No longer enough.

Housing has always been a common problem for clients at Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead.  This summer in our Redhill office it’s the most common.

Our job is to help with the immediate difficulty but also to advise on policy change.  For example by supporting the Citizens Advice campaign to reform private rentals.  We highlight local housing problems – just last week the shocking choice facing some working families when a tenancy ends.

Occasionally we highlight ideas in the national debate relevant to our patch.

Today Re-writing development rules in Prospect magazine*.  It argues, without economic or political ideology, that it’s “no longer enough to leave house-building to the market”.

It shows why developers build only when they’re sure of the returns they need.  Any business would do the same.  But the consequence is not enough houses at affordable prices. This is described with some reason as not in the public interest.

Theresa May**, our prime minister, also believes something must be done.  “We believe in setting people free to go as far as their talents will take them…(which is)… why we need to do far more to get houses built.  Because unless we deal with the housing deficit we will see house prices keep on rising”.

*By Daniel Bentley,  08/07/16

**We can make Britain a country that works for everyone, 11/07/16