Of all the tax increases Labour have introduced since 2024, one passed with barely a murmur(低语；小声抱怨). When John Healey, the chancellor(财政大臣), popped another two percentage points on(又提高了两个百分点) tax on “income from property” last month, few complained. It was to be expected. Successive governments have hammered landlords(重锤房东；严厉打击房东), including those who own a “house in multiple occupation” or two, for a decade. Will anyone speak for the HMO Hero(“多户合住房英雄”)?
自2024年工党推出的一系列增税措施中，有一项几乎悄无声息地通过了。上个月，财政大臣约翰·希利将“房产收入”税又提高了两个百分点，却鲜有人抱怨。这也在意料之中。十年来，历届政府都在重锤房东，包括那些拥有一两套“多户合住房”的人。谁来为“多户合住房英雄”发声呢？
Not Labour, that is for sure. Mr Healey’s tax rise came after a similar increase the year before. The Renters’ Rights Act, which was passed last year, introduces rent controls in all but name(几乎等同于；名义上不是但实质上是). For just £47 ($63) a tenant can challenge any rent rise, with a tribunal(法庭；仲裁庭) determining whether it is the local market rent. The tribunal can even reduce rents already agreed on. Market prices are, apparently, too important to be left to the market.(显然，市场价格太重要了，不能交给市场决定。)
肯定不是工党。希利的增税之前，前一年已有类似幅度的增税。《租户权利法》去年通过，几乎等同于引入了租金管制。租户只需花47英镑（63美元），就能对任何涨租提出异议，由法庭裁定该租金是否属于当地市场租金。法庭甚至可以降低已商定的租金。显然，市场价格太重要了，不能交给市场决定。
Yet when it comes to landlords, Labour are only following in the Tory party’s footsteps(步保守党后尘). George Osborne, the former Conservative chancellor, removed tax breaks(税收减免) on mortgage interest and replaced them with a less generous tax credit. Landlords were also hit with a 3% stamp-duty surcharge(印花税附加费) when buying property (which became 5% under Labour). It was under the Tories that the British dream of owning someone else’s home became a nightmare.(正是在保守党治下，英国人“拥有别人房子”的梦想变成了噩梦。)
然而，在对待房东的问题上，工党不过是在步保守党的后尘。前保守党财政大臣乔治·奥斯本取消了房贷利息的税收减免，代之以不那么慷慨的税收抵免。房东购房时还被额外征收3%的印花税附加费（工党执政后升至5%）。正是在保守党治下，英国人“拥有别人房子”的梦想变成了噩梦。
Tomb of the unknown landlord
无名房东之墓