Housing bubble still inflating the cost of living

IT is reported that there is major concern for those who may be made homeless by the proposals to change housing benefit (Yorkshire Post, July 4). And it is common knowledge that some of us live in the golden or now platinum triangle of enormous property wealth – Harrogate, York and Leeds. You will probably have relatives whose property has over the years ballooned in value enabling them to have a cosy relationship with their banks. With the continuation of rising prices banks have and still are prepared to lend on the back of this.

We have a crisis in housing courtesy of this rather smug end of the housing market. Unless this damaging inflationary trend stops and house prices come down considerably, then the cost of living will remain high and still bear no relationship to the more humble aspects of obtaining suitable accommodation.

I would not wish to represent those whose only goal in life is that of perceived wealth through property ownership. I wish to see a more balanced society where humans are more at ease with one another and community grows from this to be more caring and sustainable; indeed, localism Mr Cameron.

However, the real crux of the matter is we have a bulging population with no will on how to solve the acute housing problems of this and future generations.

We have failed to tackle buy-to-let which can be seen as a speculative spivs’ game, with the mortgage-payer absent courtesy of a burdened tenant. Extortionate private rents which the muddled Government believes new social tenants should pay. This doesn’t go well with caps on housing benefit.

I suggest politicians cut the self-preservation and look and listen.