As originally published in
Bridging and Commercial magazine.
By Marcus Dussard, Director of Sales, Daven Trust.
Housing is a massive issue in this country and the dynamic of demand exceeding supply doesn't look like it's changing any time soon. The reality of our property market is that not everybody will be able to - or even want to - buy their own home, and the private rental sector plays a vital role in the provision of good quality housing. So, I'd like to see a recognition of this and a less punitive approach to taxing landlords.
The current tax regime was originally introduced as part of the Cameron / Osborne government, neither of whom are still MPs. You could also argue that they have already achieved what they set out to do: first-time buyer numbers have been boosted in recent years and a lot of casual 'dinner party landlords' have stepped away from Buy to Let. Those that remain, in general, are more professional in their approach and committed to the sector for the long term, so let's give them some encouragement to incentivise the availability of competitively priced, good quality, privately rented homes. I would like to see a government in place that is more representative and in touch with our population. It seems that politicians are creating policy for lives they don't understand. There is a saying in education that is 'know me, before you can teach me' and I think we need to have people in government why truly understand the lives that most people live.