Influential lobby group dismisses landlords’ concerns over Renters’ Rights Bill
Generation Rent tells the BBC that landlords make so much money they can afford to absorb any extra costs from Renters' Rights Bill.
In a recent interview on BBC Breakfast Generation Rent’s Ben Twomey has dismissed concerns over how landlords will react to the Renters’ Rights Bill and the abolition of no-fault evictions.
He was quoted as saying tenants’ needs are more important and that landlords make so much money they can absorb any extra costs.
During it Twomey admits that the only real solution to rising rents and lack of rental property is to build 300,000 new homes a year.
In the meantime however, he says: “Eviction protections are too weak and rents are so high that you see an enormous amount of suffering in our country,” he said.
“Eviction protections are too weak and rents are so high that you see an enormous amount of suffering in our country.”
He was then asked whether landlords needed protecting too and if the changes in eviction rules would mean more landlords selling up and less rental accommodation.
Not equivalent
In response Twomey insists the two were not equivalent. Landlords he says: “May have to delay their sale, for example.”

Tenants on the other hand could become homeless and be: “Driven into poverty.”
He believes that a longer (four month) eviction process would give tenants the time to avoid the worst outcomes.
He adds: “Landlords, I think, can bear that cost because of the enormous amount of money we’re paying in rents already.”
Generation Rent is an influential lobby group that works to ensure the voices of private renters are heard by landlords, policymakers and politicians.
Picture courtesy of X.
Well done Ben, i would like to send you a gift for your tenant concerns and denigrating landlords. I was thinking of a nice shaving kit – razor and foam made from a soap block. Unfortunately, your picture tells me you havent grown up enough yet to start shaving. No doubt though you were well looked after by the BBC – patted you on the head for being ‘Far Left’ and paid for your taxi home so mummy didnt have to pick you up.
This Twomey guy hasn’t the faintest idea of PRS economics. Many landlords are currently being crucified by high interest rates and are running at a loss. He clearly cannot see this – not a flicker. Every penny in rent goes straight out to cover the mortgage and maintenance costs and stupid taxes like local licensing fees. Of course landlords are going to try and increase their rents: it’s their sole source of income and it’s either that or go under. Rents have been held artificially low for the last 10-12 years because of ultra-low interest rates, the increase in rental unit supply, and landlords’ reluctance to increase rent for existing tenants (to required “rent increases” is only based on the tiny number of properties currently available for rent, not actual rents paid by the vast majority). These trends are now reversing with a vengeance because interest rates, extra taxes, licensing etc etc etc have made being a landlord economically non-viable. And the big BTR boys are not going to ride to the rescue: they generally charge significantly higher rents and cherry-pick the cream of tenants. The mass rental market is crumbling and collapsing because it no longer stacks up financially – it’s now far simpler and more rewarding to sell up and invest in cash savings, and equities and bonds etc in a SIPP and ISA. Poor tenants are now reaping what Generation Rant, Shelter and their political zombie supporters sowed, but these sanctimonious campaigners will always find someone else to blame.
The previous government has significantly undermined the Private Rented Sector (PRS), introducing a series of legislative changes since 2018 that have had detrimental effects. These regulations have driven many responsible and conscientious landlords out of the sector, as they found themselves increasingly frustrated and overwhelmed by the mounting burdens. As a result, a substantial number of landlords have sold their properties and exited the PRS.
Regrettably, the current government has continued on a similar path, appearing disconnected from the realities faced by landlords and tenants alike. From their vantage point, they seem unaware of the challenges on the ground, further exacerbating the situation. The exodus of landlords from the sector persists, with many choosing to sell their properties rather than endure the ongoing regulatory pressures.
Contrary to popular belief, landlords are not the wealthy individuals they are often portrayed to be. In reality, they play a crucial role in alleviating pressure on the social housing system by providing homes to those who might otherwise be on lengthy waiting lists. The term ‘Generation Rent’ reflects a reality where renting is often a necessity rather than a choice, largely due to the numerous obstacles that the government has placed in the way of prospective homeowners, making it increasingly difficult for them to secure mortgages and step onto the property ladder.
The question remains: when will the government truly listen and address these pressing issues? It is imperative they do so before it is too late!
Before its too late? That ship has sailed long ago! Started with George Osborne. Its hard to imagine a more incompetent and unintelligent political class than we currently have. Its only going to get worse. Watch this space.
Mr Twomey’s lack of any comprehension of the of the rental market is frankly breath taking.
I would politely suggest he spends a month on the ‘front line’ of any major city estate agency so see the ‘real world’. Sitting on various committees and NGO’s as a political activist has detached him from reality, but then political activism is often about ideology and not reality.
ONS figures show landlords leaving the PRS in their hundreds of thousands. Government’s own figures. If they are making so much money then why is that happening?
Ever asked himself why rents are increasing at an ever increasing amount? Its basic economics Mr Twomey; very high demand and low supply. That low supply exacerbated by your activism.
You cannot have mass immigration running at 700,000 a year, fail to build the infrastructure to cope and there not be a problem. Then to add insult to injury demonise the private rental sector.
We continue to slide into the sand due to total incompetence at the governmental level. And its only going to get worse.
Labour activist making childish generalisations – building a career out of populist rhetoric, and never having worked a day in the PRS. Tenants live in property owned by landords. Tenants have rights so too do tenants. Some Teanants are multi-millionaires, few landlords are. Typical Landlord in PRS owns 1.89 properties, wants to look after their tenant and property asset, and would like a tenant who pays the rent on time and does not cause a nuisance to neighbours or the landlord. And just as tenants may have a change in their life so need to ‘move’ and give the Landlord notice, the Landlord who ‘owns’ the property should also have the ability to do what they want with the property, sell it, move into it, refurbish it, or leave it empty as 27% of the housing stock in inner London is. If Towmey supported the stopping of selling off council houses (at sometimes a 50% discount) to tenants that would start to plug the housing gap for those most in need, but of course Ms Rayner and her ex-husband who both benifited from the schem on two separate properties maybe would not like that. There are 18 million vacant bedrooms in the UK today … so all this tosh about not enough housing is just that, maybe get the Royal family to give up some of their huge amounts of inherited rental properties, that should chime with Towmey’s socialist aims.
As an agent for 21 years and a landlord for longer than that he needs to come to landlord school for a week and wear his big boy pants and bring his calculator and a pencil. Almost all my landlords have one or two properties by the time they pay mortgage often block management charges gas checks electric checks repairs etc their return these days is minimal. Its a business but then you dont understand that concept. The vast majority of tenants and landlords live in good relationships with each other few landlords want a good tenant to leave – yes a good tenant and there are more bad tenants than bad landlords in my experience.
Ben you dont look old enough to have life experience but take this from an oldie what Generation Rent and Shelter have done for tenants is put up rents drive landlords out of the sector and cause misery. Get a proper job and stop making life hard for tenants. If that is a rant then so be it but I am sick of misinformation by people like you.
Oh wow, yes of course all landlords are just rolling around in money! When will the masses wake up to the fact that landlords are not a public service and have no legal obligation to provide housing. For many it is an investment and who can blame landlords for bailing out of the Private Rented Sector if they can make the same return for there investment in a nice, safe, risk free, hassle free bank account.
I have been a letting agent for 35 years and I have never seen landlords selling up at the rate they are, that will only get worst if the government make the proposed changes to Capital Gains Tax.
Fewer and fewer rental properties – rents increase further – ultimately tenants are the ones that lose out. The more legislation governments bring in the more tenants suffer – law of unintentional consequence.