Updating post from Reddit.
Hey all, long-time lurker here 👋🏽
I've been having a conversation with other landlords I met our housing association AGM and I'm interested in everyone's thoughts on this.
Do you believe that ethical landlordship ie, being fair, transparent, communicative, responsive—can actually make you stand out and increase your profitability in the long run?
We're working on something that helps landlords demonstrate the positive things they’re doing over and above legal compliance (repairs on time, fair clauses, respectful communication, etc.) so that renters/tenants (and councils) can see the full picture-not just judge us by the worst examples in the media.
What would you want recognised or celebrated about the way you manage your properties and how you interact with tenants?
Keen to hear everyone's take on this and not here to bash anyone!
The thing is, when you say 'ethical', one thinks 'above and beyond' to think about the customer. All of the things you mention there should be an absolute minimum, not signs of a great landlord.
The issue isn't that landlords aren't ethical, it's the unethical ones - the slumlords - that we need to sort out.
I make this point because tenants don't really care. Sure, at scale a "Ethical Landlords Group" house might be more appealing, but individually I just don't think people are going to care.
Can it be profitable regardless? Absolutely. You make the most money from happy tenants in well maintained properties (unless you're a scummy slumlord, of course).
If you're talking about launching a 'standard' by which landlords / properties are reviewed and scored, then again - at scale, yes. In which case, don't forget to review agencies, too...because they seem to be half the problem, sometimes :)
Totally agree with so much of this, thank you for articulating it so clearly.
You’re right: what I’m calling “ethical” should just be the bare minimum, and it’s frustrating that things like timely repairs or clear communication are even seen as “above and beyond.” That’s actually what’s driving this, a desire to shift the baseline so renters aren’t grateful for basic decency.
And yes, the “bad apples” do a lot of damage. But what I’ve found in early convos is that renters do care, especially if they’ve been burned before. Some say they’d love a way to identify landlords or agents they can actually trust before signing a tenancy.
Also agree 100% on reviewing agents, they’re half the battle. A decent landlord can be totally undermined by a poor letting agent.
Appreciate the input - and yep, the aim is a scoring standard that works at scale but is grounded in real evidence (not just opinions or vibes).
Renter here : I care a lot.
For nice landlords : I'll help improve their property, I'll purchase things on my side and try to help them as much as possible and leave the property better than I've find it.
For bad ones : I'll be petty... and I'll leave them with nothing (never damaging the property of course). The day they end up on terrible tenants, they'll get the taste of what's they've done and they won't be supported.
I get your point on the renters side of it, I suppose what I was thinking is, *right now* they're not going to care...it's not like they have the choice of properties in most areas anyway, never mind the ability to view a few, short list the ones they really like and then "yeah we ended up going for number 21 because it was Ethical Landlord Assured". These days, you put a deposit down and hope for the best :)
Regardless, anything that holds people more accountable, I'm always for, even if it's less about having it, and more about explaining why you DON'T have it, yet want the same rate as others that do, anyway.
Really, it should be a national standard that is obligatory, too.
I’ve always aimed to be the best landlord.
I have AO so if any appliance breaks they get a new one within 24hrs.
If there are leaks etc I have a plumber and electrician and an odd jobs man they can call he does the work and then I pay him
I never hold back deposit because they scuffed a bloody skirting board or anything go stupid like that. One tenant gouged a walnut work top and I was like “no sweat these things happen”. My tenants can have pets
Lady tenant stayed 5-6 years. New tenants I’ve not heard from in about 6 months so I’m guessing they’re happy.
Being a crappy landlord is for pricks - they end up with crappy tenants that they deserve.
Yeah, this is the kind of landlord I wish more of our tenants got. Quick fixes, fair treatment, no pettiness over wear and tear - it’s how you build trust and stability.
And you’re right: good landlords usually attract good tenants. What you’ve described isn’t just decent, it’s smart.
I'm exploring ways to quietly surface stories like yours, not to just hand out gold stars, but to help shift the baseline and make you more visible to good tenants like the ones you've mentioned (sorry about the walnut work top though). Appreciate you sharing this!
No probs. It would be great if there was a website that matched good landlords with good tenants.
Our next step! If you'd like I can DM you with more info?
That would be great thx
I wouldn’t want to be celebrated or recognised. If my tenants are happy then I’m happy. Most of my tenants have been with me since I bought the property or they are long term. I give a 25% discount on rent and handle everything myself so I know they are being treated well. We do get unfair treatment in the media and by labour but that’s not important to me.
Honestly this is the kind of landlord I wish got more visibility. What you’re doing is what builds real housing stability.
Totally hear you on not needing recognition but from the renter side, it’s hard to see which landlords operate this way. A lot of renters are just hoping to avoid horror stories, so if there were a way to quietly surface good practice, it might help people feel safer before they move in?
And yes, the media often paints everyone with one brush. That’s why we're hoping to create something fairer and more evidence-based not performative.
Thanks for sharing how you run things!
"Do you believe that ethical landlordship ie, being fair, transparent, communicative, responsive—can actually make you stand out and increase your profitability in the long run?"
Honestly, no.
The UK has both a victim and entitlement mentality with the latest generations imo.
Which means, being too good/nice guy (in any part of modern UK life) means you will get taken advantage of by less scrupulous people (and there are many).
Yeah I hear you. Some landlords have definitely had tough experiences trying to do the right thing.
But I don’t think being "ethical" (maybe that's not the best word to use in hindsight) means being a pushover. I think it’s about clear expectations, proper documentation, and treating tenants fairly while still running things professionally. That approach often attracts long-term tenants and reduces hassle. That's our hypothesis at least for now.
Yes, there are some people who take advantage, but I think strong systems and fairness can actually offer more protection, not less?
Certainly I think being a professional landlord with ethics is possible and really you should only be going into business with that ethos. If one cannot run their business to a high standard the they should consider alternative investment strategies such as stocks.
The biggest obstacle I find with LLs acting unethically is a lack of experience in the field. Being a LL isn’t something you should just fall into but rather work your way up and have a strong background in the field.
Well said, I totally agree that being a landlord should be approached like a professional business, with clear standards and a strong ethical foundation.
The point about experience is a big one. A lot of the issues I've come across from peers seem to come from "accidental" landlords or people just treating it like passive income without understanding the responsibilities involved (or worse, ignoring them completely). Part of what I’m exploring is how we can create clearer expectations and support, so that newer landlords don’t default to bad practice just because they don’t know better.
I've always found over the past 20 years that being a 'nice' landlord is the best business model. It doesn't cost anything to help people out and there's no need to rip tenants off. The payback is having low tenant turnover.
Thank you!! That’s such a solid perspective and exactly what I’m hearing from a lot of the more experienced landlords. Low turnover, mutual respect, and fewer issues down the line seem to come from doing the basics well and treating people fairly!
It’s reassuring to hear it works not just morally, but practically too. More people need to hear that being decent is good business. Thanks again for sharing!
You might be shocked to hear that most landlords are actually ethical.
Honestly, I wouldn't be shocked at all - I actually believe that. The issue is that "ethical landlords" often get drowned out by the horror stories, so renters never hear about the good ones unless they’ve lived it.
That’s part of what we're working on, finding a way to make that good practice more visible, not just to tenants but to councils and the wider sector.
Yes ! I would consider myself an ethical landlord but i am a privileged financial position with no mortgage on the property.
Tenant has been the 16 years. Do what is asked. Don't have unnecessary rules. Team work. Well under market rates. Stability for her raising her kids.
Really appreciate you sharing this. That kind of long-term stability and fair approach clearly works well for both sides!
Totally hear you on the privilege of not having a mortgage, but I think your mindset and clear communication, flexibility, and respect is something a lot of landlords could still apply in different ways. Thanks for sharing!
I always want to be a good landlord, kind, considerate, provide a good service. It was the managing agent Haart who constantly stood in the way and prevented it, thankfully my properties are now with a decent agent with same values I have.
Being able to assess the agents would be a huge plus, I can’t describe how bad the experience was with Haart, they took their fee every month but provided zero service ignoring myself, the tenants and multiple maintenance issues which didn’t all become apparent until I got away and to the new agent. I wish I knew what they were like before entering their toxic contract. The google reviews were actually good and incredibly misleading and not specific to the property management.
Wow, yeah that sounds incredibly frustrating, especially when your intention was to do right by your tenants. It's easy to forget how much damage a bad managing agent can do, even when the landlord wants to run things well!
You're right! Being able to assess agents properly would be a huge help. Public reviews often lump everything together, and don’t reflect the actual management experience. This kind of feedback is exactly why I think we need clearer, more specific ways to evaluate both landlords and agents, especially before signing on.