No reason why they shouldn’t pay more
Landlords and the Student Union (Courier last week) protest too much about the possibility of taxing private landlords of student housing as a business, which it is – and a very profitable one.
First, because any council tax paid is a business expense and tax-deductible. As landlords are taxed at 40 or even 50 per cent the true cost to them would immediately be reduced by about half. If they fear competition from the bright new purpose built residences, they may absorb all or some of the true cost themselves, and even if they do not, the cost would be spread between the number of students in each house and be marginal.
Students are young, lively and noisy members of the community who run cars and create parking and refuse problems for the community. There is no reason why they and/or their landlords should not make some contribution to local authority costs. - Marianne Pitts, Leam Terrace, Leamington.