Property industry figures opposed to Labour plans to impose three year tenancies and rent caps should lobby candidates in a bid to show the strength of feeling against the proposals.

That is the view of the National Landlords’ Association which describes Labour’s policies as “more doom and gloom” for the private rental sector. 

Labour says that within 100 days of winning power – if that’s what happens in a week’s time at the general election – it will:

– cap rent increases at the rate of inflation  over a proposed new three-year default tenancy; 

– introduce a legal requirement for landlords to disclose the rent that was charged to previous tenants when re-letting property in an attempt to enable tenants to better negotiate rents;

– restrict tax relief for landlords whose properties fall below ‘basic’ standards, to address rogue landlords and deter the very worst from the market.

The NLA is up in arms about the proposals and says: “We must make our voices heard so that wannabe MPs realise the strength of public feeling against these damaging proposals.”

The association also claims that landlord support for Labour and the Liberal Democrat Party has halved since the 2010 general election because of their interventionist policies for the private rented sector. 

New research  shows that landlord support for Labour has fallen from 11 per cent in 2010, to just six per cent who say they intend to vote for the party at next week’s poll. 

Landlord support for the Liberal Democrats has also halved – from 10 per cent in 2010 to just five per cent today. 

The association has set up a lobbying function on its website to allow members to identify and lobby candidates standing at the election.