A Sky News anchor was forced to apologise today after she used an interview with a woman who had been evicted to complain about her tenants.
Jayne Secker told housing campaigner Kirsty Archer “it was not the landlord’s fault” that it cost an average £2,000 in deposit and fees to rent in London.
The interview came in response to new proposals by the government to end no-fault evictions aimed to give tenants greater security.
But Ms Secker's admission that she is a landlord and her questioning caused outrage among those watching the clip.
Ms Secker said: "That's not the landlord's fault that's just the housing market isn't it and the landlord would have the same issue if you were to move out in two months."
"I mean it's a systemic problem we can't really afford that £2,000 and working people why should we have to raise that just for doing absolutely nothing wrong why should it be so hard for us to live secure lives? we can't afford to buy a property.
She continued: ″Some would say – and I am speaking as somebody who has rented flats [and] who also rents flats out – that especially with the younger generation in terms of renters you very often find that tenants don’t really know how to do a great deal in homes.”
Number of Brits in work reaches record high of 32.7m
The presenter added: “I, for example, have had tenants complaining because lights have popped – because they don’t know how to change light bulbs. I’ve had tenants complaining about the heating – they haven’t turned the boiler on.
“It’s just very obvious things. If you lived in a home that you owned nobody would be able to fix these things for you. They are just things that actually often require a bit of common sense.”
Addressing her interview subject once more, Secker asked: ”Have you found amongst your friends that you perhaps aren’t equipped with all the necessary skills to rent?”
But Archer hit back: “That’s a bit patronising really, I mean, we weren’t complaining about things like a lightbulb.
“If a landlord was getting pissed off by that would be that surely the reasonable thing to do would be to communicate with each other and resolve that.
“Why should the consequence of that [be] hitting the eject button and turning [tenants’] lives upside down like that?”
Donald Trump mocked for Notre Dame fire idea that could have destroyed cathedral
Bestselling author Philip Pullman tweeted: "Absolutely disgusting. Privilege patronising poverty. The smirk of condescension is sickening."
Tottenham MP David Lammy described the interview as "condescending".
He tweeted: "Shocked by the condescension and lack of humility here. Renting is not a choice. People need somewhere to live.
"The housing market - particularly in London - is broken. We need to re-balance the rules in favour of tenants."
Faiza Shaheen, director of CLASS thinktank and Labour's candidate in Chingford and Woodford Green, said: "Couldn’t get a better example of the rich and powerful dismissing working class issues. This presenter inadvertently admits her biases- imagine if the vested interests of the media and political elite were better known? Many things would start to make a lot more sense.
Donald Tusk says he still 'dreams' the UK might reverse Brexit
Caroline Molloy tweeted: That Sky interview, my god. I can change a lightbulb perfectly well but I've lived in plenty of flats where landlords refused or were slow to do vital repairs - like when I got an electric shock from a power socket because the wall was drenched from a persistent leaking roof.
Kirsty Archer said later: "I was not told beforehand that I would be interviewed by a landlady or had no idea how condescending and insensitive her line of question will be.
"Let's get more working class people presenting news shows next."
Responding to the backlash the Sky Anchor tweeted an apology.
Ms Secker said: "Clearly yesterday I got the tone and content of an interview wrong and it has upset many people.
"I am sure many of us will have made a mistake at work - unfortunate for me mine is a lot more public than most. Please be assured I have taken the many comments on board. Mea culpa."
