A fed-up landlord has challenged tenants’ union Acorn for using social media to relentlessly bash the PRS without considering the bigger picture.

The group’s recent post on X features a poster reading, ‘Landlords “provide housing” like scalpers [unofficial resellers] “provide” concert tickets’, with the light-hearted comment, ‘Don’t make us tap the sign’.

Landlord Tricia Urquhart says Acorn has become a voice of the tenants and is invited to sit at the policy table where its views appear to be taken seriously by government.

"The assumption is we’re just protecting our profits, but I resent that simplistic argument as it’s factually incorrect.”

“Acorn purport to be a serious organisation but they behave in a childish fashion,” she tells LandlordZONE. “They’re not interested in what landlords have to say but have a mantra that all landlords are bad and are ripping off all tenants, so tenants shouldn’t pay very much rent. The assumption is we’re just protecting our profits, but I resent that simplistic argument as it’s factually incorrect.”

Urquhart believes Acorn’s narrative is to get rid of all private landlords in the hope that the housing crisis will resolve itself – and its argument is being adopted by the government and is subsequently one of the reasons why good landlords are leaving, and rental availability is getting worse.

“Their social media posts are not well thought out and argued - it means they are part of the problem as they’re not interested in offering solutions, they just want to batter landlords,” she says.

After 25 years in the sector, Urquhart had planned to wait until she was past retirement age to start selling her properties but adds: “Like many others, I now feel that I don’t need the hassle and have already started the process.”

Acorn response

Nick Ballard (pictured), Acorn's head organiser tells LandlordZONE: "Our comparison of landlords to ticket scalpers highlights a serious point: treating housing as a commodity rather than a basic need is the primary driver of the housing crisis.

"There is an inherent conflict between the interests of landlords and tenants. We exist to challenge the imbalance of power between the two, and while our tone may not please everyone, we make no apologies for prioritising the right to a home over the pursuit of profit."

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