Honestly, private landlords have already been squeezed to breaking point and if you ignore capital appreciation, it's barely profitable being a landlord in London these days - most of zone 1 or 2 you're lucky to find a 3% yield on an buy-to-let property.

Factor in the cap on deposits, ban on tenant fees and the supremely tenant-friendly eviction processes, and it's barely worth it.

We need to encourage good landlords to continue to provide housing, and ensure there is enough of an incentive for them to do it - as it is, tons of good landlords are cashing out and selling up, and the only ones still turning a profit are the ones cutting corners and over-filling properties.

Yes, l,have to concur, once you have paid for this certificate and that certificate, unless you were a greedy landlord with sky high rents, theres not a lot in the rental game.

Indeed they could - but I doubt any are as fair as I have been over the years. Its hard to run any business these days without council/gov certificates and updates every year, all costly, not all needed, they are coming for you if you run your own business. Thats why I have come to the conclusion you are better off on the cards with no outlay!

Why I am paye with holidays,sick,pension,van,uniform,tools,work,
swervability and all paid for because I do what they ask me to do. A job isn't hard if you know the rules.
Get a trade and just plod through life. As I said if you are in no worse a position year on year you are winning. We can't all be millionaires sadly because then we would be the poor ones still as billionaires would then be the rich.

Tbh I do not envy the self employed. I was many years ago and felt the crash of 50% wage drop and single rate OT. I didn't have to find the work though as was employed by a n other. This was forced though due to the firm I worked for paye going South a few years before. 20p in the pound and all that from the administators. I had a great boss on my last self employed role. Being potless he took me on and loaned me a monkey no charge, payable over the next 10 weeks wages. Proper gesture of a friend I worked with paye before on that company that went south.
I do think though that shrewd accounting can create a self employed monster to be envious of. Covid has probably nipped this a bit with loans and furlough etc.
All I want to see is a level playing field when it comes to paying your dues to hmg. Tax is a bitch but spain shows why it needs paying.

He owned the firm but lost touch now. Over 30 years ago but you don't forget things like that and will always be a friend and in my thoughts; might meet again one day. Yup all should pay tax and avoidance is being more scrutinised than ever. Morally wrong but a great many do pay whether optionally or coerced.