19th
Feb 2013
The London Councils are strongly urging that private landlords should be given tax breaks to help relieve the housing crisis. They are claiming that high numbers of private landlords are leaving the social housing market and because of this they are being forced into putting more and more homeless people into bed and breakfast accommodation.
According to a survey of London housing directors, the number of private landlords willing to let to DSS/homeless people on benefits has dropped by around 20 percent in the last year. This has resulted in nearly 900 families with children being lodged at B&B’s for longer than the government’s guide of just six weeks.
At long last The London Councils has been able to start discussions in earnest with the DCLG, (Department for Communities and Local Government) about preparing a plan of action to encourage landlords back into the social housing arena with a series of proposals.
These include tax relief for landlords to increase the supply of private sector rented properties, improvements to government schemes to bring empty private properties back into the market and better joint working between government departments and local government.
Both parties realise that it is not necessary for private landlords to rent to people reliant on benefits and who are indeed homeless, solely because of supply and demand as the lack of properties in London ensures a continual rise in rents that can be afforded by professional tenants
It is obvious that landlords will see their income streams secure if they rent to tenants who are employed..
London Councils' Executive Member for Housing, Mayor Sir Steve Bullock, said: "While we need to address the long term housing shortage in London, we need to act now to tackle the acute housing crisis in the capital - primarily caused by the chronic shortage of temporary accommodation available for councils to place homeless Londoners.
"While local authorities have been doing their very best to mitigate the impacts, we need a concerted effort by central government departments and councils to take action to ensure a supply of good quality, affordable homes in the private rented sector.
"Londoners deserve to have safe, affordable and secure places to live. We hope to work alongside the government to make this a reality."
The London Councils is the umbrella organisation that represents the Capital's 33 local authorities
Yes give Tax Breaks but maybe be more realistic
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Provide an attractive rental rate, guarantee rental payment until vacant posession and provide a bond scheme that will compensate for actual loss - Otherwise accept no business person will acept an unknown liability just to reduce homelessness. The crux of the matter is we all have mortages to pay and mortgage companies have no sympathy if we cannot fulfil our payments.
Unless the government relent on universal Tax Credit or provides a meningful safetynet Landlords will s
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