Readers’ Comments
A story that didn’t go away this year and a definite ‘to be continued…’, the issue of housing in Hastings needs tackling with urgency. Shame individual unscrupulous landlords, petition for policy and provision change, maybe steer away from finger pointing at folk just cos ‘they aint from round here’, but do keep talking. Your comments are always welcome.
Community responses to to A Landlord’s View, HIP 213, and Landlords – Is the Term Parasitic Appropriate? HIP 208.
“Airbnbs are more than a ‘handful’. Wages in Hastings are low, people moving here often still earn from freelance/London jobs and then spend it locally. Many landlords are increasing rents way above inflation in a cost of living crisis, yet still refusing to keep their properties in good shape. This is why many of us are more frustrated with landlords than DFLs (I was born in the Buchanan lol). It’s weird that our rents are essentially paying someone else’s mortgage/pension when many of us aren’t earning a real living wage. Lack of affordable housing and ridiculous rent increases are nationwide – gentrification really isn’t the main issue here. Maybe it just looks that way because it’s so visible? Airbnb stock is unknown and the media (except Novara!) don’t tend to examine the escalating issues around private rental.”
CREDIT: Dave Young
“I read that 20% of donations to the Conservative party come from the rental sector – it’s not in their interest to start cracking down on landlords. Rent control is the one thing that would immediately put money into the pockets of the people who need it, rather than cracking down on small businesses to pay more wages. And let’s remember that a lot of people on benefits rent – so who are the ones on benefits? The landlords!”
“In 2021, a quarter of Tory MPs were private landlords. So that speaks volumes…”
“It’s actually funny how every other part of people’s spending is being discussed and blamed for people having less money, except our biggest expense: rent.”
“If landlords put up rents in line with current pricing regardless of their own circumstances and to the detriment of their tenants, then that’s obviously unethical. Ideally, renting should be a mutually beneficial arrangement. Too many landlords look at how much it’s possible to rent out for, rather than what is reasonable and sufficient. Traditionally, Hastings has always had affordable housing and although some rentals have been pretty dire, at least most people could afford somewhere to live. Rents should be capped at an affordable level and those who cannot afford that level should get government help.”
“I moved to St Leonards from Ore in 2015 and even since then it’s (positively) unrecognisable, especially the Norman Road and London Road areas. Until recently I rented and honestly I’ve never had a bad landlord either, not to say I haven’t heard of countless examples of awful ones.”
“They hit the nail on the head when talking about how some of the most vocal people [against landlords] are in fact out-of- towners who are eating up the supply. There are arguments to be had about how/why that should necessarily affect price and cost and whether or not that’s a choice, but there’s definitely hypocrisy from people here.”
“The term parasite is wholly appropriate. They could invest in new builds and local businesses, but choose the parasitic approach.”
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