And I feel now is the time to share a history lesson with you, because what so many politicians who rage about landlords don’t realise is that we’ve been around for over 1,000 years.
Unlike politicians, we have the experience, know-how and expertise of this market.
Sometimes it’s tough. When so much of the media and political parties treat us like criminals it can make you question your choices, but you’ve just got to chow down and ignore the noise.
I say this because Grainger (the UK’s largest listed residential landlord and a FTSE 250 company) has released its half-year financial results and they are glowing. Net rental income is up by 7.8pc, they have a high occupancy at 96pc and claim an excellent earnings outlook.
Helen Gordon, the chief executive of Grainger, said that “despite operating in a time of global and market uncertainty” the firm is continuing to build a “high-quality income stream”.
Gordon neatly sums up the reason why any landlord ever bought a property to rent out in the first place: “Housing is a needs-based asset class. Everyone will always need a place to live.”
Dear reader, while the news continues to be bleak and this Government tries to drive a wedge between you and your tenants: do not give up the fight.
Landlords, like cockroaches, are a resilient bunch.
For any of you who have been doing this for a while, you’ll know government policy can change like the wind, but we cockroaches can react within milliseconds.
Ignore the noise and concentrate on what you do best.
