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A former Conservative councillor has used a leading party website to call on the government to restrict the purchase of buy to let properties.
Sam Clark is a former Conservative councillor living in Epping Forest in the south east of England, and writes on the Conservative Home website: “We are repeatedly told that what the country needs is more housing. In Epping Forest’s local plan, it is expected 11,400 houses will be needed over the next decade. The logic presumably being that more houses will bring down the cost for first time buyers trying to get on the property ladder.
“It doesn’t quite work like that though does it? It is easier to buy a property if you already own a property. The policy is incorrect. Real reform of the housing market is needed.
“It won’t happen – but I would argue a Conservative government should restrict the purchase of properties for the buy to let market. This would be transformative, allowing the UK to once again become a home-owning democracy. It would help young people who find themselves in a vicious cycle of renting and who are unable to save up for a deposit.”
In the article Clark develops a theme that large scale new-build schemes are unpopular, especially if they are constructed without commensurate infrastructure and amenities and are placed over currently-green sites. He says a string of Conservative council seats - his own included - have been lost or made marginal because of the unpopularity of new housing.
He concludes his piece:” The Conservative Party needs to focus on conserving our natural environment and heritage. In this way, we can be seen to be on the side of local residents in rural areas. At the moment, we are giving out the idea that a Conservative vote is a vote to concrete over your area. Without reform to planning laws, we will continue down our current trajectory at our peril.”
Amongst the comments at the end of the article is one, from ‘Dave’, saying: “Apart from banning the letting of houses, I have no idea what is being proposed here.”
You can read the complete article and many comments here.
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More pointless waffle from an out of touch politician
Ex-politician. In fact ex-councillor. A wannabe politician. Pointless little man who needs to be ignored
Maybe stop LL’s from buying High Rise Flats to let. Reserve those for the Schemes for misfortunate first time buyers to be placed in the sky in those monstrosities.
Mate, this is literally the third article I've read this morning where you are in the comments just blathering irrelevent nonsense. Have a day off and check your meds.
I wouldn't live in a high rise flat so I wouldn't expect a tenant of mine to do so
Max, ok I’ll take your advice I am sure you must know.
The solution to the housing shortage, which nobody talks about, is simple. It's not that there are not enough houses, it's that there are too many people in this country. If there were tighter controls over migration to reduce the influx of people, we would be better able to house everyone. Not to mention the drain on other areas, NHS, schools, etc.
And to repatriate those who do NOT have the correct documentation, which last I heard of was about 2,000,000.
It is all about balance. We need more people in work, including migrants already in this country (off load the ones whom don't want to work or break our laws) and less not wanting to work. We need more private Landlords, which will drive down rental prices and more Government spending on Schools , Dr Surgeries and Hospitals and training and incentive packages to staff them.
I hate to use the excuse of Covid, but this Government have had to be reactionary to a world wide pandemic and too many cooks are spoiling the broth.
I hope that in the coming months we can have a some sensible solutions to our changing environments. This Government to make a sensible stand on insulation would be a good start. It is a no brainer that we need to insulate our properties that leak heat and to me other sources of power need to be fully exploited to reduce pollution and improve air quality.
Good quality, safely built properties are the key. Not to see how property can be subsidised so that everyone can have a new car every year or 2 and luxury holidays 2-3 times a year!
What and let the government loose out on the additional 3% stamp duty charge that is made on second homes. I realise there a housing shortage, but shouldn’t the government be encouraging the building industry to construct more cheaper sustainable housing which are better insulated, rather than stopping landlords do what they do best, which is investing in property.
There's no shortage of jobs out there for those that want to work, too many scroungers that don't want to work though
Max Boyne, is that your real name? Who is paying you to check on landlords.?
I have no idea who this guy is but - as with many MP's - he has little or no idea. That said, I agree with one aspect - albeit he stated about large scale new build schemes as pertaining to rural areas but, he should open his eyes a little more as this is certainly applicable to urban areas nowadays, where even modest pieces of land have a large number of rabbit hutches with minimal or no gardens squashed in. TODAYS HOUSING WILL BECOME TOMORROWS SLUMS is a statement that comes to mind.
With regard to the statement about restricting the purchase of buy to let properties, one assumes that he is on about the private sector Landlord and not the "social" sector. I have a suggestion, and I am sure I would not be alone in this. If Shelter or any social Landlord wishes to purchase my properties at the rate of 1 property a year with the value based on an average of the local figures whatever that be at the given time, I am prepared to consider selling all my properties thereby making one less private Landlord for this guy and/or whoever to worry about - it'll mean temporarily making Tenants homeless but hey, why should that matter at all.
You're certainly right about today's housing becoming slums, and that is happening rapidly in just a very few short years
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