Association wants Sadiq Khan to have the adverts by Hostmaker taken down from the Transport for London network.
The RLA claims that short-term letting has already had a significant impact on the number of homes to rent available to Londoners and has the potential to push up rents.
London Assembly member Tom Copley has now written to Khan, who is chair of TfL, asking for the advertisements to be removed, with a petition on the issue attracting over 600 signatures.
David Smith, RLA policy director, said: “While people have the right to do what they want with their properties, the movement of homes from the long-term to short-term lettings sector is damaging to communities and to the supply of homes to rent for ordinary Londoners.
“The sentiment of these advertisements contradicts the Mayor’s own policy on short-term lettings, and we call for their swift removal.”
Comments (14)
If, as Hostmaker clearly believes, there’s a market for short-term lets for holidaymakers/tourists, if this is not filled London’s economy, and consequently its residents, will suffer…
It’s time for a mass exodus of the National Landlords Association as well as the Residential Landlords Association. They do not stand up for landlords, they take our money under false pretences. The much more determined, and dare I say it, aggressive National Landlords Alliance is the way to go.
What on earth are they thinking?! Some of their landlord members will soon be forced into such changes of strategy, but their own representatives are now effectively campaigning against them!
What a pity the RLA did not oppose section 24 with the same vigour.
The RLA are not campaigning for landlords.
It certainly is not what you would expect from a landlord organisation. What do they hope to gain. Many landlords are joining the Landlord Alliance and with statements like this you can see why. They might have only just recently formed but they put landlords best interests first.
I agree; shame on the RLA, but…the Landlords Alliance looked attractive until I decided they weren’t that professional. Pushing personal politics left a rather bad taste in the mouth…
I think you might have misunderstood. The Alliance’s stance on The Brexit party is not personal politics, rather a potential route to a political party that is onside with the PRS. Whatever your personal view of Mr Farage, he does come from a business background unlike most of the wasters in Parliament, and does appear to be much more in touch with the general public. The Brexit party has yet to reveal its full manifesto but if they are made aware of the support they could potentially receive from the landlord community there is every chance they could look at improving the outlook for us. The problem is we have no other party to turn to, it appears they are all anti PRS 🙁
Well said Deb and I’d add that the Alliance has landlords canvassing for support with the Brexit Party already.
Debbie is right. The ONLY common sense business party who want low taxes and self-reliance is the Brexit Party. I know some people find this a poor choice, but as property investors only the BP even have a chance of being on our side, although the Libertarian Party have some good ideas and keenly support the PRS.
In ordinary times, there is no place for politics in business or Landlord associations.
But these are No ordinary times !
The two major parties have the usual stranglehold, historically, Tories favoured business and Labour, well – didn’t.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed what this Govt has done to the PRS in the last 4 years or so ? but now its a case for survival.
Whilst Renting may not be the only issue facing the country that you may be concerned about, it is for most people the place where the majority of their capital is tied up.
Between Sec 24 ( amongst other things ) and the last straw – Sec 21, Landlords have to act and I can tell you its no time for the faint-hearted.
Nobody’s going to agree with everything a Landlord group does or says, but you can’t say the Alliance isn’t sticking up for Landlords, and there aint too many doing that !
Happy to hear any other suggestions.
‘people have the right to do what they want with their properties’.
‘people have the right to do what they want with their properties.’
‘people have the right to do what they want with their properties.’
I give the RLA 100 lines – PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO WHAT THEY WANT WITH THEIR PROPERTIES.’
With the massive interference by central and local government in our businesses, what is the RLA doing, promoting putting private landlords into yet another stranglehold? This is what is commonly known as ‘losing the plot.’ I suggest the RLA reverse this immediately. It’s a big mistake. Running holiday lets may be the only way for many landlords to not go under.
That should’ve been a thumbs up from me, Ros.
My thoughts entirely…Let me translate David Smith’s diatribe: ”While people have the right to do what they want with their properties, the RLA’s view is superior to those rights…”
Fool!
With the proposed removal of s21 short term let’s is likely be attractive to landlords who wish to stay in the market. After all the landlord bashing government policies this might be an area where agents can turn to earn fees. Let government provide social housing if they are so keen to control other people’s properties.
Is the RLA acting in the best interest of its members with this intervention?
Perhaps they are working in their own interests. If they lose their members they might collapse