Lynn, I am a landlord. I let out a flat that I had to vacate due to relocation with work that won't sell. It won't sell because in many other properties in the block that were buy-to-let, the tenants didn't pay their rents, the landlords couldn't afford to pay the mortgages so they were reposessed and sold at auction for peanuts. So a £230,000 apartment is now valued at £130,000 and has been for the last five years.

Monthly mortgage £850, Management Company Fee £174 so outlay £1,024. Rental income £736 so net loss each month of £288. Plus one set of tenants didn't pay for four months and trashed the place so further £2,944 loss plus £800 to redecorate at £3,000 on furniture. I am not rich and live month to month and had to take out a credit card to buy new furniture.

Please tell me where my massive profits are?

At present I have students in who are OK but you live month by month. On months when they paid no rental income I had a choice - pay the mortgage and survive on two minute noodles and tap water for a month or don't pay it and get reposessed thus also losing the home that my family now live in, just because tenants won't pay. As for fining landlors well in my case how do I know what my tentas are upto right now? The only way is for me to install cctv in the flat!! Think.