We're interested in members views on our continued presence in the buy-to-let market.

While we've always been careful to keep this low key and focus on renovation, the issues that led us to take this approach have been to the fore of late, with some comment by market observers (and occasionally by members of the Society) particularly regarding the effect of the wider market on first time buyers.

Any views

There are definitely some cases of buy to let that do not have this effect - quite the opposite!

For example, I have a buy to let (not with the Ecology unfortunately, but there is still hope for a remortgage I suspect). I rent it to my uncle at the price of the interest, because he can't get a mortgage. Thus, he pays the mortgage and I slowly save towards a "property pension lump sum". That's ethical and beneficial to society, since it gives him housing stability & much lower costs than private renting, while also giving me a long term investment.

Simon