Why Britain’s housing market is crumbling

theguardian.com:

Simon Jenkins largely misses the point in analysing Britain’s housing situation (Michael Gove is right about one thing: building more homes won’t solve anything, 13 May). Yes, it is true that many owners are underoccupying their homes, but he devotes one cursory sentence to our desperately inadequate social housing provision, and none at all to the large and growing private rented sector.

For 40-plus years, our governments have persisted in the absurd notion that the market, with a little help from housing associations, would supply our housing needs. The result is that there is a chronic shortage of affordable housing everywhere, particularly for rent. And the private rented sector in the UK, unlike elsewhere, suffers from tenant insecurity, unregulated rents and poor conditions – while receiving huge benefit subsidies that add nothing to physical provision.

In contrast to our widespread owner underoccupation, many UK households, especially renters, suffer overcrowding, and our modern housing has woeful space standards. Market developers will never address the shortage, since they benefit from the inflated prices and margins that it produces.Steve SmartMalvern, Worcestershire

In his largely sensible article, Simon Jenkins fails to mention the physical inefficiency of much of London’s housing. We live in a lovely Georgian terrace with ideal proportions but thin, jerry-built Victorian walls – hopeless conservers of heat. The conservation area and listed-building status prevent us from adding the type of stoneware cladding that can retain the attractiveness of the area while making it possible to install heat pumps, for example. Joined-up thinking is lacking, as usual.Ken BaldryLondon

Simon Jenkins makes some good points