Politicians who are Landlords

rock22 · 04-09-2022 10:05am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119565409#Comment_119565409

But that was not the suggestion. The suggestion was that the Taoiseach would refrain from appointing landlords to cabinet. No problem with landlords as TD's. If anyone wants to stand as a Landlord.

Here is the original post

"It would be reasonable to ask the Taoiseach ( and incoming Taoiseach) not to appoint any landlord to cabinet while this housing crisis continues.

It is impossible for anyone, including landlords, to act against their own interests in government. It is clear that this housing crisis has continued this long because every reasonable suggestion to help solve it has been resisted by this and the previous government.

SO, no problem being a TD and landlord but no input into government decisions around housing"

There clearly is an unprecedented housing crisis and this government has resisted all suggestions to protect tenants. In those circumstances it is not unreasonable to conclude that the landlords in the government don't want the plight of tenants addressed. A commitment from an incoming Taoiseach that no landlords will be appointed to the cabinet would signal a new commitment to solving this crisis.

Varik · 04-09-2022 10:21am

Two things.

Even if all/most/many LL leaving were accidental, we'd still need a large number of new LL entering the market which we don't have. Even though rents are so high, and being a LL is apparently so easy. We're meant to believe that we don't have a load of new LL entering market to profit out of some corporate politeness as to not effect the profits of others.

It really is weird that LL are over represented among TDs compared to the general population isn't it. Maybe the fact they earn 2.5x the median wage might have something to do with that. A lot easier to invest and build your wealth up when you're getting 60K more than the average person.

Brucie Bonus · 04-09-2022 4:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119568437#Comment_119568437

Its not right to profit off a crisis you are supposed to be tackling. It's just not.

It would be very easy for a new minister to step away from their housing investments or being a landlord for a term. Everybody choosing to run for office could be well prepared in advance.

elperello · 04-09-2022 5:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119568437#Comment_119568437

I suggested a possible reason in an earlier post for the over representation of politicians in the landlord business.

As you say they have access to extra money and it is a business that can easily be run in tandem with their political career.

Just invest the capital and use an agent to do the day to day running of the business.

elperello · 04-09-2022 5:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570001#Comment_119570001

Seeing as the housing investments involve bricks and mortar and tenants how would stepping away work?

amacca · 04-09-2022 5:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119568376#Comment_119568376

....speechless

I think its utter nonsense.....this Govt and previous Govts have indeed resisted all attempts to solve the problem

And one of the ways they did this was by setting up a system where landlords cannot lawfully remove delinquent tenants in a timely fashion

18 months min if a tenant digs their heels in (and a hell of a lot longer if any i or t isn't dotted or crossed) ....no feasible way of pursuing for property damage (at least one that will get you money to fix replace and not cost you for a hollow moral victory)

I suppose it was attacking tenants in a way by making it too risky to rent to them....

Restoration of fair play might go a long way to helping.....

Brucie Bonus · 04-09-2022 6:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570331#Comment_119570331

That would be their problem. If going in to politics they should prepare.

I can't see it ever happening, but I think during a crisis its an idea.

elperello · 04-09-2022 9:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570926#Comment_119570926

I think if you are proposing something you might at least have some idea how it might work.

How would someone prepare on entering politics?

brokenangel · 04-09-2022 9:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570926#Comment_119570926

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119570001#Comment_119570001

In reality the party making the biggest profit off the housing crisis is Sinn Fein

As we all know it is not in Sinn Feins interest for housing to be resolved because come next election if it is then the government parties will win more seats/votes. You might make excuses for SF record in DCC but they managed to end up with 1300 less units than when they took over.

Do you disagree with them constantly blocking houses to make the housing crisis worse so they will get more votes and the ultimate prise they hope and government?

walterking · 04-09-2022 10:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119560625#Comment_119560625

That's a daily mail type gutter response and most likely a sf/IRA type response.

Did you check his "11 properties"

One house that is divided into 4 individual lets is regarded as "4" another divided into 3 is regarded as "3". Both co-owned

One that he has is a cheap over the shop flat in bally go backwards.

Another is a cheap basic house in Mullingar.

Yes he's earning a few bob from them, but it's hardly a big property empire.

I've two holiday homes. They have 3 self contained ensuite rooms with workspace. I rent them as individual rooms on airbnb.

Seems I now own 7 properties including my main home using this calculation.

Laughable

Brucie Bonus · 04-09-2022 10:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571512#Comment_119571512

Not my problem. Sell, pass on. If you want to enter politics, no conflicts of interest with housing during a housing crisis.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571680#Comment_119571680

I think you'll find thats what we are living through. Did you not follow the Troy story?

As you know the 1300 less was due to tenant purchase and demolishing social housing flat complexes, started by FF's regeneration scam. Also DCC several years ago is a drop in the ocean of the over a decade record breaking housing crisis.

Manach · 04-09-2022 10:35pm

To place this in context, there are many TDs who are lawyers. The law around ownership and renting is perhaps one of the most complex and arcane, perfect gist for lawyers. So perhaps having that profession craft decisions that benefit their society is a far more worrying issue.

04-09-2022 10:41pm

i dont see how any prohibition on any specific legal activity could be workable

but i think that the interests held by top level elected officials should not only be available, i think that they should be consistently front and centre in any analysis of the decisions they make and the work they do in and out of the dail

we dont hold our legislators to a sufficient standard and the idea that they should be left to act legally but with clear opposing personal interests to the majority of the country is setting the bar far far too low imo

elperello · 04-09-2022 10:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571925#Comment_119571925

Clearly not your problem as you are not going into politics.

If they sell they may make a loss depending on the market.

Also making their tenants homeless.

Seems a bit extreme for being in a business that provides an essential service especially when they might not even get elected.

Don't know what "pass on" means.

amacca · 04-09-2022 11:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571949#Comment_119571949

Exactly, one could keep going with this nonsense......

Give up properties before you go into politics🤔

Front and center declaration beforehand so people can see your hand and consequences for not doing it, fine.......

Anything else nonsensical childish populist claptrap imo

Brucie Bonus · 04-09-2022 11:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119572082#Comment_119572082

The would-be politician having to shed property interests would be a problem for them. I think a politician pushing legislation to fill his own pockets is a national problem.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119572117#Comment_119572117

Indeed. When we aren't in a housing crisis we could revisit it. I've a feeling, like health, they are happy to leave a crisis as the norm.

amacca · 04-09-2022 11:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119572166#Comment_119572166

Just to be clear I'm saying it's unworkable and shouldnt happen

Full transparent declaration of interests and severe automatitic consequences for not doing so yes (perhaps evrn whe you run)....have to give up property if you wish to go for election ....no, silly idea regardless of our proximity to a housing crisis.

Brucie Bonus · 05-09-2022 12:02am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119572208#Comment_119572208

Don't we have similar already in place but they forget about property and merely have to correct the record?

Just an idea, but its completely doable.

amacca · 05-09-2022 12:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119572325#Comment_119572325

Nope, we don't have actual consequences for not having a correct record, Id have no problem with that being strengthened (for conflict of interest reasons)

We don't have consequences beyond what party decides is expedient/necessary afaics

I don't agree however with any necessity to give up property if you want to be elected however (regardless of property crises)....I'd be of the opinion that's moronic.

the_syco · 05-09-2022 12:51am

Question for those that opposed politicians being landlords; if they have to move to another location for a undetermined amount of time, should they leave their house empty, as they may have to go back there in the future if their political dreams bare no fruit?

Brucie Bonus · 05-09-2022 1:45am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119572390#Comment_119572390

I agree with you. If they were held accountable there'd likely not be a problem. Currently its pretty much an honour system.

Brucie Bonus · 05-09-2022 1:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119572427#Comment_119572427

Many of them have a home in their county and an apartment in Dublin.

There's a difference between renting out your house and having several properties and pushing for legislation to help fill your pockets.

Its a concern that policy might be getting set for selfish needs.

In the states:

According to the 1978 Ethics in Government Act, all high-ranking federal officials are required to disclose their financial holdings and recuse themselves from any government business in which they, their families or close associates have a financial interest.

Good loser · 05-09-2022 1:57am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119566736#Comment_119566736

Wrong there. 6 billion would build 18,000 houses at 330,000 a pop. Or 12,000 at a more realistic 500,000.

But that money must fund all Govt services - social welfare, education, health service, debt repayments, wage increases to public services, energy subsidies, fixing mica and pyrite houses and on and on and on.

brokenangel · 05-09-2022 6:25am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571925#Comment_119571925

Didnt answer the question?

You are complaining about TDs yet we have an entire party benefiting from the housing crisis, is that right?

Should we not focus our attention on that

rock22 · 05-09-2022 7:22am

duplicate deleted

rock22 · 05-09-2022 7:24am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119560424#Comment_119560424

Nothing in the suggestion stops TD's remaining as landlords.

The suggestion is that, while the housing crisis remains, no landlords are appointed to government

brokenangel · 05-09-2022 8:09am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119572652#Comment_119572652

Can't really ask a TD not to be a LL while the crisis is ongoing and then swap back

Otherwise they will end up transferring properties to family etc and even shadier

This is simple, the TD's adhere to the rules. They declare properties. That's it.

But we should also make all political parties declare their property portfolios home and abroad. You can't expect TD's to constantly get hammered and then not have similar rules for parties?

05-09-2022 11:08am

Surely,the obvious solution is have a blind trust run by the star, look after potential areas of conflict interest

Jimmy carter,famously put his peanut farm into one upon becoming president.....

.the same folks who will tell you TDs are super duper busy,also think that it's ok for a TD to be tending to their rather excessive property portfolio aswell as being a TD,such disingenuous rubbish,and acceptance of erosion of standards is mind boggling tbh

Seth Brundle · 05-09-2022 11:52am

Not sure why people want to over-complicate what should be a simple process.

Politicians need to be clear about their business interests with limited scope for change and appropriate punishments for entering (or not) misleading information.

Politicians should also be clear when lobbying for a particular change whether or not they have a vested interest in said change e.g. requesting certain social welfare payments only be made through post offices when you are the owner of a post office.

We don't need to reinvent the wheel. We just need our TDs to be transparent and appropriate punishments if they are not

FrancieBrady · 05-09-2022 12:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119573568#Comment_119573568

Agree...a zero tolerance set of regulations. Default/defraud/Forget...no excuse.

When you have the actual legislators refusing SIPO actual powers over a number of years and party leaders backslapping and praising those found to be in default, alarm bells should be rigng.

Politicians who are Landlords

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