Recent changes in legislation, as part of government policy to encourage first-time buyers and owner-occupier purchases, have led to a tax assault on private landlords, which some people, including many landlords, believe is primarily a cheap political tactic to win over the renter vote.
Think tank Onward, run by Will Tanner, a former deputy head of policy to Theresa May, recently forecast that the Conservatives will lose the next election because of the growth of generation rent, unless it reverses declining levels of home ownership or improves conditions for renters.
The government’s latest plans to implement a three-year tenancy model to give renters more security, for example, looks like a ‘political move’, according to some experts.