Housing

Why landlords are refusing to live with current renting rules

Small, or accidental, landlords are leaving the market in increasing numbers. Can the government persuade them to stay with tax incentives and improved terms, or has it left it too late?

Over the past five years, the number of properties registered with the RTB has dropped by more than 43,000, and is expected to keep falling. Picture: Getty

When Marie served her tenants with an eviction notice in February, she added a handwritten note to the envelope. The formal notice of termination template she had downloaded from the internet left no room for her to tell the family of three, who are her tenants, why she is selling up.

“I wouldn’t say I did all this reluctantly. That’s not how I’d describe it, but I would avoid this if I could. I wanted to tell the tenants that,” Marie told the Business Post.