Do Landlords Have An Unfair Reputation?

There are few titles more detested than that of a landlord. This is understandable to some extent. After all, it is hard to like someone who collects rent from you every month and has power over your living situation. When landlords evict people, they are treated especially harshly. Some people think only a monster would kick a person out of their home.

However, while the voice of outrage is always louder, there are plenty of people who feel neutral or even positive towards landlords. Renters around the US are happy with the owners of their homes and have easy relationships with them.

These are people who are conscientious about how they treat their living space and are prepared for any scenario. To be a conscientious renter, you need to know how much renters insurance you need. With enough to cover all your possessions and living requirements, an accident will not leave you struggling to pay your rent. Personal liability cover will pay out if you do damage to the landlord or their possessions.

This is not to say that only people with bad relationships with their landlords are opposed to them at all. There are a number of reasons given as to why choosing to be a landlord is potentially unethical. Do they hold up?

[lwptoc]

Landlords hoard housing

Perhaps the biggest accusation brought against landlords is that they horde housing by buying up a property they don’t need. In doing so, they raise the price of the property for everyone else, making it unaffordable for millions of people to become homeowners. Without context, this sounds like a valid accusation.

However, this ignores the fact that landlords provide a service which is no different to other services in a capitalist society. Not everyone wants to buy property or would be able to afford it at lower costs. Rentals give people an alternative which is badly needed. The landlord has the responsibility of paying their mortgage, taking care of maintenance, and keeping their tenants happy.

Furthermore, the argument that by hoarding housing they make it impossible for others to buy property does not hold up. The fact is that there is not a finite amount of property just waiting for buyers. If there is demand for more housing, more is constructed. If houses are standing empty, on the other hand, they either get bought up or the property market crashes. One of the reasons the housing bubble of the 2000s popped was because of too much construction.

The factors that determine the cost of housing are far more complex than the simple perception that it is being hoarded by landlords.

Eviction is immoral

Another argument brought against landlords is that evicting people from their homes is an immoral act. After all, accommodation is a basic human need, and eviction takes that away from people. This is a compelling argument, but in a capitalist system it doesn’t hold up.

All of our basic necessities come at a cost, including groceries, health care, and utilities. You can make an argument that hiking prices with no justification is wrong, which is why these industries are regulated. But just as it is not a grocery store owner’s responsibility to feed the hungry, it is not a landlord’s duty to house the homeless.

Part of the reason people think landlords should be held to these standards is that they see them as rich property owners. This is sometimes the case, but most landlords are earning a living just like everyone else. They cannot afford to provide accommodation rent-free. Many of them need the rent to pay the mortgage so that the tenant doesn’t end up on the street anyway.

My landlord mistreated me

A common way that people try to discredit landlords is by telling their horror stories. And, to be fair, if you look online, you will find endless anecdotes of terrible landlords. But this is because landlords are people and some people treat others badly. Most develop great relationships with tenants. It is not unique to landlords. Even people in so-called helping industries such as doctors act badly towards their clients.

As with any other industry, there are steps you can take if a landlord treats you unfairly. It may be more difficult with a landlord, as you cannot simply take your business elsewhere. People get stuck with bad landlords, but that should not taint the reputation of every single one.