Private landlords not the enemy
Iam a property investor, a landlord in fact, something I feel like I should be apologising for. But my rental properties are small, one-bedroom apartments, not houses (see, I’m making excuses already).
By profession, I’m a marketing copywriter but I’ve always had investment property on the side. When people asked what I did for a job, I wouldn’t tell them I’m a property investor. People often think, ‘oh, you’re a landlord? You must be filthy rich and evil’. But today, I’m coming out of hiding because I’m sick of it.
I have worked incredibly hard and invested and spent my money wisely to get to where I am today. Even now, in my 40s, I live in a small, one-bedroom unit with my partner, own an average car and don’t spend a lot (huge mortgages). But I’m happy, and being frugal now means I should be able to live comfortably in the future.
So why are people like me – good citizens who are just trying to get ahead financially – hated by the Government and the mainstream public?
Most landlords are regular Kiwis who have day jobs. They’re not the rich, greedy people they’ve been portrayed as. They could be your neighbour, your child’s teacher, your workmate, the local firefighter, or someone you met at a barbecue last week.
Just like any group, there will always be a few bad eggs who give everyone a bad name, but most landlords are good people who look after their tenants.
They pay their taxes to support the economy and the community, don’t commit crimes or hurt anyone, they’re not filthy rich, and they’re certainly not evil.
Do they really deserve the flak they’re getting?
I get it, renters are struggling to find homes to live in, and some people have had terrible experiences with renting. But if we’re going to fix these issues, the Government needs to work with landlords, not against them.
You see, private landlords play a huge role in our community. We fill the gaping hole in the rental property market the Government has been unable to fill.
But as the Government implements a raft of policy changes that take away property owner rights and add significant costs for landlords (with no evidence that renters’ lives will greatly improve), many landlords will exit the market.
This will create an even bigger burden on the already burgeoning housing shortage. Rents will increase further as landlords who choose to stay behind take on greater risk and pass the additional costs on to their tenants.
Already we’re seeing massive queues of people wanting to rent a single property, and we’re seeing more and more homelessness. Is this really what Aotearoa wants?
I really hope the Government takes a step back to reassess the effect their upcoming reforms will have on the people of this country. Perhaps they may like to collaborate with landlords, rather than punish them, so there’s a balance. After all, this country needs private landlords.
I also hope the landlordbashing stops as this kind of negativity is never good for anyone. A mass exodus of private landlords would simply mean even more hardship for the very people the Government is trying to protect, and no-one wants that.