With the General Election fast approaching now is the time that the political parties can address voters’ concerns about housing, and not just focus on the famous Brexit deal!
With rents continuing to rise, housing needs to high up on the list of priorities for the incoming prime minister. Whoever wins the ballot race needs to be looking at the growing problem of the Housing Market and implement changes to building more properties with maintaining those already available. Right to Buy should perhaps become an option again.
Whichever party wins office, they need to immediately respond to the growing housing problem and develop a response which involves building more social housing, maintaining and developing a better Private Rented Sector (PRS), and encouraging affordable home ownership.
As the population increases, the number of smaller households rises, and the number of older people increases, all of which has had a detrimental effect and ensured that demand far outstrips supply. This is causing lack of available housing, along with the rising costs of living and rents, it is becoming non affordable to many low income households.
“With the UK population set to increase by over 300,000 people a year for the next 25 years demand will continue to be strong and rather than set one group against the other the market needs to respond as a whole.”
The market is changing as more people live in the PRS for longer for a number of reasons. Sometimes it is necessity but often it is through choice whether to allow greater flexibility and mobility for employment or, increasingly, among older renters who choose to rent somewhere for lifestyle and affordability reasons allows them to rent somewhere that they might not otherwise be able to afford.”
Trust has been a key issue in this election campaign and the incoming prime minister must ensure generate trust and confidence in any future housing market that is developed over the coming years and that it works for everyone involved.