SaltyNZ: No, not all landlords. The ones building new houses are providing a valuable service. The other ones are just pushing house prices up by holding onto property to charge other people to use who probably would have preferred to own it themselves.

By all means don’t build a house if the maths doesn’t stack up. But don’t pretend that owning a house that someone else could buy to live in themselves is some charitable service to society. It’s not; you’re doing it to make money. Nothing wrong with wanting to make money - but you can’t have it both ways. You’re either a business or a charity. Why should anyone pat you on the back for being a business?

I'm a landlord. It's absolutely a business investment for me. Just like any business sometimes regulations change. Some are in my favour, some aren't, that's how it goes.

I don't need a medal and I couldn't care less whether someone is upset I'm making money. I also feel no guilt as I do my best to be a good landlord and I'm functioning within the rules society has established. There is a need for rental properties and I can make money and provide that service.

If the rules change I change my approach not cry about how everyone was mean to landlords or feel that as a special case I should be exempt from tax changes until the end of time. I've also had difficulties at times in my life and don't feel entitled to use them to defend my investments. It's an investment not a moral imperative.