A Conservative Government should restrict the purchase of Buy to Let properties?

A Conservative Government should restrict the purchase of Buy to Let properties?

10:51 AM, 31st December 2021, About 2 years ago 7

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Writing in Conservativehome a former Conservative parish councillor, Sam Clark, argues for a more interventionist approach to the housing crisis by restricting BTL rather than encouraging large scale new developments.

His fear is that Tory voters will perceive the government as wanting to concrete over their areas, and a vote for them will end up with a block of flats at the end of your garden. Click here to read the full article and comments.

Mr Clark wrote: “We are repeatedly told that what the country needs is more housing. In Epping Forest’s local plan, it is expected 11,400 houses will be needed over the next decade. The logic presumably being that more houses will bring down the cost for first-time buyers trying to get on the property ladder.

“It doesn’t quite work like that though does it? It is easier to buy a property if you already own a property.

“Real reform of the housing market is needed. It won’t happen, but I would argue a Conservative Government should restrict the purchase of properties for the Buy to Let market. This would be transformative, allowing the UK to once again become a home-owning democracy. It would help young people who find themselves in a vicious cycle of renting and who are unable to save up for a deposit.”


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Comments

11:56 AM, 31st December 2021, About 2 years ago

I don't think I have ever bought a property as a B2L that a first-time buyer wanted. If they did, they were in a position to offer far more for a fixer-upper than was viable as a B2L refurb, or the property was unmortgageable as a residental purchase.

Seething Landlord

14:01 PM, 31st December 2021, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Jerry Jones at 31/12/2021 - 11:56Why let the facts get in the way of the rolling tide of anti btl propaganda?

Monty Bodkin

16:49 PM, 31st December 2021, About 2 years ago

"a *former* Conservative parish councillor"

That's hardly representative of a Conservative government.

Mick Roberts

8:13 AM, 1st January 2022, About 2 years ago

Again they exclude the Benefit tenant who can't afford to buy.

S S

23:47 PM, 2nd January 2022, About 2 years ago

The Conservatives have this misheld belief that as soon as someone becomes a homeowner, they become a Conservative voter.

They are confusing cause and effect. Someone who is more conservative (lower case c) will seek to save and buy their own property.

Thatcher switched many council stock renters into Conservative voters through what was, and is, a huge giveaway from the state. This only reduced the state housing stock which was never replenished.

Osbourne's last budget was a poke in the eye to many landlords with increased SDLT and limiting mortgage interest relief.

The harsh truth, if we want more people to be homeowners in this country, is that we need to limit net immigration. No point building 200k homes a year when net 350k are arriving.

Targeting BTL is utterly pointless and failing to address the real issues. Targeting the PRS landlords will only increase the Government's social housing costs. Total shortsightedness.

And, as a previous poster has mentioned, posting a nobody's comments doesn't make a 'news' article.

Northernpleb

10:00 AM, 4th January 2022, About 2 years ago

SS, and Mick, Have hit the nail on the head. The Housing Crisis, and Rising Rents is a Soup of the Governments Making.
Since the reforms of the 1980 Private Landlords took up the slack and housed the people who needed housing. Since Conservatives ( Osborne )started the attacks Quickly followed by the Councils on private landlords. Millions of Tenants have had rent increases, and hundred of thousands cannot now rent anything at all.
The Government should not be demonising Private Landlords but encouraging them. It is probably the cheapest and quickest way to solve some of the problems. They will never be able to solve the Housing Crisis If they cannot control our borders.

Mick Roberts

10:19 AM, 4th January 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Northernpleb at 04/01/2022 - 10:00
Great words Northern,

I'm not history expert, but Govt in the 80's (correct me here) bought in assured shorthold tenancy & Section 21 etc. & then as u say, landlords took the homeless tenants.
Baffles me how Govt & Councils can't learn from history.
As with LHA in 2008 & UC now not learning from 2008 or not talking to each other.
How can u bring systems in without even talking to the people who it may affect what they might see will happen?
As with EPC to C in 2025/2028. Go see the tenant that has lived in the same house 24 years who now may become homeless.

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