If you are renting the Resolution Foundation expects rent rises in the next three years to outpace any rises in wages... in other words the squeeze on renters will continue to be a major aspect of the housing crisis.
Of course, we can expect little else from a political class that are either landlords themselves or count landlords among their close associates.
The only solution is to offer renters a way out of renting& that is more social housing!
@ChrisMayLA6 Apologies in advance for putting my contrarian hat back on, but let’s note building new social housing will take a long time. Whereas passing a new rent control law to define reasonable rents, limit escalations, and create protected categories of renters could be done quickly.
If landlords don’t like it, they can always sell - and maybe then there will be a de facto (but fragmented) social housing sector.
Ireland might also like to see how such a scheme pans out …
@BashStKid@ChrisMayLA6 firstly, remove right to buy, so councils (not housing associations and arms length bodieds) can buy and build social housing and then not have to sell it at a loss to a tenant who then sells onto private landlord.
That is exactly what the new regime elected in #wandsworth two years ago has been doing - taking a pledge to build a thousand houses made by their #conservative predecessors and altering it make it social housing only - in addition purchasing properties from distressed 'Buy to Let' owners. All this is being funded by borrowing nearly £ 500 million over fifty years from the Public Works Loans Board against present and future rents. It makes getting #labour in feel worthwhile!
It is true that only a minority of the thirty five #labour councillors elected then were pale and male - ten at the time - although one more has been added since! However it would be stretching matters somewhat to convincingly portray Councillor Hogg the #labour leader in #wandsworth as a particularly left wing figure!
Add comment