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Nick Harvey MPStanding up for North Devon since 1992 |
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CONFERENCE NEWS: HOUSING FOR SELF-STARTERS
September 22, 2009 10:11 AM
Empty state-owned homes should be offered to first-time buyers, says Sarah Teather. The Liberal Democrat housing spokeswoman, addressing the party's annual conference in Bournemouth, called the proposal "housing for self-starters".
"Across the country 800,000 properties lie empty and dilapidated," she said.
"We all know of landowners who will leave a property sat empty just because it suits them.
"But the real crime is that the state is one of the worst offenders.
"If all the empty social homes were brought back into use, we could house 30,000 families.
"And if government were to build new housing on all the surplus land that they own, we could house almost another 100,000 families."
Teather also proposed that local councils should be encouraged to build thousands of extra social homes.
"We have to drive up standards so renting is not the duff choice, either for those who can't afford to buy or those stuck on the housing waiting list.
"There are practical things the government could do to raise standards. Cutting VAT on repair and renewal, tax relief on property improvements and increasing institutional investment would all make a difference."
Teather accused the government of not doing enough to help the 1.8 million people on the housing waiting list.
"And now the latest insult - snatching £15 a week of local housing allowance from the purse of some of the most vulnerable families in Britain.
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