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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
Tom McGrath
18:07 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 04/04/2023 - 15:55
The Seethster is absolutely correct, as ever. Private builders try to squeeze as much profit as possible from each project and affordability is the last of their priorities. They're businessmen.
The idea of housing being a service to the whole population seems to have evaporated.
Seething Landlord
18:09 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Tom McGrath at 04/04/2023 - 18:07
Thanks for the new epithet, reminiscent of Bojo.
Stavros Flatlets
20:34 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
I don't suppose anyone from the NRLA were invited to contribute to the essays on behalf of the PRS?
Monty Bodkin
20:58 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Stavros Flatlets at 04/04/2023 - 20:34
An essay from the NRLA on why scrapping section 21 is a bloody stupid idea for both landlords and tenants would be particularly welcome.
Otherwise I'd rather they just STFU.
Tom McGrath
23:30 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
The Section Twins, 21 and 24, are together responsible for the great exodus of landlords, so that properties available to rent in London have fallen by ONE THIRD since 2019.
The abolition of Section 21 and the introduction of three year contracts would mean that landlords effectively lose control of their properties, in a form of requisition. The prospect has made many landlords leave the sector, while they still can.
Osborne's Section 24 has particularly hit the landlord with a medium sized portfolio, who earns enough to pay the higher rate of tax but whose business is too small to justify the cost of moving to a company structure. More departures.
The only glimmer of light in the general gloom is that these truths may be sinking into the minds of the people who make the decisions. Slowly, dimly, a different attitude is emerging. Perhaps landlords are not the Dickensian villains of popular legend, from whom deserving and innocent tenants need protection and Shelter. Perhaps some tenants do make the lives of their fellow citizens a misery with their violent and disruptive behaviour, and it would help if people could actually do something about it. It may be just a straw in the wind, but it's a welcome one.
Monty Bodkin
23:55 PM, 4th April 2023, About A year ago
‘Home advantage: a new centre-right vision for housing’
Centre-right? Ha Ha Ha!
Even Diane Abbott, bless her, has come out further right than that useless tripe;
https://www.property118.com/labour-calls-for-a-renters-charter/
"We want to encourage good landlords"
-Ms Abbott
Rod
13:40 PM, 5th April 2023, About A year ago
This reads like so many recent government announcements, where various previous initiatives are put together and presented as new solutions to a problem but lack the structure, detail and funding to be much more than platitudes.
This "book" offers nothing more than a magic solution wish list to the gullible, while causing concern for those in the industry whose voices have been ignored while having their pockets emptied.
Ticking doen the list:
Commit to an additional 90,000 social homes a year
- we've seen what happens when the reality of new build in constituencies kicks in
https://thenegotiator.co.uk/government-abandons-long-held-uk-target-to-build-300000-a-year/
Look to extend the standard contract length of tenancies to up to three years
- the fact that this wasn't in the White Paper (WP) shows that even this anti-landlord government acknowledge this is unrealistic
Extend the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector
- didn't they read the WP? The government still hasn't published their new requirements following the consultation which closed in October 2022
In the new National Planning Policy Framework, create a class that promotes specialist housing for older people
- we already have care homes, independent living communities and other specialist housing provision. Either they are trying to buy off older (presumed Tory) voters, or they should have made this more inclusive if it was intended to focus on mobility
Create a genuine, reformed Community Right to Buy to tackle extractive ownership and take back control of assets of community value
- Cameron's government gave communities the right to buy assets. Total annual social housing sales (all categories) have not exceeded 30,000 since 2,000. This ignores replacements - the government gives this broken down by local authority
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-social-housing-sales
Reform the compulsory purchase system to provide a fairer balance between landowner compensation and public benefit
- while reform may be overdue, a considered, rather than rushed review is required
Deliver a registration scheme for short term rental properties to allow local authorities to monitor them
- this has already been consulted on and nothing has been published yet (again).
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/developing-a-tourist-accommodation-registration-scheme-in-england
Extend efficiency improvements to short term rentals
- it could be argued that, like HMOs, EPCs should only apply where the landlord is passing the energy cost on to the guest. Given that both residential and commercial property is now subject to a minimum rating of E, it is difficult to argue against them having the same standard for a conventional let, but the fun would start when you have treehouses, yurts, or suchlike.
Extend the rollout of the homelessness prevention duty to every local authority
- we already have the 2002 and 2017 Acts. More legislation won't solve it. Like many of the issues in the housing sector, it's the lack of funding and housing supply which is the issue, not the lack of red tape.
Encourage the government to release unused brownfield sites directly to be used by local authorities.
- there is already a government initiative on this.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/derelict-sites-to-be-transformed-into-new-homes-as-new-brownfield-fund-opens
iHowz are currently lobbying the government to publish their new requirements for
- EPCs + MEES
- Decent Homes Standard
in addition to the proposals in the White Paper, including
- court process reforms
- new S8 grounds
- amendment and retention of S21
https://ihowz.uk/the-white-paper-on-the-privated-rented-sector/
https://ihowz.uk/the-unintended-consequences-of-losing-the-section-21-notice/
Tom McGrath
12:39 PM, 6th April 2023, About A year ago
As Rod points out, Michael Gove's latest pompous pronouncement is little more than a list of magic aspirations.
We can do better than that, surely, with the Landlords' Party, promising a free palace for everybody, a million pounds a week forever, and sunshine on Saturdays and Sunday.
Political promise and practical delivery are two different things, however, so don't expect any improvement in the housing crisis any time soon.
Chris @ Possession Friend
21:16 PM, 9th April 2023, About A year ago
Tories have ALWAYS been in bed with Shelter ! Even the Form 6A Sec 21 Notice recommends tenants in receipt contact Shelter for advice.
Roogy
8:36 AM, 10th April 2023, About A year ago
Housing crisis cause -
1 Government have encouraged landlords to leave the sector by tax,legislation,and licensing.
2 immigration continues at an unsustainable rate - 500k in one year.
= fewer homes being chased by more people- rents go up.
Housing crisis solution-
1- encourage landlords back into the market - reverse the financial penalties.
2- reduce and control immigration