Newsflash, recent research has suggested that landlords are not all as bad as the stereotypical notions that permeate the media, press, policy circles and to an extent, academia. Whilst any such research is welcomed and genuinely of interest, a blog referring to the research notes the following:
"...part of the issue is the continued commodification of housing, and the attitudes of landlords who view their properties as an investment, rather than as someone’s home."
This is not an issue in my view. Many (not all) landlords view the PRS as investment as that is exactly what it is to them. This does not make them bad landlords. In fact, it is the very thing that should drive customer centric behaviours. It does not preclude landlords from offering a "professional service" or even a "supportive role". It encourages it.
Uncle appears to be held up as an example of company seeking to provide more 'socially responsible practices", but Uncle, who's website claims that their operation is taking the feudal 'Lord' out of the term landlord, is in fact owned by the by Realstar Group, Canadian real estate investment and property management business who own and manage in excess of $6 billion of assets worldwide. There can be little doubt of the investment status of their ventures. The article seems therefore to perpetuate the belief (shared by the Scottish Government), that BTR equates to professionalism and BTL to amateur hour. It is ok for corporate's to be investors, if it is well packaged, but not for the guy next door. I'm the first to admit that there are landlords, who should pack up and go home, but I'm not convinced that landlords should be pseudo social workers, nor that BTR will solve the problems so often levelled at the PRS. Rant over, I'm off for a glass of wine........
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