Keir Starmer’s comments in recent days that those who earn income from property are not ‘working people’ – and are therefore exempt from Labour’s manifesto promise – are wrong, industry experts have said.

This includes TV presenter and Landlord Action chief Paul Shamplina who has said the PM’s claims are misplaced.

He told Paul Collins’ Talk TV show on Friday that NRLA figures show that most landlords also have day jobs, with 30% of landlords having full time jobs, 10% working part time, 28% being are self-employed while 35% are retired and use their property income as a pension.

“You also have to remember that official figures show 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.

Range of roles

“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.

“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.”

His comments were echoed the NRLA’s Chief Executive Ben Beadle, who says: “It is simply not true that landlords are not working people.

“Rather than stoking misconceptions, the Government needs to focus instead on the key challenge in the rental market, namely a lack of homes to rent to meet ever growing demand.”