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8:53 AM, 4th April 2024, About 4 weeks ago 6
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The housing crisis takes the lead as the most crucial issue for Generation Rent, according to a new poll.
A survey by flatshare website SpareRoom reveals the top seven election issues for renters with the housing crisis beating the cost-of-living crisis and immigration.
The poll also reveals that only 16% of renters can identify the current housing minister.
According to a poll of 1,476 renters by SpareRoom, the ongoing housing crisis (85%) tops the list of key priorities to be addressed by the current/incoming government.
The issue scored higher than the cost of living (78%), NHS waiting times (64%), inflation (52%), climate change (39%), immigration (36%) and crime (34%).
The poll also shed light on what renters are looking for to alleviate the housing crisis.
Leading the list is the introduction of rent caps (64%), closely followed by initiatives such as getting people into empty properties (63%), prioritising residential supply over second homes (61%), increasing housing construction (57%), and imposing additional taxes on homes left empty for over six months (53%).
Matt Hutchinson, SpareRoom director says the housing crisis will only get worse.
He said: “Over a third of the UK’s households currently rent, and for them the housing crisis is the biggest priority from this and the next government, ahead of changes to the NHS and combatting climate change.
“Plainly speaking, rents are going through the roof: there aren’t enough properties or rooms available to rent, and landlords are being forced to sell up. Rather than getting better, it’s getting worse.”
The flatshare website also reveals the revolving door of housing ministers has left many renters unable to identify the current housing minister.
Lee Rowley marks the 7th housing minister since 2020 and he’s no stranger to the job having previously held the role for just seven weeks in 2022 under Liz Truss.
However, only 16% of respondents could correctly identify the current Housing Minister. Among those who couldn’t, just 21% managed to guess the correct Minister from a list of names provided.
Almost as many (18%) named Brandon Lewis, who held the post for two years between 2014 and 2016.
Participants in the survey (38%), opted for the names of former Premier League managers who lasted more than 11 months in their job, such as Nigel Adkins, Phil Brown, Paul Jewell and Brian McDermott.
Research from SpareRoom reveals the average job span for current Premier League managers, is twice that of a housing minister (668 days vs 334 days).
Mr Hutchinson adds the merry-go-round of housing ministers is making landlords and tenants suffer.
He said: “It’s crazy that the role of Housing Minister is treated as a short-term job when it requires stability and a long-term strategy.
“They’ve barely got their feet under the desk and a grasp of the enormous job in hand when they’re removed and replaced.
“It’s renters and landlords alike who are suffering from the lack of vision and results. This must change.”
Fed Up Landlord
9:46 AM, 4th April 2024, About 4 weeks ago
With that result it's obviously a poll carried out in the local lefty marxist creche, otherwise known as the Generation Rent or Momentum office.
The bigger kids out of nappies go to see Nanny Neate at Shelter. And when they go to big school and leave with a degree in knitting they end up as Labour researchers and MPs.
What these cretins don't realise is that they have been part of the cause of the rental property shortage by their incessant whining.
Reluctant Landlord
10:58 AM, 4th April 2024, About 4 weeks ago
laughable when the Poll is conducted by Spare Room
and then the director himself says ....
“Plainly speaking, rents are going through the roof: there aren’t enough properties or rooms available to rent, and LANDLORDS ARE BEING FORCED TO SELL UP. Rather than getting better, it’s getting worse.”
Tracy Conner
12:48 PM, 4th April 2024, About 4 weeks ago
Yup, that’s really ground breaking. Surveying 1500 renters who are currently focused on looking for a new room for cheap money. Of course concern over housing comes higher than climate change on that day.
Cider Drinker
17:30 PM, 4th April 2024, About 4 weeks ago
There’s a housing crisis because there are too many people chasing too few properties.
This is at a time when being a landlord is extremely difficult to justify from a financial perspective.
Section 24, ridiculous and expensive legislation, the upcoming ban on the easiest way to gain possession (S21), more costs (pointless databases and redress scheme memberships), selective licensing. The list goes on.
Politicians want votes and FaceBook ‘likes’ to stroke their massive egos. They don’t care about housing. They don’t care about mass migration. They care only about feathering their own nests.
We have a leadership crisis.
Martin Roberts
19:20 PM, 4th April 2024, About 4 weeks ago
More people means a requirement for more housing.
Strangely, a lot of people who think cheap housing is a right also think we should have ‘open borders'.
Roogy
7:32 AM, 6th April 2024, About 3 weeks ago
When are these people going to get the maths - U.K. renters + huge levels of uncontrolled immigration = not enough homes