A Liberal Democrat government will tackle the housing crisis by
ensuring that 300,000 new homes are built per year,
including 100,000 social homes for rent.
The party will invest in building 100,000 social
homes for rent each year through a £10 billion capital
infrastructure investment, as well as establishing a Rent to
Own model for social housing and providing government-backed
tenancy deposit loans for all first-time renters under 30.
Building secure homes which are fit for the future is at the
heart of the Liberal Democrats' plan for a brighter
future.
Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary for Housing, Communities
and Local Government, , said:
"Whether renting or buying, across the country too many
people - people who work hard and play by the rules - are
struggling to afford good homes in in the right location. We
are facing a national housing crisis."
"To meet demand we need to build 300,000 homes a year.
Both Labour and the Tories, in pursuing Brexit, show
they are wiling to risk 10% of our construction workers who
are from the EU, making this
crisis worse.
"Liberal Democrats will build 100,000 social homes for rent every
year, to ensure that everybody has a safe and secure home.
We will tackle rogue landlords with mandatory licencing, and
promote long-term lettings.
"We will also tackle wasted vacant housing stock by allowing
local authorities to increase council tax by up to 500 per cent
where homes are left empty for more than six months.
"We are the only party with a bold plan to build a brighter future
for all."
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Liberal Democrats are looking to the future and will oversee a
substantial building programme to ensure that everybody has a
safe and secure home. We will:
- Build at least 100,000 homes for social rent each year and
ensure that total housebuilding increases to 300,000 each year.
- Help finance the large increase in the building of social
homes with investment from our £130 billion capital
infrastructure budget.
- Build new houses to zero-carbon standards and cut fuel bills
through a ten-year programme to reduce energy consumption from
all the UK’s buildings.
- Devolve full control of Right to Buy to local councils.
To support people to find and keep homes of their own we will:
- Help people who cannot afford a deposit 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.
- Allow local authorities to increase council tax by up to 500
per cent where homes are being bought as second homes with a
stamp duty surcharge on overseas residents purchasing such
properties.
To reform the private rental sector, we will:
- Help young people into the rental market by establishing a
new Help to Rent scheme to provide government-backed tenancy
deposit loans for all first-time renters under 30.
- Promote longer tenancies of three years or more with an
inflation-linked annual rent increase built in, to give tenants
security and limit rent hikes.
- Improve protections against rogue landlords through mandatory
licensing.
To improve social renting, we will:
- Set clearer standards for homes that are socially rented.
- Require complaints to be dealt with in a timely manner.
- Proactively enforce the regulations that are intended to
protect social renters.
- Fully recognise tenant panels so that renters have a voice in
landlord governance.