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Morning Briefing: reaction to Labour’s Right to Buy for renters plans
Reaction has been flooding in to plans unveiled over the weekend by shadow chancellor John McDonnell to give private tenants the legal right to purchase their rented homes
In the news
The Labour stalwart told the Financial Times that he wanted to tackle the “burgeoning buy-to-let market” by allowing private renters to buy their homes at a discount.
Unsurprisingly, the plans have sparked anger from plenty of commentators.
The Daily Telegraph’s property editor warned that the “Bolshevik-lite” plan would hurt landlords badly and renters worse, while the Residential Landlords Association said it would “kill off the private rented sector”.
CityMetric’s John Elledge has taken a look at the possible ramifications of such a policy.
In other news, Conservative West Midlands mayor Andy Street has said there is “no doubt” that ministers’ decision to freeze the Local Housing Allowance has increased homelessness, per the Express & Star.
His fellow Conservative peer Shaun Bailey, who is the party’s candidate to become London mayor at the next elections in May, has said that Transport for London should be stripped of its housing function because it is “not good at it”, City AM reports.
The Daily Express reports on figures from Citizens Advice showing that 55% of people claiming Universal Credit have gone without essentials, including food, heating and toiletries in the past year.
Meanwhile, the BBC picks up a survey from the National Governance Association which reveals that more schools in England are setting up foodbanks to help feed pupils’ families.
Elsewhere, the Oxford Mail reports on a new ‘tenancy support package’ being launched by West Oxfordshire District Council, which encourages private landlords to work with the council to cut homelessness.
Families living in Teesside will be forced to move from their homes after Mears Group took over responsibility for housing the region’s asylum seekers without reaching a deal with Jomast to allow them to stay in place, per Teesside Live.
In Scotland, the Trump Organization has promised to fund a new school and health centre as it tries to gain permission for a luxury housing estate near the president’s Aberdeenshire golf resort, according to The Guardian.
And in Wales, the BBC reports on fears that Cardiff could be left with empty buildings due to an oversaturation of luxury student flats, while WalesOnline claims that residents of the country’s tallest tower have been told to pay up to £40,000 to fix safety defects.
And finally, The Guardian carries a feature on co-living – asking whether it is a solution to urban loneliness or “cynical corporate dormitories”.
On social media
A new ’right to buy’ for private tenants is expropriation of property. You are punishing landlords - most of whom are making not much money from not very large portfolios - for making perfectly legal/legitimate financial decisions
— Robert Colvile (@rcolvile)A new 'right to buy' for private tenants is expropriation of property. You are punishing landlords - most of whom are making not much money from not very large portfolios - for making perfectly legal/legitimate financial decisions
— Robert Colvile (@rcolvile) September 1, 2019
And I like @johnmcdonnellMP’s idea of a right to buy for private tenants. Socially progressive. Brace for moaning landlords t.co/AQnA2We8t6
— Kevin Maguire (@Kevin_Maguire)And I like @johnmcdonnellMP's idea of a right to buy for private tenants. Socially progressive. Brace for moaning landlords https://t.co/AQnA2We8t6
— Kevin Maguire (@Kevin_Maguire) September 2, 2019
