Following the Prime Minister’s comments that he does not consider those who earn income from property as ‘working people’, TV star Paul Shamplina has said he does not agree, pointing out that many landlords work hard - and rarely for the 'millons' some activists claim they do.

Shamplina (main image, left), who is the founder of evictions firm Landlord Action, told Ian Collins’ Talk TV  show that 30% of landlords also have full time jobs, 10% work part time, 28% are self-employed while 30% are retired and use their property income to provide much of their income.

“You have to remember that the vast majority of Britain’s 2.7 million landlords – 85% - have been between one and three properties and are not multi-millionaires,” he says.

“Most landlords have taken financial risks to invest in homes for renters and let's remember that being a self-managing landlord, which many are, is a 24-hour a day commitment and you have to take on a range of roles from being a compliance officer, credit controller, tradesperson and contract manager, to mention a few.

Working people

“It is a job and the vast majority of landlords are working people and the unintended consequence of the anti-landlord rhetoric around at the moment is that more landlords will sell up and tenants will be chasing fewer and fewer properties.”

Ian Collins (main image, right), made the point during the show that many landlords, particularly those who have invested more recently and have big mortgages and have seen interest rates rise, have been struggling to break even, rather than making the ‘millions’ that some activists like to paint them enjoying.

Shamplina tells LandlordZONE that he agrees with the Government's plans within the Renters's Rights Bill to use greater regulation to kick the rogue and criminal landlords out of the private rented sector and also improve the quality of housing stock within it, but that it's unfair for some poeple to villify the good landlords who work hard to provide accomadation for their tenants.