Shelter claims many renters are ‘one cheque from homelessness’

Of course we need more social housing but no one wants it to be next door to them.
Councils need to get back to building whole Council estates rather than dotting social housing randomly in all new build estates.
Social rents need to be far more commercially realistic so social housing providers can afford to maintain their stock and build more. How many Local Authorities and Housing Associations are on the brink of bankruptcy right now?
One of the most contentious issues with Social Housing is allocation. How should priority be determined? Should it go to low wage working local families, unemployed families, migrants, people who have been evicted from the PRS, people who have been repossessed, disabled people? It's highly unlikely enough could ever be built to house everyone who wanted to be a Social tenant. Although if a commercially viable rent was charged would the housing waiting list suddenly shrink dramatically? How many people are only on the list because they fancy having half price rent?

Cheque ? This is the 21st century

We’ve all gone digital

I’ve only received one cheque in the last 15 years , it was from hmrc and I have no bank to pay it into nor cheque book to pay with

Typical public sector dinosaurs

There wouldn't be the problem to this extent if it there had been no Renters Reform White Paper and no Renters Reform Bill. There would be more private rental accommodation available and rents would be lower.

More social housing should be built, but it will take time for that to be accomplished. It is much simpler to U turn on the rental reforms and encourage landlords to stay in the private rental sector. If that doesn't happen the problem will get worse for tenants over the coming months.

The Government got it wrong. Landlords would let to families, people on universal credit and even people with pets if it were made easier for them to get their properties back on a no fault basis, not harder. Forcing landlords to enter into contracts with which they are not in agreement was not the right way forward.

At the moment we need to be more worried about mortgage payers on variable rates and mortgage prisoners many are less than one pay day away from repossession.

Shelter’s policies are a contributory factor to the shortage of rental property & the increases in rent - they actively harm the homeless.
The government’s real & intended policies encouraged by private landlord hating pressure groups will only make the situation for renters worse as more & more landlords sell their houses & flats.
Ultimately the only people that are hurt here are the current tenants & renters try to find a home to rent - this government (GOVE!) will not listen to landlords - the government & groups like Shelter are creating an explosion of homelessness that the local councils will have to deal with!

Shelter could build / buy housing to house people it isn't as if they don't have the funds to do so, they could call themselves ''the great unwashed housing assocation'' see how well they get on as landlords to the free loaders

We should give Shelter credit for saying something sensible for a change. We do need more social housing. But Jo and Tricia are quite right that is needs to be affordable but economic for the councils and housing associations to maintain and build more.
And stop right to buy. I have never understood why paying a subsidised rent for years entitles a tenant to buy the house at a discount. If sold it should be at market value to allow it to be replaced like for like in the social sector.
There will always be people who need help with housing but there will also be people who take advantage of anything they can get free or cheaply. The hard part is helping the right ones.

So Polly turning her attention to councils and government, amazing it was all the landlords fault a few months ago.

Rates rocket so rent goes up, cost of living goes up and who suffers, Rent reform bill which they are right behind has spooked landlords and forced them to sell up, again who suffers, lack of supply who suffers. This idiotic woman has brought most of this to a point of no return along with the other idiotic sandal wearing lefties like Twomey and to certain degree Beadles About...

She should've spoken to landlords who have been doing this for years and asked about challenges, Beadle should have been more vocal about landlords instead of selling his soul for discount cards from tradepoint. Twomey should just go away and play politics on the M6.

I can think of at least six people on here who would make a fantastic contribution towards the direction of rent policies and what needs to happen.

Michaela, the Governments anti Private Landlords Policy is working well driving out Landlords with THE ROGUE RENTERS REFOM BILL which is what it’s designed to do by installing Sitting Tenants of the 1960’s / 70’s, short memories.
Jo, why build more Council Estates ghettos they have just knocked down such an Estate of 58 acres in South Action and replace it with modern beautiful Brick built Flats many private you can buy one of those affordable Flats starting at £400k for a one bedroom and rent it out to your Benefit Tenants, or you can have a bigger Flat ranging up to £850k.
What’s all this driving us out with THE RENTERS REFORM BILL that have been providing quality affordable housing for decades.

Shelter continuously attacking Private landlords and a London Radio Station caused the Problem reinforced by Housing Secretary Michael Gove’s Renters Reform Bill pouring oil on the flames with what amounts to confiscation of landlords property, you can’t have it back ever so why would you buy it for someone else ?.

By taking a deposit to cover 3 months rent, landlords could give struggling tenants a bit more leeway - but Shelter have been one of the rabble rousers responsible for reducing the value of deposits.

In days gone by, young adults and couples stayed with families until they saved enough to put down on a home, rented or mortgaged.

Nowadays "young people", formerly known as kids, want it all NOW.

People need to manage their money better. How many low income families have cars that are expensive to run. I see plenty of old, large engine, gas guzzling, high insurance cars. Why pay £80 per month for sky when you can have freesat for nothing? Do you really need a £45 per month phone contract? Rent should be the high priority, smoking, drinking and takeaways should be low priority.

None of these things seem to be taken into account or discussed.

John Y, you are right. Tenants have expensive wants. Polly Neate and other such organisations do not ever consider where the tenants income is going. Food and shelter needs to be a priority and then take aways, expensive mobile phone contracts, expensive cars, pubs, eating out satellite tv contracts etc seems to their main expenses. Polly Neate will be a main cause of shortage of properties. When this is realised by the politicians and Shelter, it will be too late, the horse will be bolted and gates cannot be closed. Polly would have retired with her massive earnings and later pension. She will not have any qualms and probably will feel she has done her best for the tenants. So narrow focused woman.