Housing

Conservative & Labour Liberal Democrats
Conservative policies forced rents to be increased far above the rate of inflation in both social housing and the private rented sector.

During the last recession millions of owner occupiers suffered from negative equity and repossessions quadrupled in number. 

Labour's local authorities are a joke when it comes to collecting rents and filling empty properties, they run eight for the 10 worst authorities.

Labour have remained silent on the subject of housing, not even accepting the commission on Social Justice proposal for a mortgage benefit.

Housing in Britain is a national disgrace:

  • Nearly two million homes are unfit to live in and the number of homeless people has risen remorselessly.
  • Over a million households queue on council waiting lists.

 

 Liberal Democrats would ensure that everyone has access to affordable and safe housing. We would:
  • Relax restrictions t allow councils to spend accumulated capital receipts from past house sales, so they can renew and repair the housing stock.
  • Pay housing benefit in advance and lend deposits to people to help them move into rented accommodation.
  • Encourage councils and the private sector to work together to build more affordable, high quality houses to rent.
  • Introduce a new mortgage benefit that helps people pay mortgages, as well as rent.
  • Introduce a new conveyancing system in England, similar to that used in Scotland.
  • Provide more short-stay hostel places and the reintroduction of loans to cover rent deposits.
  • Improve building standards and extensions to Home Insulation and Energy Efficiency grants.
  • Make buildings accessible and support the proposed extension of the Building Regulations (1991) to ensure that new housing meets people's needs throughout their lives.

 

housing

Facts & Figures.

  • Since 1978 the number of officially homeless families has tripled.

Questions & Answers.

Q.
You'll do away with mortgage interest tax relief (MITR) and people would get into arrears?.
A.
The Conservatives began to phase out MITR despite promising not to. We have been honest. We want to replace MITR with a benefit which helps those who need it the most.

Q.
How will you pay for increased investment in housing?.
A.
Our investment plans pay for themselves. By targeting mortgage assistance at those most in need we should save around £2 billion. Any reductions in assistance by the government usually result in more people becoming homeless and more construction workers unemployed.

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