Housing minister Brandon Lewis has been accused of talking “a load of waffle” by one of his predecessors.
Former Labour housing minister John Healey clashed with Lewis in the Commons when discussing the extension of Right to Buy to tenants of housing associations.
Healey asked about the cost to the public purse of introducing the policy.
Lewis replied: “The details will be set out in the impact assessment when the housing bill is published, but it is all about ensuring that we support people who aspire to own their own home and extend home ownership to as wide a group of people who wish to have it as possible, and on equal terms to those who have had it for so many years.”
Healey responded: “What a load of waffle. It is quite clear that the minister has made no assessment at all of the costs of the policy.”
He continued: “When he produces the impact assessment before the bill is published and brought before the House, will he ensure that it shows that taxpayers will pay three times over: first, for the investment to build the homes; secondly, for the discount to sell them; and, thirdly, for the higher housing benefit bills that will result?”
Dodging the question, the housing minister replied: “I appreciate that the right hon. gentleman feels strongly about this, no doubt against the background of his interests in the housing association he is involved with.
“I gently point out to the right hon. gentleman that he has made it very clear where the Labour party stands on the issue.”
Lewis told Healey: “We want to support people who want to own their own home. I am disappointed that he does not support aspiration.”
Healey has also written to the National Audit Office, calling for an investigation into Right to Buy.
He has complained that many houses bought at a discount are now let out to private tenants.
Under Right to Buy, homes can be bought at discounts of up to £75,000–£100,000 in London.
Labour leader contender Jeremy Corbyn wants Right to Buy to be extended to the private rented sector.
The conservatives have lost their way extending the right to buy. Maggie Thatcher introduced this to buy votes, which it did at the country’s expense (our expense). I do not have a problem with council houses being sold to tenants (as it is their home) providing it is at a full open market value, possibly at easy payment terms to help them and the proceeds put back into new social housing. The fact is sale of these properties does not take property away but does remove it from the social housing market; which is why funds should be spent on more social housing so the housing stock increases. Fact “X” number of homes and “Y” number or people needing somewhere to live. Y is a bigger figure than X thus the problem.
This is why sales of social houses will not solve the housing crisis. This is why rent controls will not solve the housing crisis. Politicians mislead the public for their own ends or they are stupid – make you own minds up on that. Jeremy Corbyn’s communist policy to taking wealth from one member of society and giving to another is nothing short of theft in my opinion.
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Totally agree, Will. I am at a total loss to understand why politicians fail to grasp the exact nature of the problem and the obvious solution as you describe it. Why won’t they just get on and build more social housing using funds from selling council houses to long-term tenants? Even if the newly-purchased homes are let out, it would provide desperately needed rental accommodation for benefit tenants or essential workers in that area. Why won’t the Conservative government agree to licensing of all letting agents? Those of us who play it by the rules and provide a high quality service at a reasonable cost have nothing to fear – the chances are that these are already Licenced ARLA agents anyway! I am heartily sick of being tarred with the same brush as the agencies who rip off tenants and landlords – the multi-nationals who have sucked up the decent and honest independents and who are destroying the reputation of our industry by their greed and total disregard of what is fair and acceptable. The trouble is that the only thing they care about is the bottom line for their shareholders. When profit is the only motivation integrity, honesty and fairness are forgotten. The letting industry is under the spotlight and we are being hung drawn and quartered because of the activities of the big boys who just don’t care so long as they keep pulling in the profits. More and more regulation is being forced on us but it is an open secret that there won’t be any resources to police compliance within the industry. The lunatics are running the asylum ………..
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One person didn’t like my comments! perhaps it was a Jeremy Corbyn Fan!
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