We have talked on here before about the new scheme the government have dreamt up which involves landlords joining a national register and paying £50 for the privilege, ostensibly to cover administration costs.
Whether you agree with the aims of the national body or not, being forced to join one feels is a little dictatorial and to be forced to pay for it as well just adds insult to injury.
Landlord Assist is concerned with this fee being the straw to break the camels back on top of all the other fees associated with setting up to become a landlord. I tend to be of the opinion that if you are going to be put off by an extra £50 then perhaps you do not have enough financial flexibility to be considering entering into the property game. But I also feel this is not the point.
In my opinion you cannot make joining a club compulsory and then force reluctant joiners to pay for it as well. I feel my opinion on the matter is unlikely to make any difference as the government has already set a precedent on this type of thing. Teachers were not long ago forced to join a national registering body and still pay around £50 pound a year to be a member of something many disagree with.
I feel that the national registry for landlords and the fee associated with it are probably inevitable but it will not stop me voicing the fact that I am opposed to it as a matter of principle.
