The Liberal Democrats have set out a predictable set of pledges in their manifesto for next mon this election, centred on greater rights for tenants, higher volumes of housebuilding, and a clampdown on short lets. 

Liberal Democrats say (in their own words) that they will:

– “Deliver a fair deal for renters by immediately banning no-fault evictions, making three-year tenancies the default, and creating a national register of licensed landlords”;

– “Give local authorities new powers to control second homes and short-term lets in their areas”;

– “Abolishing residential leaseholds and capping ground rents to a nominal fee, so that everyone has control over their property”;

– “Allowing councils to buy land for housing based on current use value rather than on a hope-value basis by reforming the Land Compensation Act 1961”;

– “Introducing ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ planning permission for developers who refuse to build”;

– “Make homes warmer and cheaper to heat with a ten-year emergency upgrade programme, and ensure that all new homes are zero-carbon”;

– “Remove dangerous cladding from all buildings, while ensuring that leaseholders do not have to pay a penny towards it”;

– “Help people who cannot afford a deposit to own their own homes by introducing a new Rent to Own model for social housing where rent payments give tenants an increasing stake in the property, owning it outright after 30 years”.

Nathan Emerson, chief executive at Propertymark, says: “It is encouraging to see housebuilding targets being taken seriously within the first manifesto released, especially a realisation that more social homes are required so that people have access to a greater provision of housing. 

“Propertymark has always believed that ground rents should be capped, so it is good to see that similar proposals are being referenced in the Liberal Democrats’ manifesto. It will be interesting to see what mechanism they intend to use should they succeed in ending no-fault evictions.”

The other major non-housing pledges are:

– Everyone will have a right to see a GP with seven days – or 24 hours if it’s urgent;

– Improved access to dentists and pharmacists;

– Guaranteed cancer treatment within two months;

– There will be NHS-style free social care;

– A new higher minimum wage will be offered to care workers;

– A plan to stop raw sewage being dumped into rivers and on to beaches, and hold water companies to account;

– Policies to solve the cost of living crisis for “the long term”;

– “Fixing” the “broken relationship” with Europe;

– Ending first past the post voting and replacing it with proportional representation;

– Getting “big money out of politics” with a cap on donations to parties.