When I graduated in the 1970s I moved to an area near to my work where five of us rented a house together.
This worked well, we were all able to save up by doing this, and after a few years when I married, I had saved enough for a deposit on a house and so joined the housing ladder.
Under the Conservatives, this system seems to have completely broken down. People get stuck at the private rental stage where the rent is so high that they cannot afford to save, and the cost of houses has risen to such an extent that a deposit is way out of reach without support from wealthy parents.
Private rental can work for groups of young people living together, but it is far from ideal for family life.
In Germany, the majority of people live in private rentals but the terms are very different from those here. The rents are much more reasonable and they have security of tenure for at least three years.
By contrast, the Conservative government has so far failed to end no-fault evictions which means that a tenant can be evicted at the whim of the landlord, without being at fault, at a month’s notice.
This is an impossible situation for anyone, and in particular for those with school-age children when combined with a shortage of school places. Housing has become so expensive that it prevents mobility because employers find that staff will not move to many areas because they cannot afford to live there.
In Wokingham Borough we need essential workers, but they are increasingly priced out of the market.
There are simply not enough houses to rent or buy. The solution in part is to build more council houses – many, many more. Renting a council house at a genuinely affordable rate allows those who wish to save for a deposit to do so.
Council tenants are also much better served than social housing tenants, who are subject to Housing Association landlords that are accountable to no-one.
In Wokingham Borough the Conservatives built no Council houses whatsoever in the 20 years to 2018 – a dismal record. A Labour government will empower local authorities to purchase land at the land’s current use value – rather than its speculative value – which will mean councils such as Wokingham Borough Council will be able to buy land for housing and will be able to build council houses.
Residents frequently tell us on the doorstep that as well as the houses we need to invest in better infrastructure. We need better transport links, more provision of shops, doctor’s surgeries, pharmacies, schools.
With more people we need improvements to water supplies, sewage and water treatment plants. Power supplies also need to be enhanced especially as we move to heat exchangers and electric vehicles.
The private rental sector will always be an essential part of the mix. It should be regulated such that tenants pay reasonable rents, and have houses which are inspected regularly to ensure they meet minimum standards. Tenants should have secure tenure so that they can plan schools and employment in a civilised manner.
Dedicated key worker social housing must also be part of the mix. We need workers in our community who perform work which is essential but poorly paid. Key workers will always need subsidised housing unless there is a significant rise in their pay.
For those currently buying their own homes, the Tory mortgage bombshell has increased average mortgage costs by thousands of pounds a year for Wokingham residents.
As noted in Wokingham Today earlier this month, Wokingham is home to the largest number of households expected to be affected by recent increases in mortgage rates, with average increases of as much as £4,800 per year.
The Conservative government seems content to sit back and watch as prices soar, interest rates continue to increase and the cost of living crisis continues to bite.
Good quality housing can enrich all our lives; let us hope that all our citizens can benefit from it in future.
Cllr Tony Skuse is Labour councillor for Bulmershe and Whitegates ward on Wokingham Borough Council
