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11:46 AM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago 31
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Top Conservative MPs and an independent think tank for ‘liberal conservatism’ have teamed up with homeless charity Shelter to offer a ‘radical new vision’ for fixing the UK’s housing crisis.
The Bright Blue think tank has published a collection of 16 essays in its new book, ‘Home advantage: a new centre-right vision for housing’.
They say this will offer a ‘fresh centre-right vision to resolve the housing crisis’.
Recommendations include building an extra 90,000 social homes a year, extending the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector and extending standard contract tenancies to three years.
Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Housing, has written the book’s foreword and he says: “Every single person in this country, no matter where they are from, what they do or how much money they earn, deserves to live in a home that is decent, safe, secure and affordable.
“Along with the campaigners and political colleagues who have contributed to this thoughtful collection of essays, I am more committed than ever to building a modern, radical and successful conservative housing policy that works for everyone, whether they rent or own.”
Polly Neate, Shelter’s chief executive, said: “The housing emergency is robbing hundreds of thousands of people of a safe and secure home, and undermining the future of local communities from Cornwall to Northumberland.
“Private rents are skyrocketing, over a million households are stuck on social housing waiting lists and homelessness has almost doubled in the last 10 years, but time and time again housing gets left off the political agenda.”
She added: “The government needs to start listening to the growing range of voices calling for bold action on housing, an issue that will be critical at the next General Election.
“Access to a decent home is as vital as education or healthcare.
“The only way to make sure everyone has a home they can afford to live in, and one that allows them to thrive, is for the government to prioritise housing and build a new generation of good quality social homes with rents tied to local incomes.”
Other MPs who have contributed to the book include Damian Green, John Penrose, Shaun Bailey, Selaine Saxby and Jo Gideon.
Nicholas Boys Smith, the co-chair of the Building Better Beautiful Commission, and Toby Lloyd, the chair of No Place Left Behind Commission have also submitted essays.
Ryan Shorthouse, the chief executive of Bright Blue, said: “A Conservative Government, now in power for 13 years, needs to make genuinely affordable and appropriate housing – of all different types of tenure – accessible to a much wider proportion of the population, especially younger generations and those on modest incomes.
“There is no silver bullet to fix the housing crisis.
“But, without bold and urgent steps, the housing situation in this country is only set to get worse, to the detriment of the national interest and the very survival of the centre-right.
“We need new, radical solutions now.”
The book offers more than 60 policy recommendations on how to resolve the UK’s current housing crisis, including:
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Rents begin to rise again
PH
13:40 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
“Every single person in this country, no matter where they are from, what they do or how much money they earn, deserves to live in a home that is decent, safe, secure and affordable.
Yes Mr Gove, and as a landlord/home owner outright I also have the right to sell MY property whenever the hell I like and for any reason that applies at the time, not have to go to court and justify it to some judge . Bring this law in and there's another tennant who'll have to start looking elsewhere because I'll be 'out' of this rigmarole.
Every private tennant knows full well when they start renting that the landlord can sell up ...it comes with the territory.
Carry on government...you're doing a sterling job !
Ian Narbeth
13:54 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Tom McGrath at 04/04/2023 - 13:24
Tom, you repeat the claim that the "housing crisis we have today was caused by Margaret Thatcher's 'Right to Buy" social homes policy back in the 80s."
Given that the houses bought then are now occupied by someone, either an owner-occupier or a tenant, please explain how the fact that the property is not owned by the Council contributes to the shortage of houses overall. Where else would the occupiers of those properties live?
The problem, as even Shelter seem to realise, is that not enough houses have been built to house the current population. With an expected net increase in population of 250,000 per annum, 90,000 new houses will mean we stand still.
Nick Van Hoogstraten
13:56 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
The Tories and Shelter together. Christ the alarms bells are ringing now. Sell sell sell!
Seething Landlord
14:08 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 04/04/2023 - 13:54The "housing crisis we have today was caused by Margaret Thatcher's 'Right to Buy" social homes policy back in the 80s" because the policy prohibited LAs from using the money raised to fund new building to replace the homes that were sold.
I believe that they are now able to access funding but no longer have the in-house skills to manage and maintain anything like the scale of building programme needed.
The policy might have been right at the time but we now see the unintended consequences, exacerbated by the failure of successive governments to recognise and deal with the developing issue effectively.
Robert
14:33 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
Its about time they stopped meddling in the private letting world The idea that Councils will monitor standards is laughable Mine imposed Additional HMO's on any property with 3 tenants sharing I duly filed the application and paid the fee in April 2022 it's still "being processed" a year later
Ian Narbeth
14:43 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 04/04/2023 - 14:08
I don't think that is an adequate answer. Private developers built houses and it was often the cumbersome planning system that meant fewer houses were built than might have been.
If there is a demand - as there clearly is for houses - the private sector will fill it unless government gets in the way.
Old Mrs Landlord
15:38 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 04/04/2023 - 14:43
Unfortunately, Ian, that seems to be what Government does best.
Seething Landlord
15:55 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 04/04/2023 - 14:43
Private developers will only ever build properties that they are confident of selling at what they consider to be an adequate profit, which is not conducive to building large numbers of homes for rent that are genuinely affordable to those who rent out of necessity rather than choice.
Crouchender
16:03 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 04/04/2023 - 15:55
Logical as it is all about cash flow so no point trapping capital value that gives you less flexibility for the future land banking/buying opportunities
LaLo
16:34 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
Constant government Landlord bashing will see many LLs selling up but surely what takes priority in this country is that ‘poor schooling’ needs improvement. When I went to school I was taught - when you subtract a number from a higher number you’re left with a lower number, therefore less to go round - or am I missing something?? Aargh, silly me - LLs selling up = nice juicy capital gains tax - the poor homeless can’t compete with that!! Does anyone have Guy Fawkes’s phone number???