Landlords with Class

This article engages with recent literature on the class-based underpinnings of domestic property ownership, using data from the British Wealth and Assets Survey. Specifically, it explores the potential rise in ‘living off rent’, as argued by some studies. Moving beyond the conventional emphasis on property ownership in relation to income or wealth inequality, this study offers a novel perspective by examining domestic property as a source of rental income, owner-occupation, and investment across occupational classes, with particular attention to geographic location. The findings show that the sharpest class divide in domestic property ownership exists between the traditional working class and all other groups. ‘Living off rent’ is rare amongst the working class and remains minute amongst professional and technical workers as well as managers and employers. Place-based inequalities appear more pronounced than class-based inequalities related to property wealth and rental earnings.