Sat 3 May 2008
BPF slams attempts to cut housing choice
The British Property Federation (BPF) has slammed what it says is an “absurd press statement” from the National Landlords Association (NLA), which criticises moves to encourage greater investment into rental housing.
The NLA believes it is in consumers’ interests to prevent competition in the marketplace ‘to protect and promote the private residential landlord'. However, the continuing increase in demand for more homes and better rental standards is driving the need for a professional rented sector. The NLA's statement reads: "Yet more proposals to incentivise large institutions to invest intensively in rental accommodation has the potential to skew the private-rented sector away from a diverse housing market designed to meet different needs and budgets."
In response, Ian Fletcher, director for residential policy, said: "The BPF supports professional landlords whether they are small, medium and large and indeed has all in its membership. Whether a consumer chooses a small, medium or large landlord should ultimately be their decision and not dictated by the NLA or any other person or organisation.
"Continuing to promote professionalism in the sector at all levels and its expansion should ultimately be good for the whole sector. The BPF will therefore continue to promote an agenda, which logically supports choice, meeting housing need, affordability and expanding opportunities. The NLA on the other hand, seems to want to promote protectionism, which will lead to fewer choices, greater housing need and higher rents."
For more information on build-to-let or any other property issue, refer to May’s issue of Show House magazine – out now.
Posted by Marc Da-Silva
in British Property Federation, National Landlords Association, News on Sat 3 May 2008
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