Truly affordable rents needed in rural areas - Yorkshire Post Letters

Your leader on rural housing (The Yorkshire Post, February 7) draws attention to a major problem which is causing a serious imbalance in the demographic of rural areas.

The Government’s definition of “affordable” housing is 80 per cent of open market value.

The absurdity of this yardstick needs no further comment.

Current policies are just tinkering with the problem which, as Tim Farron MP has pointed out, is getting markedly worse as permanent tenants are being given notice to quit

and their houses made available for holiday lets.

What is essential is the reinstatement of houses to let at truly affordable rents with no right to buy and owned by local authorities or Housing Associations.

If land is given planning permission for this purpose only, it will be of less value whilst still giving the land owner a very handsome premium over exiting use value. The lower land price would enable the rents to be affordable.

Current land values are created by the prices obtained for open market housing.

Owning your own home is a fine aspiration but a roof over your head is fundamental.