Alan Campbell MP for Tynemouth Community Commitment Common Sense
The Renters Reform Bill returned to the House of Commons this week to build on and actually deliver some of the changes planned by the previous administration and importantly to help redress the power imbalance between landlord and tenant. Housing has steadily crept up the political agenda driven not only by exorbitant rents and house prices in some areas but also parents and grandparents seeing young people struggle in a way difficult to recall.
The common factor in all of this is that as nation we have failed in recent years to build enough new houses. The new Government has announced a target of 1.5 million new homes by the next election but the current rate we inherited is too slow. The state of the economy is vital but specific remedies such as reforming the planning system will be key. It will require a new skilled workforce – the struggle to find workers sits uncomfortably with the figure of a million young people not in education, employment or training.
But it also requires a collective effort across Government to ensure the infrastructure is there for housing schemes such as transport, water, schools and health services. That raises issues about access to long term funding but also how the new homes are going to be affordable to buy or rent. And at its heart is a question about affordability for local people to ensure not only that they can move should a job come up but just as importantly that they don’t have to move from family or friends to ensure they get on.