The government and councils moving the goalposts cause homelessness

News that BMW is to delay building the new electric Mini in Oxford over ‘uncertainty’ should not come as a surprise.

I see nothing here different to what the government, the Labour Party, the Conservative Party and Nottingham City Council and other councils are doing to landlords.

BMW Mini says “given the multiple uncertainties facing the automotive industry” means that governments and councils are constantly changing the goal posts.

How can you have a 2035 date to stop making petrol cars for Labour to get in and change that date to 2030? These are big car plants which have lots of workers in them.

They need to plan effectively and need to know what the government is planning to do.

It’s worse for landlords

For landlords, it’s worse as it’s done retrospectively after the tenant has already moved in, got settled, got her house how she wants it.

The landlady is charging her cheaper rent than normal.

Then the government changes the rules.

How can you have a good, non-draughty house with an EPC D rating, new boiler, doors, windows and kitchen for Ed Miliband to come in and say, “You’ve got to rip your house apart, take that kitchen out, destroy the tenant’s decoration, make her walls thinner and she’ll have to buy a new settee too.”

Her rent will increase by £200pm, but she will have an EPC C rating, and she will save £20pm on her gas bill.

Changing the EPC formula soon

And then he says, “Ooh, and we are changing the EPC formula soon too, so the above may not last – but we will let the EPC run for 10 years before you’ll have to rip the tenant’s house apart again.”

Ed, do you only plan ahead for five or 10 years? My tenants, some of ’em have been in the same house for 40 years and with me 26 years – and five years is nothing.

Same as you George Osborne with your Section 24 and telling landlords, “Ooh, you’ve got six years to plan for this”.

Do you think six years is a long time in a private tenant’s life? Is their life worthless after that?

You all are proper disgusting and you governments and councils are the biggest cause of homelessness in the UK.

All you have to do is make a plan, stick to it and help tenants and landlords enjoy their homes.

Read the Mini story on the BBC News website.