I had been planning today to write about either Iraq or Nigel Farage (again), but I have chosen instead to comment on a news report concerning a private landlord called Fergus Wilson who is evicting (or has evicted) two hundred tenants.
If I read the situation correctly, the tenants in question are all in receipt of housing benefit. What is not made clear is whether or not they are all in arrears. Is the landlord evicting only those tenants who are in arrears? Or is he evicting all of his tenants who are receiving housing benefit? I'm not sure.
It is also not clear whether or not this landlord has made any enquiries as to why exactly many of his tenants in receipt of housing benefit are in arrears. Might there be a case for clemency here?
Mr Wilson is quoted as saying that private landlords run their properties as a business and have to make decisions based on economic factors. It is also stated that Mr Wilson and his wife had been "on the brink of financial ruin in 2008 after banks stopped lending". Presumably they believe that banks should operate as a business, and make decisions based on economic factors. In other words, presumably they believe that banks should show no mercy towards private landlords who have run up too much debt.
Previous related posts include:
Is it legal to hate private landlords?
A rent arrears crisis in London
Rough sleeping: when will it be you?
To build on debt is to build on sand
Another victim of the bedroom tax
Stop being nasty to those less fortunate
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