According to the Telegraph, yes, they are. One of the UK’s leading broadsheet newspapers has published an article on government policies that make it tough for landlords to run a business.
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Landlord Crackdowns in the UK
Landlords have been subjected to a number of crackdowns in recent years. HMRC has targeted landlords who deliberately avoid paying tax on their earnings and most recently, the Treasury has announced that thanks to EU legislation, accidental landlords won’t have access to landlord funding. Landlords will also soon be expected to perform rigorous checks on a tenant’s immigration status.
Yet despite this, the buy to let industry in many parts of the UK is positively booming. There are now 3.8 million rental homes in the UK and the private rental sector is absolutely essential in the current economic climate. High levels of immigration from the EU have led to a huge demand for rental housing and without the private rented sector, a lot of people would be homeless. Back in the 1970s, most people either bought their homes or applied to the council for a home. The private rented market was slim pickings to say the least. Today it is very different. Landlords are free to set their own rents and evict tenants who don’t pay.
Landlords are Entrepreneurs
The Telegraph says landlords are entrepreneurs and should not be subjected to crackdowns. They say landlords should be encouraged because they are building a business – just as other entrepreneurs are encouraged.