Irish Times Landlord Bashing again

Thirsty

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Una Mullaly in today's IT says 'greedy' landlords are to blame and they "need to realise that increasing rent causes huge distress for people".

"...it would be lovely if landlords acted fairly just because that’s the moral thing to do..."

So now we are not only unfair but immoral as well?

The only sensible item in the article is the remarks on the introduction of rent controls, which had exactly the impact we all said it would; but she then goes on to contradict herself and say that tenants need rent control!

If a home owner sells their home, the expectation is that they will sell for the best price they can get and the home owner isn't accused of being greedy or unfair or immoral.

If there's a shortage of houses or there is a high demand/perceived value in a particular location sale values will be higher. Where there is a large supply/competition the sales figures will be lower.

More importantly, home buyers will buy in a location they can afford and not complain because they can't afford their 5 bed dream house in D4.

Why is the rental market viewed any differently?
 
Una Mullaly in today's IT says 'greedy' landlords are to blame and they "need to realise that increasing rent causes huge distress for people".

"...it would be lovely if landlords acted fairly just because that’s the moral thing to do..."

So now we are not only unfair but immoral as well?

The only sensible item in the article is the remarks on the introduction of rent controls, which had exactly the impact we all said it would; but she then goes on to contradict herself and say that tenants need rent control!

If a home owner sells their home, the expectation is that they will sell for the best price they can get and the home owner isn't accused of being greedy or unfair or immoral.

If there's a shortage of houses or there is a high demand/perceived value in a particular location sale values will be higher. Where there is a large supply/competition the sales figures will be lower.

More importantly, home buyers will buy in a location they can afford and not complain because they can't afford their 5 bed dream house in D4.

Why is the rental market viewed any differently?
Because there is no shortage of populist idiots.
 
It's easier for humans to blame something they can see for their problems i.e. landlords, than to connect their circumstances to the missing storeys on Dublin apartment blocks, the unbuilt landbanks that all the councils etc are sitting on... or to envisage the consequences of all the costs that government at every level imposes on development.
This is probably why there's so much fuss about derelict sites, people see them daily.

One wonders if Una will ever see the light and realise that not putting in that extra storey, that putting in all those levies... ultimately causes huge distress for people.
 
I wonder does Una ever question the morals of her employer with their school league tables, flash property supplements (whist also owning the largest property website in the country), endless property stories/lifestyle features....
 
One wonders if Una will ever see the light and realise that not putting in that extra storey, that putting in all those levies... ultimately causes huge distress for people.
I wonder if she'll ever actually act as a journalist and write a properly researched piece of journalism which is based on facts and informs and educates her readers.
I learn more about this topic, and many other issues, from reading Ask About Money than I do from the Irish Times. Their standards are shockingly low. Gone are the days when an opinion piece was written by someone with a reasonably comprehensive knowledge of the subject matter.
 
Una Mullaly in today's IT says 'greedy' landlords are to blame and they "need to realise that increasing rent causes huge distress for people".

"...it would be lovely if landlords acted fairly just because that’s the moral thing to do..."

So now we are not only unfair but immoral as well?

There have been many calls for more "professional" landlords to operate the rental market. Professional landlords will rent out their properties and treat it for it is, a business. They will thus seek the highest price that the market will bear. Absolutely nothing immoral about this.

The only sensible item in the article is the remarks on the introduction of rent controls, which had exactly the impact we all said it would; but she then goes on to contradict herself and say that tenants need rent control!

I agree. I would add:
Levies to local authorities
VAT on new homes
PTRB and all that nonsense
Only being able to claim 75% of interest payments
Rent controls
Rent price caps
The ludicrous situation where a tenant can pay nothing and it taking years and 1,000s to get rid of them

Is it any wonder that (1) landlords are leaving the market, (2) new landlords are not entering the market in any numbers and (3) so may properties are appearing on Airbnb?

If a home owner sells their home, the expectation is that they will sell for the best price they can get and the home owner isn't accused of being greedy or unfair or immoral.

Exactly, and nothing wrong with that.
 
Whether the Irish Times or (more often) the Independent (particularly the Sunday Indo), newspapers are increasingly becoming a series of “opinion” pieces. And with the increase in “populism” , the authors of such opinion pieces seem to focus more on being controversial than on accurate research.
The irony of the IT suggesting that landlords “acted fairly” when they have been such major promoters of property investment is bizarre. Whether it is buying, selling or renting property, the suggestion that property owners should accept lower prices or rents is simply daft (no pun intended). I doubt if Una would do as she preaches.
 
Journalists need to write something. It's how they get fed. They can write something bland (yawn); something factual (work) or have a go at someone (neither yawn nor much work - hence the abundance of "opinion" pieces as Conan identifies). In having a go, all journalists need to remember is that there are two groups in our society - those that it's ok to have a go at and well, the others. Landlords just fall into the former category.

For sure, Una is probably being hypocritical - but my sense is that hypocrisy is all around us - we are all hypocrites - it's just a questions of degrees! Happy to engage on that provocation if anyone cares to....
 
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As De Melo advises - don't get too excited about labels.
 
Whether the Irish Times or (more often) the Independent (particularly the Sunday Indo), newspapers are increasingly becoming a series of “opinion” pieces. And with the increase in “populism” , the authors of such opinion pieces seem to focus more on being controversial than on accurate research.

interesting observation about the "increase in populism", Ive noticed this myself. I wonder what is causing it I know people have always desired to be popular but why more so today and why is it increasing
 
Una is right. Not enough landlords come around each night to tuck their tenants into bed with a nice hot water bottle and a little teddy bear
 
I have to call out the greedy people who sell things on DoneDeal; they seen to ask for the market rate for their goods and services. Same goes for people selling their cars. When will Una give her opinion on these issues?
 
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