YP Letters: Build houses for rent to ease homeless crisis

WITH rapidly rising numbers of homelessness, Britain faces a catastrophic housing crisis. This Government is currently responsible for a ridiculously low level of new houses, with almost all being built for purchase.

What is needed is houses built by local councils for rent. Without action in this direction, the nation will face housing exploitation that will make the horrors of the 1950s and 60s Rachmanism pale into insignificance.

Due to people being unable to buy a house, many are compelled to rent in the private sector where most rents are extortionate. Furthermore, tenancy agreements are harsh and the condition of many rented properties leaves much to be desired.

There is an obvious need to redress these imbalances in the private rented sector by the introduction of fair rent tenancy agreements. However, I would be surprised if a Tory government introduced such legislation.

Instead of wasting billions on projects like HS2, this Government should divert the money to pay for a massive social housebuilding programme.

When we finally leave the EU, there will be less pressure to house migrants from eastern Europe. Indeed, the policy of any decent government should always be to house indigenous homeless Britons before any EU migrants.